The NBA is shaking things up for this year’s All-Star Game with an exciting new tournament-style format that’ll replace the traditional single game.
Instead of the usual East vs. West matchup, we’ll now see four teams battling it out in a mini-tournament with three high-stakes games.
Here’s where it gets interesting: Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaq will step in as honorary general managers, drafting three teams from the pool of 24 All-Stars. The fourth team? That’ll be the winners of the Rising Stars tournament, with Candace Parker serving as their GM.
The voting process for picking the All-Stars isn’t changing – fans will still help choose 12 players from each conference. But that’s where the familiar format ends.
Teams will face off in two semifinal games, with winners advancing to a championship showdown. The first team to hit 40 points in the final takes home the trophy – and some serious cash.
Speaking of money, the NBA’s sweetening the pot. Winners will now pocket $125,000 per player, up from the previous $100,000. Second-place finishers get $50,000, while semifinal losers each take home $25,000.
The coaching setup’s staying partially traditional. The top teams in each conference will send their head coaches, but here’s the twist: their assistants will handle the other two teams, including the Rising Stars squad.
All the action kicks off in San Francisco on February 14, with the main tournament happening February 16. But circle February 6 on your calendar – that’s when TNT will broadcast the All-Star draft, where Barkley, Smith, and O’Neal will build their dream teams.
This format’s already proven successful with the Rising Stars event, and now the NBA’s betting it can bring that same excitement to their marquee midseason showcase.
