The NBA and NBPA have just announced a new format for the highly-anticipated 2025 All-Star game which will be held on February 16, 2025, in the Bay Area. However, the latest scheme received a mix of reactions from players, the fans, and the whole internet.
Basically, the new format will consist of 4 teams, each consisting of 8 players. The first three teams will be a mix of the 24 selected All-stars while the fourth team will be a selection from the winning team of the Rising Stars challenge. But, what do the players and fans think of the new All-Star game format and how much could this impact the league as a whole?
“I hate it”
Not our words though as this came from one of the greatest NBA players ever – Kevin Durant. KD dropped a short and blunt reaction to the 4-team mini-tournament All-Star event. Honestly, we can’t blame the Slim Reaper for feeling that way since it looks like everyone wants the traditional East vs West format back, with each player donning their team’s jersey.
On the other hand, the 2024 All-Star game MVP, Damian Lillard, is also not loving the new look of the tournament.
Meanwhile, a lot of fans aren’t also keen on the idea of having four teams battling in just one day. This new “mini tournament”, as the NBA calls it, can only go two ways – either it goes good enough to keep viewers or it goes horribly bad that the All-Star game now becomes the most ridiculed special sporting event in history. That being said, the new format will either MAKE or BREAK the NBA. But, why?
The NBA, as we know it, is crumbling
Commissioner Adam Silver tried a lot of things to keep the league’s status as the biggest basketball league in the world. Unfortunately, in the past couple of years, ratings are dwindling and the number of fans watching the games are also dropping, especially during All-Star weekend.
The NBA In-Season Tournament was somehow a success, but the league needs more to keep up with other sports like NFL, MLB, and UFC.
One of the main reasons why fans are losing interest in the All-Star weekend is the lack of entertainment value. They aren’t getting hyped for the slam dunk contest anymore, which by the way needs to be removed or revamped. Moreover, the All-Star game feels like a bunch of kids playing HORSE while others watch. Defense is pretty non-existent during this game and you can’t expect someone to play hard-nosed defense, unlike the All-Star games of the ‘90s and early 2000s.
With the new format, Adam Silver is looking forward to bringing that excitement back. The fire, the desire, and the will to win. We don’t want to see uncontested dunks, free layups, and defenders allowing 50-footer threes. What the fans want is intense competition.
What To Expect?
There’s a fourth team, the rising stars which will consist of rookies and sophomores. Obviously, these talented yet unheralded young guys (e.g. Wembanyama, McCain, Miller) will have that passion to defeat the superstars of today.
It will be a good matchup, just like how Jamal Mashburn, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, and Christ Webber destroyed the 1992 Dream Team in early scrimmages.
Will Curry, LeBron, Jokic, and Doncic allow a group of studs who are literally not yet on their level to beat them to the top? Will we see the best defense in the All-star game since 2002? We’re about to find out on February.
