The NBA has consistently sought ways to make the All-Star Game more exciting. Originally, the format featured a matchup between the Eastern and Western Conferences. However, the league later transitioned to a format where two team captains select their rosters. In the early days, the East vs. West format worked well because players participated with a sense of pride. Over time, some players began to approach the game as if the outcome didn’t matter. As a result, defense became virtually nonexistent, culminating in last year’s All-Star Game, where one team scored an astonishing 211 points.
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will introduce a new format featuring 24 selected players divided into three separate teams. Additionally, the winner of the Rising Stars game will form a fourth team. The event will adopt a one-game, elimination-style pick-up game format. The winners of the first two games will face each other in a Championship matchup. Each game will be played until the first team reaches 40 points, which aims to enhance the competitiveness of the games. Teams were selected by either Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, or Kenny Smith.
Charles Barkley’s team includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell, Pascal Siakam, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Trae Young.
Kenny Smith’s team features Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Tyler Herro, Darius Garland, Cade Cunningham, Jaren Jackson Jr., Evan Mobley, and Jalen Williams from Oklahoma City.
Shaquille O’Neal’s team consists of Jaylen Brown, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jason Tatum, James Harden, and Damian Lillard. Lebron James was part of this team but sat out because of foot discomfort.
In the first game, Barkley’s team defeated Kenny’s team with a score of 41-32. In the second game, Shaq’s team triumphed over the Rising Stars with a score of 42-35. In the finals, Jason Tatum led Shaq’s team to a 41-25 victory over Barkley’s team.
The first two games of the All-Star Game were competitive, while the third was a blowout. However, I believe the NBA is taking steps to make this event more competitive. Since this format is new, it will take some time to adjust. In addition to reverting to an East vs. West format, what other changes can the league implement? Regardless of what they choose to do, there will always be criticism, so it may be best to stick with this format for the next few years and see how it goes.
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