Adam Silver may not let the harsh criticism of the most recent All-Star weekend stop him from running it back next season.
Despite how many big names in the NBA criticized how All-Star festivities went, Silver may have the next All-Star Weekend follow a similar format. Although, this time, the tournament will air on NBC.
Adam Silver May Have the Same Tournament, Though There Could Be a Change
Sports Business Journal’s headline, “Back to the NBA All-Star weekend drawing board?” hinted that Silver and the NBA may use the same format despite the criticism.
Some metrics revealed that despite viewership ratings being down, social media content more than made up for it.
“If viewership is an indicator, the nouveau format was down 13% from 2024, with TNT and truTV averaging 4.7 million viewers in prime time, compared to 5.4 million last year. But overall All-Star content generated a record 4.7 billion views across all league social media accounts and platforms, up 12% according to Videocites,” SBJ reported.
It also revealed that there could be one particular change that would make it a little different from this past year’s All-Star game. At the same time, it would still be a tournament.
“Sources said one possibility for 2026 is a four-team tournament consisting of one squad of International All-Stars, which would conceivably be Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, Luca Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam and Kyrie Irving (who will have Australian citizenship).
“Two other teams would be made of U.S.-born all-stars and a fourth team — instead of a Rising Stars winner — could be a team of All-Star snubs, who’d have everything to prove. This year that might have included Domantas Sabonis, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler, and Tyrese Maxey.”
Adding these to the tournament could make it a little more interesting, though it wouldn’t necessarily inspire the players to be more competitive.
Those who participated in the tournament weren’t fans of the new format, like Trae Young.
“To be honest, I didn’t like it at all,” Young said. “I didn’t like the breaks. The games were so short. Obviously, we can score. So, they’re trying to, I feel like, trying to extend the game, extend the TV time with the breaks and things like that.”
Other players who made the All-Star team in the past, like Draymond Green, also had some harsh words for the tournament. In Green’s case, he wasn’t a big fan of the Rising Stars’ participation.
“I had to work so hard to play on Sunday night of All-Star weekend,” Green said during TNT’s broadcast. “And because ratings are down, because the game’s bad, we’re bringing in Rising Stars? That’s not a fix.”
Safe to say Draymond DOES NOT like the All-Star Game format 😅
(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/l3Q4QfNHK6
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports)
Former NBA star Carmelo Anthony was also not a fan of the event. He believes messing with the All-Star game event.
“If you want to experiment, you can experiment with the Rookie Game. Don’t experiment with the Big Game because the Big Game is the honor. You gotta make that game. The overall idea is for you to make your way to Sunday,” Carmelo said on 7PM in Brooklyn.
USA Vs. World? 1v1 tournament? All-Snub Team? 🤔
Melo & Jadakiss get real about how what changes they would add to switch things up for All-Star Weekend. pic.twitter.com/tN7VdOpNR8
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn)
Trying to solve the NBA’s All-Star Weekend issues is like squeezing water from a stone. At least the league is trying to confront them. They may have to think a little harder though.
