Here are your 2022-23 fantasy basketball East and West All-Stars

The Chiefs are the 2023 Super Bowl champs — which means the NFL season is over, and all eyes turn to the NBA! The NBA's All-Star festivities descend on Salt Lake City this weekend, and to celebrate, it's time to recognize the best fantasy players of the season. After announcing the All-Star starters a few weeks ago with LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo as captains, I followed suit, selecting the top-10 fantasy players — because, hey, why not?

Here are the top-five players by position for each conference (call me crazy, but I was always a fan of the traditional East/West All-Star formats).

East Selections

PG - Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

Per-game rank: 8, Total rank: 7

SG - Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Per-game rank: 16, Total rank: 11

SF - Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Per-game rank: 7, Total rank: 3

PF - Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets (now Phoenix Suns)

Per-game rank: 5, Total rank: 13

C - Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Per-game rank: 4, Total rank: 4

West Selections

PG - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Per-game rank: 3, Total rank: 1

SG - Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Per-game rank: 6, Total rank: 21

SF - Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

Per-game rank: 17, Total rank: 5

PF - Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Per-game rank: 2, Total rank: 29

C - Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Per-game rank: 1, Total rank: 2

Reserves:

Damian Lillard - PG/SG, Portland Trail Blazers

Per-game rank: 9, Total rank: 10

Lillard ranks in the top 10 in per-game value this season and is on pace to put up career highs in points per game (31.2), FG percentage (46.7%) and 3PM (4.1) this season. He ranks sixth in points per game, ninth in assists per game and third in 3PM per game — and quite frankly, he's the only thing keeping the Blazers in the hunt for the play-in tournament. Dame battled through a couple of nagging injuries early in the season but is delivering for fantasy managers.

Jimmy Butler - SG/SF, Miami Heat

Per-game rank: 10, Total rank: 24

Jimmy Buckets was the most controversial selection out of the players on this list because his unexpected early season absences were frustrating, but the numbers don't lie. He's having one of his most efficient seasons to date, shooting a career-best 51% from the field and averaging 21.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists with 2.0 steals per contest. He's second in the league in steals per game, only trailing OG Anunoby by a tiny margin at 2.1 per game.

Despite missing 15 games this season, Butler ranks in the top-25 in total value this year. He was definitely on the cusp of making it, but it's not like he would have cared anyway, since Butler's been looking forward to a much-needed vacation.

Luka Doncic - PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

Per-game rank: 11, Total rank: 9

Another tough decision to start SGA over Luka, but it was the right decision since SGA is doing numbers that we've only seen from Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. However, Doncic has been spectacular for fantasy this season, ranking just outside the Top 10 in per-game and total value. He's tied for first in the league in scoring with Joel Embiid at 33.2 per game and is the only player to average at least 30 points with 8 rebounds and 8 assists this season (and the first since Russell Westbrook in 2016-2017). He's been more efficient as well, shooting 50% from the field for the first time in his career and swiping 1.5 steals per game. The best is yet to come from Luka, but this is still scary production coming from the soon-to-be 24-year-old.

Kyrie Irving - PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

Per-game rank: 12, Total rank: 18

Off-court issues aside, Uncle Drew has held it down for fantasy managers, dropping 27.1 points with 5.1 rebounds. 5.3 assists, 3.3 threes and 1.8 stocks on 49/37/88 shooting splits as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. It's only been four games since joining the Mavericks, but he looks even better, upping his assists to 7 per game with 53/43/100 shooting splits. He'll remain a prolific and efficient scorer, but his fantasy stock remains high even playing alongside Luka Doncic.

Jaren Jackson Jr. - PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies

Per-game rank: 13, Total rank: 34

JJJ is the fifth-highest rostered player (19%) on Yahoo's public league MVP tracker, which is a testament to how valuable he's been in fantasy. Easily the premier draft day IL stash, he's on pace to average a career-best 3.3 blocks per game. He's in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year, and fantasy managers are fortunate to have him averaging over four stocks per game. He's also shooting his highest percentage from the field since his rookie year. His production's been elite, considering he ranks 34th in total value after missing 17 games this year.

James Harden - PG/SG, Philadelphia 76ers

Per-game rank: 14, Total rank: 36

The former MVP continues to be a no-brainer fantasy All-Star as he's leading the league in assists at 10.8 per contest while continuing his streak of averaging at least 20 points with 10 assists in four consecutive seasons (he only trails Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson with 5).

Kristaps Porzingis - PF/C, Washington Wizards

Per-game rank: 15, Total rank: 20

The Unicorn is on pace for career highs in PPG (22.6) and FG percentage (48.6%), but more importantly, he's been available. Porzingis always had the tools of a fantasy beast as a big who can stretch the floor and still rebound and protect the rim, but he's only missed eight games this year. He's been a star and one of the best big men in fantasy hoops.

LeBron James - SF/PF, Los Angeles Lakers

Per-game rank: 18, Total rank: 28

He broke the scoring record and is averaging an absurd 30.2 points per game at 38 years old. And he's still sustained his efficiency, shooting 51% from the field and 76% from the free-throw line, which is pacing to be the fourth-highest of his career. He literally does everything for fantasy managers — now, hopefully, his foot injury doesn't impact his rest of season performance too much.

Nikola Vucevic - C, Chicago Bulls

Per-game rank: 22, Total rank: 6

No one is really talking about how Vucevic has steadily been one of the best fantasy assets this season. He's fourth in the NBA in double-doubles (36) and is one of the most efficient bigs in the league, with 52/35/83 shooting splits. He's knocking down 1.6 threes per contest while also registering 1.5 stocks for fantasy managers. He also hasn't missed a game all year, and that's huge for fantasy purposes.

Bam Adebayo - C, Miami Heat

Per-game rank: 26, Total rank: 23

Another close one where I was between Adebayo, Myles Turner, Brook Lopez and LaMelo Ball but gave the edge to Bam. He's on pace to average career highs in PPG (21.5) and FT percentage (81%) and will likely finish the season as one of five players this season to average at least 20 points per game and 10 rebounds per game (he's averaging 9.9 rebounds through Tuesday).

Domantas Sabonis - PF/C, Sacramento Kings

Per-game rank: 27, Total rank: 12

Sabonis leads the league in double-doubles this season and is averaging a career-best 6.9 assists per game as well. He's the key playmaker for the Kings and largely the reason they're sitting third in the Western Conference standings through Tuesday. Fourteen percent of Yahoo Public teams are in first place because of the play of Doma.

Anthony Edwards - SG/SF, Minnesota Timberwolves

Per-game rank: 36, Total rank: 8

To close out the reserves, I'm going with Ant-man. I needed another guard, and I was between him and LaMelo Ball. While Ball has the better per-game rank at 23, Edwards has been an Ironman this season, ranking 8th in total value. He had a prolonged start to the season, but after Karl-Anthony Towns got hurt, Edwards took off. He's been 24th in per-game value since Towns went down, averaging 25.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 2.7 threes, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks since December 1.

Honorable mentions

Nic Claxton, LaMelo Ball, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Dejounte Murray, Kawhi Leonard (I know, I know — but he's been great lately!)