NEW YORK — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić might headline the 2025 All-NBA first team, but the big financial winner from this year’s All-NBA selections was the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham.
The NBA’s annual all-league team announcements have become a “Wheel of Fortune” of sorts, where the biggest news turns out to be which players’ earning potential skyrocketed because he landed a coveted spot on one of three teams.
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Cunningham, 23, was named to the All-NBA third team on Friday, and because of it, the value of the contract extension he signed last summer escalates from $224 million up to $269 million due to a clause in the league’s collective bargaining agreement that raises how much a “max contract extension” is worth if a player makes an all-league team, wins MVP or Defensive Player of the Year.
Cunningham was the only player to get the pay bump because he made an All-NBA team this season, though Gilegous-Alexander, the NBA MVP, and NBA Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley both earned all-league selections too.
PRESENTING YOUR 2024-25 ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM 👏
⭐️ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
⭐️ Nikola Jokić
⭐️ Giannis Antetokounmpo
⭐️ Jayson Tatum
⭐️ Donovan Mitchell pic.twitter.com/ESFAZdXx6k— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 23, 2025
The first, second and third All-NBA teams were unveiled Friday on TNT before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. On the first team, Gilgeous-Alexander was joined by Denver’s Nikola Jokić, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell.
Named to the All-NBA second team was Mobley, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and New York’s Jalen Brunson.
The third team was Cunningham, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams.
There were two players left off the All-NBA teams who would have been in line for big paydays.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young both could have been eligible for a five-year, $345 million extension from their teams. Without those All-NBA selections, Jackson is now eligible for a four-year, $146 million extension and Young could sign a two-year, $229 million extension, a league source said.
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Cunningham’s extension came last summer before he enjoyed his best season as a pro. He made the All-Star team for the first time, averaged career highs in points, assists and 3s, and the Pistons more than tripled their win total year over year while making the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Cunningham gets a nice $50 million raise over the life of his contract for his and his team’s success.
As for the first team, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić, Antetokounmpo and Tatum were unanimous first-team selections among the 100 NBA media members who voted for the awards.
Antetokounmpo has been on the All-NBA first team for seven consecutive years. He was second in the league in scoring and sixth in rebounding.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, a first-team honoree for the third consecutive year, already secured eligibility for a potential five-year, $380 million contract extension by winning MVP — should he wait until the summer of 2026 to sign it. Otherwise, he could ink a four-year, $293 million extension this summer because of his two previous All-NBA selections. Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in scoring (32.7 points per game) while playing for the league’s best team during the regular season.
Mitchell, meanwhile, made the first team for the first time in his eight-year career while, ironically, seeing a dip in most statistical categories from past seasons. Being the best player on the East’s best team during the regular season had a lot to do with Mitchell’s first-team selection.
Looking at second-team honorees, James is on an All-NBA team for a league-record 21st time in 22 seasons. Curry earned his 11th All-NBA selection, Brunson and Edwards have two all-league mentions to their names and Mobley made it for the first time. Mobley’s contract extension from last summer— $224 million over five years— was already ticketed for a $50 million increase over the life of the deal because he was named defensive player of the year earlier this month.
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On the third team, Harden is an all-league honoree for the eighth season overall, but first since 2019-2020. Towns made the All-NBA third team for the third time, Haliburton for the second and Williams joined Cunningham as a first-time selection.
Young didn’t make it despite leading the NBA in assists at 11.6 per game. Jackson’s candidacy was based primarily on the hope that voters would recognize him as the best, most consistent player during another drama and injury-riddled season for the Grizzlies, but those hopes did not materialize.
The NBA awards season is now complete. Here’s a look at the other winners:
MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Rookie: Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Sixth Man: Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
Defensive Player: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Clutch Player: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Most Improved: Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
Coach: Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers
All-rookie and all-defensive teams were also announced this week.
(Photo: Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images)
