The NBA All-Star Weekend is supposed to be a celebration of the game-an annual showcase of the league’s best talent and a break from the grind of the regular season. But this year, it also turned into something of a referendum on effort, competitiveness, and the league’s ongoing battle with tanking.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver didn’t mince words when addressing the issue. Following recent fines handed down to Utah and Indiana for what the league deemed a lack of competitive intent, Silver acknowledged what many fans and insiders have been feeling for a while: the current system isn’t working.
“What we’re doing, what we’re seeing right now, is not working. There’s no question about it,” Silver said.
“Are we seeing behavior that is worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory? Yes is my view.”
That’s a strong statement from the league’s top executive-and a clear signal that the NBA is actively looking for ways to curb tanking. One idea floated recently: give every team an equal shot at the top 10 picks in the draft, regardless of record. It’s a radical shift from the current lottery system, but it speaks to how seriously the league is taking the issue.
Tanking has long been a thorn in the NBA’s side. Teams chasing better draft odds by losing games down the stretch may make long-term strategic sense, but it undermines the competitive integrity of the league. And as Silver noted, the behavior seems to be getting worse, not better.
All of this came before the league rolled out its latest attempt to inject life into the All-Star festivities: a three-team format featuring groups of young stars, veteran stars, and international players. The format was unconventional-four 12-minute round-robin games-but it did manage to bring a bit more energy and competitiveness to a weekend that has, in recent years, leaned more toward entertainment than intensity.
At the center of it all was Anthony Edwards, who continues to ascend as one of the NBA’s brightest young stars. Edwards took home MVP honors, and not just because of his stat line. He brought effort, swagger, and charisma-the kind of presence that makes fans tune in and pay attention.
And he had some extra motivation. In his postgame press conference, Edwards revealed that he spent part of his Saturday with former President Barack Obama.
“He’s my favorite person in the world,” Edwards said. “I told him I was going to put on a show for him.”
Mission accomplished.
What’s striking about Edwards is that he’s one of the few players in the league who doesn’t seem to need any external push to compete. His motor runs hot, whether it’s a Tuesday night in January or the All-Star spotlight. But having a figure like Obama in the building-and a reworked format that encouraged players to actually try-certainly didn’t hurt.
It’s worth remembering how Edwards got to this point. The Timberwolves selected him No. 1 overall in the 2020 draft, a pick they earned after finishing the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season with a brutal stretch: 23 losses in their final 27 games before the league shut down in March.
It wasn’t a textbook tank job, but it was close enough to raise eyebrows. And yet, that pick has paid off in a big way.
Meanwhile, across the college basketball landscape, the Gophers women’s team continues to build serious momentum. They notched their eighth straight win with a dominant performance over Wisconsin, and that streak finally earned them a spot in the AP Top 25-checking in at No.
- Head coach Dawn Plitzuweit has this group playing with confidence and cohesion, and they’re shaping up to be one of the best stories of the season.
Elsewhere in the sports world, one of the more unexpected headlines came from the ice-specifically, a curling controversy involving Sweden and Canada. Details aside, it was the kind of quirky, dramatic twist that curling fans live for.
Back in the MLB world, Byron Buxton’s situation with the Twins is worth watching. There’s a noticeable edge to his demeanor right now, and it’s fair to wonder how his mood and performance will factor into his role with the team moving forward.
And speaking of the Twins, owner Tom Pohlad revealed that the team pursued star pitcher Framber Valdez before he ultimately signed with the Tigers. How serious that pursuit was remains unclear, but it’s a notable nugget as the team looks to bolster its rotation.
There’s no shortage of storylines as we move deeper into 2026. From the NBA’s ongoing battle with tanking to rising stars like Anthony Edwards seizing the moment, the sports world is buzzing-and we’re just getting started.