On Sunday night, the NBA held its 74th annual All-Star Game. After complaints from fans and media in recent years, the league tried revitalizing the All-Star Game by introducing a new format that featured four teams facing off in a tournament.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver met with the All-Stars to stress the importance of taking the game seriously while also talking up the new-look All-Star Game. So, how was the updated format received?
NBA World Rips 2025 NBA All-Star Game
Unfortunately, the NBA wasn’t able to salvage the game with this updated format, as players, fans, and media didn’t mince words while criticizing the event.
“Adam Silver should be embarrassed by the All-Star Weekend we just witnessed,” said Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports, who also described this as the “worst All-Star ‘Game’ EVER.”
Adam Silver should be embarrassed by the All-Star Weekend we just witnessed. https://t.co/wTLSKV4hqf pic.twitter.com/M2x6915JpL
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) February 17, 2025
There were many complaints about the constant breaks in the basketball action.
“The worst part of the All-Star Game changes isn’t the inclusion of the Rising Stars or the first-to-40 rule or the tournament (and Draymond makes valid points). It’s that there’s somehow less basketball than ever. Commercials and shootouts for charity? Where is the actual game?!” said The Athletic’s Fred Katz.
Dude pic.twitter.com/f73Hi2IdUw
— Zeke Nnaji FC🇱🇻🫎 (@ZaxbysWRLD) February 17, 2025
“Is this the worst All-Star Game ever? The NBA can’t make this format work if there are 15 minute breaks for every 5 minutes of basketball…” said Noah Magaro-George of The Vic-and-Roll Podcast.
Is this the worst All-Star Game ever? The NBA can’t make this format work if there are 15 minute breaks for every 5 minutes of basketball…
— Noah Magaro-George (@N_Magaro) February 17, 2025
“The all star game is washed #NBAAllStar2025,” one fan posted.
“NBA All-Star Weekend has reached the point of needing a complete overhaul. What was once a memorable event a decade ago is completely unrecognizable for so many reasons. No highlight-worthy plays. No memorable back-and-forth sequences. The magic of the All-Star game is gone,” added Forbes NBA writer Evan Sidery.
NBA All-Star Weekend has reached the point of needing a complete overhaul.
What was once a memorable event a decade ago is completely unrecognizable for so many reasons.
No highlight-worthy plays. No memorable back-and-forth sequences.
The magic of the All-Star game is gone. pic.twitter.com/AolN1FRGy8
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 17, 2025
Five-time NBA champion Ron Harper chimed in and shared his frustration about what the NBA All-Star Game has become. He was particularly annoyed that the focus wasn’t on the players or the basketball product but rather on entertainers and influencers. This was a common complaint from players, media, and fans alike.
“They’re making a joke out of the all star weekend for sure,” Harper posted. “it’s not about the players it’s all [about] the entertainment TRASH!!! Go back to EAST WEST GAME @NBAonTNT @NBA”
They’re making a joke out of the all star weekend for sure it’s not about the players it’s all the entertainment TRASH!!! Go back to EAST WEST GAME @NBAonTNT @NBA
— Ron Harper (@HARPER04_5) February 17, 2025
The NBA even brought in Mr. Beast to promote the broadcast and do a $100,000 giveaway.
“Worst NBA all star game product of all time and now MrBeast is on my screen,” a fan added.
Worst NBA all star game product of all time and now MrBeast is on my screen pic.twitter.com/gfuYwYwN8q
— DurenSZN (@BenGotDetroit) February 17, 2025
It remains to be seen what the NBA will do next to try to fix the All-Star Game. Will they stick with this tournament format for another year and hope it improves?
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo weighed on how to fix the All-Star Game, offering a suggestion that has become popular: Team U.S. vs. Team World.
“I would love that. Oh, I would love that. I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format,” Antetokounmpo said of the U.S. vs. World idea. “I would love that. For sure, I’d take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete, like having Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], [Nikola] Jokic, Luka [Dončić], Wemby (Victor Wembanyama), [Karl-Anthony] Towns, [Alperen] Şengün.
“I know those players — obviously, I’m missing some guys that I cannot think from the top of my head, going against the best U.S. players. I think it would be fun. I think that would be the best format. We have the NBA Entertainment guy here in the back. You guys talk to that guy. He can make it happen. … U.S. versus the World, that would be an exciting format.
“I feel like that would make people play hard. Hopefully, we can get it back to where it was. I remember the first couple of years that I was an All-Star, everybody was playing hard. I feel like the last game that was played hard was 2020, and after that it’s not been as hard.”
Antetokounmpo also said he would love to see the league add a one-on-one tournament to All-Star weekend.
“If I had the chance to play one-on-one with anybody, I would love to do it. Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun for the viewers, for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate,” he said. “I’ve done every competition, I think. I’ve done the skills challenge. I’ve done the dunk contest. I haven’t done the 3-point shooting. But if it’s a one-on-one competition, I would love to participate.
“I think sometimes you forget, to be good, to be a good one-on-one player, you’ve got to be able to play both ways. You’ve got to get a stop to get the ball. You don’t get a stop, you’re not getting the ball. It’s kind of hard, say, if Kyrie Irving is going against Wemby. He’s got to get a stop. But it would be fun. It would be fun. I would love to participate if next year there’s a one-on-one tournament. I would love to participate.”
At this point, fans (and players) are sick of the NBA All-Star Game, and it’s unclear if there’s anything the league can do to fix the event.
