NBA All-Star Game’s New Format Sparks Criticism, Calls for Change

The 2025 NBA All-Star Game did not have the nonsense of past years—like tons of halfcourt heaves—but the format brought around a new set of issues and additional questions for the future of the mid-season showcase.

One of the glaring issues was the reduction in the time of actual basketball played. This was partly by design (each game had a target score of 40) as the league hoped a shorter game would bring out a sense of urgency among its players. However, the TV timeouts had to come in after every 10 to 15 points, which limited the flow of the game.

The format also meant that two teams would play just one short game apiece. Players during the first round game between Team Chuck and Team Kenny only played around seven to eight minutes per game—and Rockets star Alperen Sengun played just four minutes before his team was eliminated.

Warriors star Draymond Green, who was not an All-Star but a member of TNT’s studio crew, gave the new format a “zero” out of 10 while citing the lack of basketball played.

“You work all year to be an All-Star and you get to play up to 40, and then you’re done,” Green said.

Another delay occurred during the first timeout of the final game. Comedian Kevin Hart led in recognizing the Inside the NBA crew for its All-Star coverage over the last few decades. (TNT is losing the rights to the All-Star Weekend to NBC starting next season, but Inside the NBA will continue its regular game coverage since TNT agreed a deal with ESPN in November.)

While the celebration had positive intentions, it caused a play stoppage of around 20 minutes in the middle of the championship game. All-Star Jaylen Brown appeared to be caught mouthing “get them out of here” to the camera during the delay and acknowledged the tribute’s awkward timing after the game.

“That kind of took the gas out of everything for a little bit,” Brown said.

Criticizing the Players

Charles Barkley had a counterargument supporting the league against the criticism from Green and other players about the new All-Star format. 

“His generation messed the game up,” Barkley said on the broadcast.

Barkley alluded to how over the last decade or so, stars have devalued the entire All-Star weekend.

It also served as an indirect shot at LeBron James, Green’s friend. James, who was named to a record 21st All-Star Game this year, announced hours before the game that he would not participate due to “foot and ankle discomfort.” He has also refused to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest, while Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, two players who, like James, were the face of the NBA at one point, have both won the event.

More Changes Coming

In an exclusive from FOS media and entertainment reporter Ryan Glasspiegel, there are already growing discussions about changes in the festivities for next year, which will be played at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

• Earlier start time: Moving the game’s start time to 5 p.m. ET (compared to this year’s 8:20 p.m.) to better accommodate East Coast viewers, account for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and potentially address declining ratings.
• One-on-one tournament: A proposed $1 million cash prize tournament, which would be similar to the event conducted by women’s basketball league Unrivaled that concluded Friday and had a $350,000 prize pool. Giannis Antetokounmpo said he’d “love to do it.”
• Team USA vs. Team World: Antetokounmpo suggested the format, but NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed doubts during a press conference in January, calling it an “old-fashioned concept.” 

As these ideas gain traction, next year’s event may look very different in hopes of reigniting fan interest.