The NBA has put across yet another format for 2025 All Star weekend, along with a message to its players in an effort to improve the often criticized event.
This season’s All Star game will now feature a tournament between four teams rather than the traditional two.
Three teams will consist of this year’s NBA All Stars, with the remaining team created by the annual Rising Stars challenge winner.
In addition to the new format, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will have a meeting with the players prior to Sunday’s game, sending a message to put more effort into the games, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.
“The league, and the players union, will address the All-Star players on Sunday prior to the All-Star Game on the importance of competing and putting on a show for the fans,” Haynes said.
Haynes then added, “Now I’m told that these are talks that go on routinely prior to an All-Star Game, but it’s even more apparent now that with the changes to the All-Star format to multiple teams, and the heightened scrutiny of how players seem uninterested on All-Star Sundays, this message is expected to highly urge players to put out more of a fight for the consumer, and for business.”
The All Star game has received widespread criticism over recent seasons, with fans often pointing out the lack of competitiveness from the players.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver last changed the All Star game format in 2020 by adding the Elam ending, which ended the game based on the target score of 24 in the fourth quarter, with the first team reaching that being named the winner.
The Elam ending, however, was proven to be unsuccessful in improving the effort from the players, with the games remaining uncompetitive.
The 2025 NBA All Star game will be played on Sunday in San Francisco’s Chase Center, being broadcasted at 8 p.m. on TNT and TruTV.
