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It’s just not an NBA season without some concern about the All-Star Game format, and Adam Silver’s office once again appeared on Friday.
This time around, the NBA is planning a move to a four-team tournament for the 2025 All-Star Game, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Three of those teams would reportedly consist of eight All-Stars each, while the remaining team would be the winner of the Rising Stars game.
Basically, it seems like the league wants to adopt the format of the Rising Stars Challenge, which is currently a four-team tournament, or change formats with the All-Star Game. The NHL has also used this four-team tournament for its All-Star Game since 2016.
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for February 16 at the Golden State Warriors’ Chase Center.
Caitlin Clark could appear at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game festivities
Warriors star Stephen Curry is reportedly one of the All-Stars providing insight into changing the All-Star Game, and is also in talks to bring back his NBA versus WNBA 3-point challenge along with Sabrina Ionescu.
ESPN reports that there would be some variation of that event that could include other NBA and WNBA players, with Klay Thompson and Caitlin Clark specifically mentioned. You can bet the NBA would love to have the superstar who will change the WNBA league.
Why this All-Star Game change could work
You don’t need an explanation for why the NBA would do this if you’ve watched a recent All-Star Game. It should be a highlight event for the star-studded league, but instead it’s a high-scoring slog in which players openly allow each other to score for the benefit of their highlights. Last year’s game had a final score of 211-186.
There have been calls to make games more competitive (read: have players actually play defense) and this format could help in that regard for one reason: the Rising Stars team.
Teams with LeBron James and Kevin Durant could let each other do whatever they want, but it could be different if one of those teams faces a team of rookies and sophomores. For these guys, it all comes down to pride, and the thought of losing to a 20-year-old could really shake them.
Here are all the recent changes to the NBA All-Star Game format
Until 2018, the NBA All-Star Game featured an East vs. West format in which players played a typical basketball game. Here are all the ways the NBA has changed how it works:
2018: The NBA changes from the East vs. West to a playground-style team captain selection process.
2019: In fact, the NBA begins to televise the selection process.
2020: The NBA institutes the Elam ending, in which the fourth quarter is untimed and teams play first with a certain number of points.
2023: The NBA has its team captains make their picks immediately before the game instead of days in advance.
2024: The NBA returns to East vs. West and eliminates the Elam ending.
The league has seen its ratings decline over that span, although the reason it made the changes is because the ratings weren’t good to begin with. The 2018 All-Star Game had 7.7 million viewers, while last year’s event received 5.5 million. That was a rebound from the all-time low of 4.6 million in 2023.