Some big injury news was just announced and it has major implications for the NBA All-Star Game. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be sidelined for the next week due to a mild calf strain and will miss the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

With Antetokounmpo out for the All-Star game, NBA commissioner Adam Silver is now going to have to name an injury replacement.

When the All-Star reserves were announced, there was a lot of sentiment around the league that Hawks point guard Trae Young was snubbed once again. Young leads the league in assists and has been one of the leagues best shot creators and playmakers all season, but was not picked as an All-Star reserve.

For the second consecutive season, Young seems like a logical injury replacement. He was picked as an injury replacement last year, but it is far from a guarantee.

Because Antetokounmpo is a frontcourt player, Silver may elect to pick a forward or center. The Eastern Conference has Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Darius Garland, Cade Cunningham, Damian Lillard and Tyler Herro as the guards already and they may not want to add another.

Young certainly has a case though and he has been playing lights out since getting snubbed for the original reserve spot. In his last five games, Trae Young had 34 points and 17 assists vs the Pacers, 34 points and nine assists vs the Pistons, 32 points and 12 assists vs the Spurs, 24 points and seven assists vs the Bucks, and last night, Young tallied 35 points and 14 points in a win vs the Wizards. Young has led the Hawks to a 2-0 record since the trade deadline and the Hawks are still firmly in contention for a top six spot in the Eastern Conference. He certainly deserves the spot, but I would be willing to bet that it will go to another frontcourt player. Young is averaging 23.5 PPG and leading the NBA with 11.4 APG.

Let’s wait and see. The NBA All-Star game takes place next Sunday night.

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