The NBA has confirmed that it has finalised plans to transform the All-Star Game into an All-Star Tournament.
The new format will feature a four-team, three-game tournament over one night. Three teams will consist of eight All-Stars each, while the fourth team will be formed from the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge, which pits first and second-year players against each other.
These changes mark a departure from the traditional two-team format that has been used since the first All-Star Game in 1951.
Former NBA players and TV commentators Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith will draft teams from a pool of 24 players on February 6. The players will then join either Team Shaq, Team Charles or Team Kenny. The Rising Stars will be part of Team Candace, led by retired WNBA champion Candace Parker.
The most recent 2024 NBA All-Star Game was widely criticised for its lack of competitiveness, with the East beating the West 211-186 in the highest-scoring game in the event's history.
โNearly 400 points were scored. No defence, no effort whatsoever. This is the ultimate indictment against NBA stars who show up for All-Star Weekend,โ said NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's First Take.
โWe may be just past the point where guys and teams are incentivised to play a competitive All-Star game in the middle of the season,โ NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN.
โIt's the nature of the leagueโI don't think any of [the players] set out thinking, 'We're just not going to play hard.' It's just this sort of group dynamic that takes over.โ
The league also announced that the prize money for the winning team will increase from $100,000 to $125,000.
โWith the elephant in the room being us competing, them trying to shake things up is expected and makes sense,โ said Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a two-time All-Star.
โAt the end of the day, it's going to come down to whether the players want to go at it. I would love to see that and love to be a part of it.โ
However, not all players have been complimentary of the changes.
โI hate it. Absolutely hate it,โ said Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, a 14-time All-Star.
โIt's terrible... We should just go back to the East-West format and just play a game.โ
Voting for the NBA All-Star Game opens on Friday, with the teams set to be picked on February 6.
