NBA All-Star Weekend was a disappointment for most of the fans and experts alike. Despite the NBA adding a twist to spark the interest by scrapping the old Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format in favor of a four-team mini-tournament, the All-Star tournament was lackluster. Viewership for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game experienced a 13% decline from the previous year, drawing just 4.718 million viewers per the New York Times.
Now, fresh ideas are circulating on how to fix the league’s annual showcase. Rumors are swirling about a new twist — a 1-on-1 tournament that could change the way the festivities are run. With a proposed prize of $1 million, Mavs guard Kyrie Irving is all about it.
Kyrie Irving Had a Bold Response for Participating in 1-on-1 Contest
When asked about the possibility of participating in any such contest, the Dallas Mavericks’ star gave a nod and made it clear he won’t back down if any such opportunity comes his way. In a press conference ahead of the All-Star Game, Irving delivered a six-word message that summed up his readiness for any challenge:
“Everybody. I’m not ducking any smoke.”
Kyrie's ready to take on all comers in 1v1 😤 pic.twitter.com/BpZE7IlO7R
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) February 19, 2025
Irving didn’t stop there. When reporter Rachel Nichols grilled several players on the idea, including Irving, he once again reiterated his interest. Irving added, “I’m open to it, yeah –wherever there’s smoke, there’s fire, and that’s, I am that fire in 1-on-1.”
The idea of a 1-on-1 tournament found inspiration from the success of Unrivaled, the new 3-on-3 offseason league for WNBA players. Co-founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled recently completed its inaugural 1-on-1 tournament to wide acclaim.
Two factors drove its success: major star buy-in (including Angel Reese, Brittney Griner, and Sabrina Ionescu), and a highly desirable reward (including a $350,000 prize pool, with $200,000 going to the winning player).
NBA Stars Embrace the 1-on-1 Tournament Idea
Nicholes polled several players about their interest in participating in a 1-on-1 contest during All-Star Weekend — and the responses were overwhelmingly positive.
Giannis Antetokounmpo appeared quite enthusiastic, stating, “Yeah, for sure. If I had the chance to play 1-on-1 with anybody, I’d love to do it. 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.”
“Hell Yeah” – Anthony Edwards.
On Open Run, I asked a bunch of NBA All Stars what they thought of doing a 1-on-1 tourney at next year’s event – and a LOT of them said they’re in. Let’s go… pic.twitter.com/k5ppQCCRyp— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) February 17, 2025
Anthony Edwards echoed the same sentiment with a big “hell yeah” — and James Harden expressed his excitement by stating, “I mean, it will be fire,” and confidently added that he would be aiming to win it. However, Donovan Mitchell expressed some skepticism, noting, “I think it would be dope. Do I think we’d do it? I don’t know.”
