NBA Stars Subject to Player Participation Policy in 2025/26
nba-stars-subject-to-player-participation-policy-2025-26
The NBA’s player participation policy, introduced in 2023 to discourage teams from resting healthy players, will again place restrictions on high-profile talent during the 2025/26 season.
Under the rules, a “star” is any player who earned an All-Star or All-NBA berth in one of the three previous seasons (2023, 2024 or 2025). Those players cannot sit out NBA Cup contests or nationally televised games without a league-approved reason such as a bona fide injury. The policy also penalizes clubs for resting more than one star in the same game, favoring home games over road games when choosing rest nights, or shutting down a star for a prolonged stretch.
Cleveland recently became the latest example of enforcement. The Cavaliers were fined on November 12 after resting Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley—both classified as stars—in the same game.
Players classified as stars for 2025/26
The 45 players subject to the policy next season are:
Trae Young (Hawks)
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
Darius Garland (Cavaliers)
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
Anthony Davis (Mavericks)
Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
Nikola Jokić (Nuggets)
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Jimmy Butler* (Warriors)
Stephen Curry* (Warriors)
Kevin Durant* (Rockets)
Alperen Şengün (Rockets)
Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
James Harden* (Clippers)
Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
Luka Dončić (Lakers)
LeBron James* (Lakers)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
Ja Morant (Grizzlies)
Bam Adebayo (Heat)
Tyler Herro (Heat)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Julius Randle (Timberwolves)
Zion Williamson (Pelicans)
Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Karl-Anthony Towns (Knicks)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Jalen Williams (Thunder)
Paolo Banchero (Magic)
Joel Embiid (76ers)
Paul George* (76ers)
Tyrese Maxey (76ers)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Jrue Holiday* (Trail Blazers)
Damian Lillard* (Trail Blazers)
DeMar DeRozan* (Kings)
Domantas Sabonis (Kings)
De’Aaron Fox (Spurs)
Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
*Players marked with an asterisk were at least 35 years old on opening night or have accumulated 34,000 career regular-season minutes or 1,000 combined regular-season and playoff games, making them eligible for one pre-approved rest night in back-to-back sets.
Seventeen teams will feature multiple stars next season, while four—the Nets, Hornets, Bulls and Wizards—currently have none. The list could expand after the 2026 All-Star Game; any player selected for that mid-season event would immediately become subject to the policy for the balance of the schedule.
Source: Hoops Rumors
