INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Victor Wembanyama brought the energy from opening tip of the NBA All-Star Game, and it proved infectious.
Some were crediting the 7-foot-5 San Antonio Spurs star for doing more to save the midseason showcase in mere minutes than anything the league has done in years.
“It was a pretty good display of basketball,” Wembanyama said. “Better than last year, in my opinion. It was fun.”
Wembanyama had been confident going in that setting
the tone with competitive fire would make a difference in the league's 75th annual showcase on Sunday at Intuit Dome, the Los Angeles Clippers' year-old arena.
“If you share that energy," he said, "people feel like they have a responsibility to share it back to you.”
This year featured yet another new format. Two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players competed in a round-robin tournament consisting of three 12-minute games, all of which had exciting finishes. The top two teams by record advanced to the title game.
“I liked it,” Wembanyama said. “I wouldn’t be against this format in the future, and I wouldn’t be against the regular East versus West either.”
The U.S. Stars team beat the U.S. Stripes 47-21 for the championship, with Anthony Edwards earning MVP honors.
Retired Spurs player Manu Ginobili on X called it the “most fun NBA All-Star Game in a loooong time!”
World team player Karl-Anthony Towns said, “I feel that after today I think you all can see the competition is there, and I think that we all brought it today and a sense of effort. I hope that the fans and all of you appreciate it.”
The first All-Star Game in 1951 debuted an East vs. West format that continued until 2018, when it was replaced with a player draft, where that year’s top vote-getters acted as captains and selected their teams from the pool of available starters, regardless of conference.
That lasted until 2024, when East vs. West returned for one year.
Last year, in San Francisco, the game was played tournament-style, with three eight-player teams and a fourth team of rising stars. Games were played to 40 points to decide a winner.
Next year a U.S. vs the rest of the world format is on tap for the game in Phoenix.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who is from Israel and played on the World team, called the latest change a fun format.
“People are about to understand that it’s fun watching the All-Star Game,” he said. “It’s going to be a little more competitive, try to bring it back.”
Boston Celtics fan Siddakk Chatrah was initially skeptical of a new format that wasn't easily explainable.
“The first game Wemby and some other international stars brought the energy, and Anthony Edwards matched them,” said Chatrah, who was at his first All-Star Game. “Then these young dudes brought the energy to LeBron, KD, they stepped up. It's a better watching experience at a way better level than I could have imagined. Yeah, it’s a little confusing, but I think they might have found something they can tweak a little more."
Even Kawhi Leonard was a bit unsure of how things worked. Cheered by his home fans, the Los Angeles Clippers superstar scored 31 points and shot 84% from the floor.
“Even as the game’s going on, trying to figure out the records for being 2-1 and how you play that out as well. Is it like by points? How many? Point spread or what?” he said. “I thought it was good, but I still think going back to East-West will be great. I think guys will compete still.”
Instead of being played in the evening, the event was held in mid-afternoon — ideal in attracting younger viewers — so NBC could feature the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in prime time.
Jaylen Brown likes the idea of adding a 1-on-1 competition to All-Star weekend.
“It reminds me of the purity of the game. Like, it’s just mano y mano,” the Boston Celtics guard said. “You got people on the court talking trash. You got to be an offensive and a defensive player.”
Brown took the idea further, suggesting players could challenge each other to 1-on-1 games.
“There are some people I would love to challenge," he said. "We could donate to whatever charity. Let's set it up.”
Detroit's Cade Cunningham has played under different formats in each of his first two years as an All-Star. He'd like to try the traditional East vs. West format.
“I want to be able to experience what all the greats played in and everything,” he said. “But I’m just playing the cards I was dealt. I’m sure it will come back eventually.”
Count LeBron James among its fans, even if the 41-year-old isn't around to see a potential return.
“I like the East and West format,” he said. “It’s been really good.”
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