The NBA took a bold swing with its revamped All-Star Game format this year-and judging by the early returns, they may have just connected for a home run.
Gone was the traditional East vs. West setup or the more recent team captain drafts.
In its place: a three-team, round-robin tournament featuring two squads of USA stars-Team Stars and Team Stripes-and one international squad representing the World. The change raised plenty of eyebrows at first, but once the action tipped off, the tone shifted.
Fast.
Among the first to give the new format a nod of approval was former Warriors forward and current NBPA executive director Andre Iguodala. Never shy about speaking up on the state of the game, Iguodala took to social media during the event to give credit where it was due-specifically to NBPA managing director and general counsel David Kelly, who played a key role in bringing the new format to life. Kelly, a former Warriors executive, spent over a decade with the organization in high-level legal and business roles before stepping into his current position with the players' union.
But Iguodala wasn’t just applauding the format-he also made sure to shout out one of the weekend's standout performers: Victor Wembanyama.
The 7-foot-4 phenom wasted no time making his presence felt. Playing for the World team, Wembanyama dropped a game-high 14 points and swatted three shots in a tightly contested 37-35 loss to Team USA Stars. His combination of size, skill, and timing was on full display, and even in defeat, he set the tone for what the international squad brought to the table.
The World team’s tournament run came to an end in another nail-biter-a 48-45 loss to Team USA Stripes. That set up a winner-take-all final between the two American squads, and that’s where Team Stars took over. They ran away with a dominant 47-21 victory to close out the tournament and claim bragging rights.
The game’s fresh energy didn’t go unnoticed by other NBA veterans either. Austin Rivers took to social media to celebrate what he called the best All-Star Game in recent memory, praising everything from the Rising Stars showcase to the tournament's finale. Dwight Howard echoed the sentiment, simply calling it the best All-Star Game in years.
And here's the thing-when former players, many of whom have participated in their fair share of All-Star weekends, are this enthusiastic about a new format, it carries weight. The international talent pool is deeper than ever, and this format gave those players a real stage. That global flavor, combined with a competitive edge we haven’t seen in a while, made for a compelling product.
Looking ahead, it wouldn’t be a shock if the league keeps this format around. But if they decide to tweak it, Steph Curry has a few ideas of his own. Though he missed this year’s festivities due to injury, Curry offered up suggestions to further raise the competition level-especially if the league ever returns to a two-team setup.
And while the All-Star tournament earned plenty of praise, the rest of the weekend’s events didn’t fare quite as well. Several of the ancillary contests drew criticism, but there’s reason for optimism there too. Curry has already said he plans to return for next year’s 3-point contest, which would instantly inject some star power and spark back into the event.
Bottom line: This year’s All-Star Weekend gave the NBA something real to build on. The tournament format brought energy, competitiveness, and a fresh look that resonated with players and fans alike. It wasn’t just a midseason exhibition-it felt like a celebration of where the league is now, and where it’s going.