The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend didn’t exactly begin with the excitement fans are used to. The first two days saw low energy, empty seats in sections of the arena, and performances that many felt lacked true competitiveness.
However, everything changed on Day 3. When the main All-Star Games tipped off, the intensity returned and fans were finally treated to the kind of entertainment they had been waiting for. By the end of the night, history had been made, and a new All-Star MVP had been crowned.
Anthony Edwards Wins Most Valuable Player of 2026 NBA All-Star Game
On February 15, Team USA Stars made history by becoming the first-ever champions of the new World vs USA format. They absolutely dominated Team USA Stripes with a final score of 47-21.
SCOTTIE BARNES WINS IT FOR USA STARS.
USA STARS VS. USA STRIPES COMING UP NEXT ON NBC & PEACOCK 🍿
Tap to watch: https://t.co/UOPqgMKbFu pic.twitter.com/IokO8Nhvg0
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
The star of the show? That would be Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards. The 24-year-old guard took home the All-Star MVP award for the first time in his career.
Anthony Edwards wins MVP of the 2026 NBA All-Star game!
The young Stars beat the “Old Heads” 47-21 pic.twitter.com/LVZZYxCxF0
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 16, 2026
Edwards put up eight points, grabbed four rebounds, and dished out two assists in the final game, playing a crucial role in leading his USA Stars squad past their American counterparts on the Stripes. Moreover, with this achievement, Edwards joined Kevin Garnett (who won it back in 2003) as the only Timberwolves players to ever claim the All-Star Game MVP award.
So how exactly is the All-Star MVP chosen?
The voting process involves a panel of media members who cast their ballots right after the game ends. Fans also get a say, with their votes making up 25% of the total. The player who receives the most votes wins the award. In this case, Edwards dominated the voting just like his team dominated on the court. He received 10 out of 14 votes. The remaining four votes went to Kawhi Leonard.
Anthony Edwards received 10 of the 14 votes in balloting for the Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP Award.
Kawhi Leonard received the other four votes.
Voting results ⬇️ https://t.co/d0vzWhUaU3 pic.twitter.com/FlUtgfN0HY
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 16, 2026
Across all three games for Team USA Stars, Antman racked up a combined 32 points. His best performance came in the opening game against Team World, where he dropped a team-high 13 points in a nail-biting 37-35 overtime thriller.
The championship game against the Stripes was a completely different story. From the opening tip, it was clear the Stars were destined to win. They had the biggest lead of the game of 26-points at one point during the 12-minute contest. Edwards had plenty of help from his teammates, with Tyrese Maxey and Chet Holmgren contributing nine and eight points, respectively.
Team Stripes tried their best to mount a comeback. Donovan Mitchell and LeBron James led the charge with six and five points each. But it simply wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit. The Stars were just too strong on both ends of the floor.
“I wanted to cook them every time. You know that,” Edwards said regarding James and Kevin Durant.
Anthony Edwards on KD and LeBron guarding him:
“I wanted to cook them every time. You know that.” 👀
(h/t @NBA__Courtside)pic.twitter.com/syM2mn0ri7
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 16, 2026
While the final game was pretty one-sided, the opening matchup between Team USA Stars and Team World was everything you could ask for in an All-Star showdown.
Team World’s Performance Against Team USA Stars
The game was incredibly competitive and actually required an extra period to decide a winner. The first quarter ended tied at 32-32.
Victor Wembanyama and Karl-Anthony Towns helped Team World a lot. They scored 14 and 10 points respectively. They helped their squad build what ended up being the game’s largest lead at nine points.
“Wemby set the tone… It’s hard not to match that, so, s**t, that’s what happened. Excuse my language,” Edwards said regarding Wembanyama.
Anthony Edwards:
“Wemby set the tone… it’s hard not to match that so, s**t that’s what happened. Excuse my language.” 😭
(h/t @MavsHighlights)pic.twitter.com/DqE5CrgBaM
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 15, 2026
But Edwards refused to let his team go down without a fight. He came through in the clutch, pouring in 13 points to help Team USA Stars escape with the narrow 37-35 victory.
In the end, the Kobe Bryant Trophy went to a deserving winner. Edwards showed up when it mattered most and helped restore some excitement to an All-Star Weekend
