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NBC planning three major changes to NBA All-Star Weekend after 2025 format slammed
The NBA All-Star Game is in the books, and it’s fair to say it caused a bit of a storm. For 2025, the league and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver introduced a new format in a bid to rejuvenate the exhibition amid declining viewership figures. This year’s new-look NBA All-Star Game was won by ‘Shaq’s OGs’Getty Instead of the traditional single game set-up between East and West, this year’s All-Star Weekend featured a four-team mini-tournament, with each team comprising eight players. Three rosters were drafted by NBA analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, while the fourth team consisted of the winners from the Rising Stars Challenge, led by former WNBA star Candace Parker. The mini-tournament was played out in three mini-games, which were a race to 40 points, and it was ‘Shaq’s OGs’ that won the All-Star Championship come Sunday night. This year’s event, hosted in San Francisco, was televised nationally by TNT for the 23rd and final consecutive year. It aired to mixed reviews, and was slammed by Draymond Green, who blasted the new-look game as he featured on TNT’s coverage. Before the final bucket was scored, commentator Smith all but called the tournament format a failure, and suggested it will be ‘changed back’. According to a report from Front Office Sports (FOS), he could be right. The 2026 All-Star Game will be broadcast by NBC, and FOS report that several changes for the weekend are already being discussed. NBC and the NBA are said to have discussed starting the All-Star Game at 5pm Eastern Time next year. This Sunday’s exhibition started after 8pm and didn’t finish until around 11pm on the East Coast. NBC are said to be discussing three major changes to the NBA’s All-Star WeekendGetty Curry was named the All-Star Game’s MVP in 2025Getty The NBA could also borrow a concept from the Unrivaled league, which recently held a one-on-one tournament won by co-founder Napheesa Collier for a $200,000 prize. FOS claim that a $1million prize has been discussed for a one-on-one event at NBA All-Star Weekend, while Giannis Antetokounmpo has already suggested that would interest him. “If I had the chance to play one-on-one with anybody, I’d love to do it,” the Milwaukee Bucks star said. “Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun, for the viewers and for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate.” FOS also reports that the NBA will continue to try and figure out a way to get the league’s stars to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest. While Mac McClung dazzled with his three-peat performance this year, the spectacle used to be a showcase for the NBA’s superstars. McClung dazzled in the dunk contest, but the NBA wants more star power to competeGetty Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are past winners, but in more recent years, a number of big names – including LeBron James – have avoided the competition. On Saturday night, Ja Morant teased fans and insiders that he could be drawn back to the event in future. “Mac might make me decide to dunk,” he wrote on X, responding to McClung’s performance. Giannis and Zach LaVine also took notice, suggesting they could also be game next year.
The NBA All-Star Game is in the books, and it’s fair to say it caused a bit of a storm.
For 2025, the league and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver introduced a new format in a bid to rejuvenate the exhibition amid declining viewership figures.
Instead of the traditional single game set-up between East and West, this year’s All-Star Weekend featured a four-team mini-tournament, with each team comprising eight players.
Three rosters were drafted by NBA analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, while the fourth team consisted of the winners from the Rising Stars Challenge, led by former WNBA star Candace Parker.
The mini-tournament was played out in three mini-games, which were a race to 40 points, and it was ‘Shaq’s OGs’ that won the All-Star Championship come Sunday night.
This year’s event, hosted in San Francisco, was televised nationally by TNT for the 23rd and final consecutive year.
It aired to mixed reviews, and was slammed by Draymond Green, who blasted the new-look game as he featured on TNT’s coverage.
Before the final bucket was scored, commentator Smith all but called the tournament format a failure, and suggested it will be ‘changed back’.
According to a report from Front Office Sports (FOS), he could be right.
The 2026 All-Star Game will be broadcast by NBC, and FOS report that several changes for the weekend are already being discussed.
NBC and the NBA are said to have discussed starting the All-Star Game at 5pm Eastern Time next year.
This Sunday’s exhibition started after 8pm and didn’t finish until around 11pm on the East Coast.
The NBA could also borrow a concept from the Unrivaled league, which recently held a one-on-one tournament won by co-founder Napheesa Collier for a $200,000 prize.
FOS claim that a $1million prize has been discussed for a one-on-one event at NBA All-Star Weekend, while Giannis Antetokounmpo has already suggested that would interest him.
“If I had the chance to play one-on-one with anybody, I’d love to do it,” the Milwaukee Bucks star said.
“Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun, for the viewers and for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate.”
FOS also reports that the NBA will continue to try and figure out a way to get the league’s stars to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest.
While Mac McClung dazzled with his three-peat performance this year, the spectacle used to be a showcase for the NBA’s superstars.
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are past winners, but in more recent years, a number of big names – including LeBron James – have avoided the competition.
On Saturday night, Ja Morant teased fans and insiders that he could be drawn back to the event in future.
“Mac might make me decide to dunk,” he wrote on X, responding to McClung’s performance.
Giannis and Zach LaVine also took notice, suggesting they could also be game next year.
