The NBA All-Star Weekend has entered another era of experimentation. As the league searches for ways to boost fan engagement, one longtime staple has quietly disappeared from Saturday night’s lineup. The Skills Challenge is gone, replaced by a returning fan-favorite event with a very different feel.
The move reflects the NBA’s broader effort to refresh the All-Star experience, which has faced growing scrutiny in recent years for its competitiveness and viewership.
NBA Revamps All-Star Saturday After Controversial Spurs Disqualification
For more than two decades, the Skills Challenge tested players’ passing, shooting, and ball-handling in an obstacle-course format. Introduced in 2003, it became a consistent fixture of All-Star Saturday. But after last year’s controversial and chaotic finish, the league pivoted.
In February 2025, Team Cavaliers (Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley) won the event, defeating hometown Team Warriors (Draymond Green and Moses Moody) in the final by about one minute. The victory made Team Cavs the first non-home team to win since the team-format switch in 2022. It also marked Mobley’s second career Skills Challenge win after first capturing the title in 2022.
However, the biggest storyline wasn’t the winner. It was the disqualification of the San Antonio Spurs duo.
Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul were removed from the competition in the first round after attempting to “hack” the course. Instead of attempting legitimate shots, they flung balls toward the rim to save time. Officials ruled that the tactic violated the requirement to take valid shot attempts, resulting in an immediate DQ. The moment quickly became one of the most discussed All-Star controversies of the weekend.
That incident occurred last year and likely accelerated the league’s decision to completely rethink the format. Instead of continuing with the Skills Challenge in 2026, the NBA brought back the Shooting Stars competition for the first time since 2015.
The revamped event shifts focus from obstacle-course speed to team-based shooting precision. Four teams of three players now compete in timed shooting rounds, attempting shots from seven locations across the floor. Layups, midrange jumpers, corner threes, and deep-range attempts are all part of the scoring system.
The 2026 includes Team Knicks (Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Allan Houston), Team Harper (Ron Harper Sr., Dylan Harper, Ron Harper Jr.), Team All-Star (Richard Hamilton, Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren), and Team Cameron (Corey Maggette, Kon Knueppel, Jalen Johnson).
The change also aligns with the NBA’s broader push to restore All-Star Weekend’s relevance. The All-Star Game itself has faced criticism for its low defensive intensity, and it feels more like a glorified scrimmage. Adjusting Saturday night events appears to be part of the league’s strategy to recapture competitive stakes.
For now, the Skills Challenge isn’t officially labeled retired. But its absence, combined with the return of Shooting Stars, signals a shift in philosophy. The NBA is prioritizing spectacle, nostalgia, and faster-paced formats that could resonate more with modern audiences.
What happens next may depend on fan response. If Shooting Stars succeeds, the Skills Challenge could remain on the sidelines. If not, we could see yet another evolution in the format just around the corner.
