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The NBA All-Star Game garnered many mixed reviews from fans and media alike, but the most important opinion is that of the players. From what we were able to gather, some players didn't mind the format, others weren't major fans of it, and others enjoyed it, just want to see some slight tweaks. The All-Stars gave their opinions on this topic.
The All-Stars speak about the format
After the game, here's what some of the players had to say:
Jayson Tatum: “The format was cool. I think the toughest part was that they stopped the game to do the presentation while we were halfway through it…It was tough to get back into it after that. Besides that, I thought it was cool. If they can just find a way to not have that long intermission between the game, I think it'll be a lot better.”
Tatum also didn't love the fact that the Rising Stars team was added into the mix. He said he had “mixed feelings” about them being incorporated into Sunday night. “Playing on Sunday night is special, and it always has been. I'm not saying it was the right or wrong decision…Trial run, I guess. We'll continue to make tweaks.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: “The breaks weren't ideal. I rather play without breaks, but I had fun nonetheless. Feel like it was a little more towards the competitive side tonight. I guess it's up to the guys that handle all that stuff to figure out what's next. Hopefully we get there one day. I'm glad it's not my job to figure that stuff out.”
Steph Curry: “I did have some input with Adam (Silver) and the rest of leadership on where we last year we needed a change. Needed some new life, new juice in the game. What that answer was a collaborative effort to condense the amount of time we're actually playing so that it gives us more clarity on when to raise our level of competition. Conversation around the fourth team in the Rising Stars. The All-Star experience on Sunday is very sacred. I think you have to work your way into that…I think it was a good step in the right direction to reinvigorate in some way.”
The other issues
First time All-Star Jalen Williams and two-time All-Star Darius Garland share some of the same sentiments towards the length of the game due to the target score and not being able to play as much as they wanted to.
“I wish I could of played a little longer,” Williams said. “You're going to 40 with guys that probably won't miss a lot of open shots. But figuring out how to play longer is the biggest thing.”
Which makes sense coming from a player that played in his first ever All-Star game. Due to the format being constructed like a tournament with a target score, Williams played a whopping seven minutes of action before his team was eliminated.
As for Garland, he wants to see a couple of tweaks himself to the game.
“Those 40 points came quick,” Garland said. “It could be raised to like 50, 60 points maybe because of the amount of threes that we shoot now.”
He was asked about what should the NBA add or change rule wise to make the game better. Garland responded, “Go back to two teams.”
So how does Adam Silver, NBA fix this for 2026?
If the NBA is one to take constructive criticism and move accordingly, they'll listen to the product that drives their league. The players' input should be the most important. The tournament style might not be a terrible idea, but raising the target score from 40 to a number that could simulate a first quarter of a game. Maybe even ditch the target score altogether and play 12 minutes straight up for each game.
The nostalgia of two teams is also appealing. Whether that's the traditional East vs. West or the team captain drafting their teams, it could do well. Although they haven't done well over the last few years viewership wise, it would give first timers a better experience at the very least.
Then there is the Rising Stars component which left a lot of question marks for players and fans alike. Still a lot of things to iron out, but the All-Star Game is subject to change. Let's see what they do in 2026.
