The NBA All-Star Game debuted its new USA vs. Team World format this weekend, bringing renewed intensity to the midseason showcase. Amid past concerns about competitiveness, the revamped setup delivered energy, and no player stood out more than Kawhi Leonard.
The Los Angeles Clippers forward erupted for 31 points in a single quarter, and although he fell short in the MVP race, Leonard made it clear that he and the Team Stripes entered the game with one simple mindset: to compete and leave with a win.
Kawhi Leonard Says Team Stripes Entered All-Star Game Focused Solely on Winning
The 2026 NBA All-Star Game carried a noticeably higher level of intensity than in recent years, with the new USA vs. Team World format drawing praise across the league. When asked about Team Stripes’ mindset entering the matchup, Leonard kept it simple.
“Nothing,” he said of any pregame message. “We didn’t really mention not playing hard or let’s make this competitive. I didn’t hear anything. We just went out there and competed. We wanted to win a game.
“We got competitors out there. You see the team we got. We got some championship pedigree. It’s hard to turn off that switch when you’re out there playing.”
Leonard backed that up with his play, pouring in 31 points to help Team Stripes secure a 48-45 win over Team World. While he was quieter in the other matchups, including a 47-21 loss to Team USA Stars in the championship, the round-robin portion of the event featured far more effort and urgency than fans have grown accustomed to.
Team USA Stars was led by Anthony Edwards, who scored 32 points across three games to earn MVP honors. He credited Victor Wembanyama for helping set the tone, as the French phenom added 33 points during round-robin play.
“It was a pretty good display of basketball,” Wembanyama said. “Better than last year, in my opinion. It was fun. … I think being honest with ourselves is good. It’s a game I love, it’s a game I personally cherish, so being competitive is the least I can do.”
Future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant echoed that sentiment, noting the event felt more competitive than in past seasons.
“I think it was definitely a step up in the competitive department compared to last season,” Durant said. “Kawhi was great. Ant was great. I think we did what we’re supposed to do for the fans.”
While debate continues about whether a return to the traditional East vs. West format would be better, there appears to be broad agreement that this year’s game marked progress, even if the overall All-Star Weekend format still faces scrutiny.
