Feb 16, 2026 - Sports

New format heats up NBA All-Star game

Maxwell Millington

Basketball player Anthony Edwards in red USA All-Star jersey jumps for a layup near the hoop, while a player in blue USA All-Star jersey looks up from below on a polished wood court. — Anthony Edwards, #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Team USA Stars, shoots against Kawhi Leonard, #2 of the Los Angeles Clippers and Team USA, Stripes during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on Sunday in Inglewood, California. Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Los Angeles — After years of attempts, the NBA may have finally found a competitive All-Star game format.

Why it matters: The National Basketball Association may have saved the contest, which is the final game of All-Star Weekend, from a viewership and interest decline akin to the NFL's Pro Bowl, which averaged only 2 million viewers and aired on a Tuesday earlier this year.

State of play: Players played harder during Sunday's penultimate event.

There was defense, effort and all but one game in the four-game tournament was close going into the final seconds.

Catch up quick: The new format featured two teams of American players (Team Stars and Team Stripes) and one team of international players (Team World).

The tournament was round-robin style, featuring four 12-minute games — essentially each team had to win their game in one NBA quarter.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards took home the MVP trophy for Team Stars who beat Team Stripes 47-21. He told reporters beating the international players was "the best feeling in the world."

Our thought bubble: A select few players may have been motivated by the USA vs. international narrative, but the time limit of each game created a sense of urgency.

Fixing the dunk contest should be next on commissioner Adam Silver's agenda.

Go deeper: NBA All-Star Weekend's new format, explained

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New format heats up NBA All-Star game

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