It's officially been one week since NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 tipped off, giving fans and analysts time to marinate on everything that went down. Without question, there was plenty to celebrate—from sharpshooters lighting it up in the Three-Point Contest to historical, jaw-dropping slam-dunks. But the weekend wasn’t without its head-scratching moments: players who fought hard all season for a coveted All-Star spot were eliminated after just 12 minutes and replaced by rookies. Some of the league’s biggest names opted out of the marquee game altogether due to last minute injuries. The list goes on——and now, with a bit of distance and perspective, we’re left wondering if there's a deeper issue going on here, and whether or not it’s time for the NBA to yield.
Let's take a look at the highlights from last weekend:
Celebrity Game (Fri.)
As the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game evolves, it seems the term "celebrity" is becoming harder to define. This year’s lineup saw many fresh faces, with streamer Kai Cenat, actor Dylan Wang, and country singer Walker Hayes being the only returning participants. However, many critics were quick to chastise the selection, arguing that too many of this year's "celebrities" were unfamiliar to the average NBA fan. It's no secret that we're long ways away from when we once saw the likes of Snoop Dogg and Justin Bieber suit up——but it’s a tough balance. The NBA is a global sport and narrowing the pool to only names recognized by young U.S. fans could alienate its international fanbase. That’s why the most fitting solution might be letting the fans decide who gets to play by choosing from a pool of willing participants.
As for the game itself, it was a novelty act. The competition was fierce, with 49ers legend Terrell Owens putting up a strong fight against the opposition, but Team Rice was no match for the performance from Rome Flynn, an Emmy Award-winning actor who dropped 22 points and earned well-deserved MVP honors.
Rising Stars Challenge (Fri.)
The Rising Stars Challenge’s new Tournament Style format looks like it’s here to stay, and this year, it proved to be an exciting evolution. Instead of a watered-down version of the All-Star Game, we witnessed teams made up of rookies, sophomores, and G-League players battling it out in games to 40 points, with the top two teams battling for the championship in a final game to 25. Team Chris Mullin triumphed over Team Tim Hardaway with a clutch mid-range jumper from Spurs fan-favorite Stephon Castle, while Team G-League knocked out Team Mitch Richmond with a contested game winner from Bryce McGowens.
The final matchup saw Team Chris Mullin dominate Team G-League and earn a spot to play Sunday night, providing a stark reminder of the skill gap between G-League players and their NBA counterparts. No complaints here, though—the inclusion of G-League players on such a big stage was a welcome gesture, and the chance to have NBA legends coaching these rising stars was a nice touch.
Skills Challenge (Sat.)
The Skills Challenge... well, it certainly happened. However, it’s hard to say anyone walked away from the event feeling like they gained much—except perhaps Cavs fans. The competition featured teams of two (not three or one as in year past), navigating a five-part obstacle course that tested passing, shooting, speed, and composure. In a surprising twist, 'Team Spurs' tried to execute a high-IQ strategy (no doubt Chris Paul's idea) by launching all their shot attempts as quickly as possible, only to be disqualified. Meanwhile, the rookie duo of Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr put up a solid showing, but it was the Cavaliers who triumphed with a perfect 60-second time, claiming the win and leaving little excitement beyond Cleveland’s celebration.
Three Point Contest (Sat.)
The three-point contest delivered a moderately entertaining spectacle. Despite Caitlin Clark's decision to sit this one out, the slate of elite shooters—featuring two former contest champions—made up for her absence. Darius Garland and Buddy Hield lit it up in the opening round, with Hield tying Steph Curry’s all-time record of 31 points. Unfortunately for Damian Lillard and Jalen Brunson, they didn’t quite live up to expectations, scoring 18 points each and leaving fans’ parlays in shambles.
The real drama unfolded in the final round, where Hield failed to replicate his earlier success, ultimately yielding to Tyler Herro’s underwhelming 24-point performance. Despite the anticlimactic finish, the contest proved to be a clear step up from the Skills Challenge.
Slam Dunk Contest (Sat.)
The Slam Dunk Contest emerged as the crown jewel of the weekend, delivering jaw-dropping dunks that are unlikely to be replicated anytime soon. When the roster of participants were announced, uproar was warranted—two rookies still finding their footing, a role-player averaging just 3 points per game, and a G-League player on a two-way contract. But what if I told you that G-League player single-handedly rescued the event—and perhaps All-Star Weekend itself?
Mac McClung. Remember the name.
This kid will go down as one of the most elite slam-dunkers in dunk contest history, says Vince Carter himself. From scaling over a car, to executing a double clutch off of the rim, Mac has cemented his legacy, and many fans want to see him secure some reasonable playing time in the big leagues. Winning his third consecutive dunk contest trophy, he joins Nate Robinson as the only other player to achieve such a feat. While his decision to go for trophy number four is dicey, he's given us enough film to last a VERY long time.
All-Star Game (Sun.)
Last but not least, the All-Star Game itself proved to be the most contentious event of the weekend. The single-game elimination format raised red flags early on, and our hope that this setup would bring some competition out of these players was instead replaced by questions about its stability and fairness. Fan favorites who worked all season for their coveted spots were eliminated after just twelve minutes of play, only to be replaced by rookies relatively unknown to the casual fan.
Marquee stars LeBron James and Anthony Edwards—two human highlight reels—pulled out at the last minute due to injuries, leaving fans frustrated when other players could have clinched selections in their place. With Shaq's Team OG managing to secure the win, the relentless barrage of media propaganda, non-stop advertising, random timeouts, and frequent interruptions left actual basketball playing in the background, ruining what should have been the pinnacle of All-Star Weekend.
What Next?
So what happens now? Was this year’s All-Star Weekend a fluke, or was it a sign that the entire format needs a serious overhaul? Rumors about a 1v1 tournament have circulated for years, and it appears Adam Silver might finally be putting that idea into motion. This seems like the obvious choice, and a such a radical change would undoubtedly boost ratings. Just imagine seeing the likes of Kevin Durant face off in an isolation tournament against other offensive greats—or Kyrie Irving giving us more of what we saw squared up with Wemby. But would players be willing to embrace that sort of pressure under the global spotlight?
Hopefully the league isn't considering Kevin Durant’s suggestion of an early spring break, even though nothing seems to be working. There are plenty of ways to turn things around: put the big-name dunkers in the Slam Dunk Contest (at this point a hefty prize would be necessary), or even reimagine the traditional East versus West rivalry as a showdown between international and American players, settling that debate once and for all. Bing back team based jerseys. Put SNIPERS in the three point contest and not just fan-favorites that shoot 30%. Let the Rising Stars Challenge be what it was, Rookie's balling out against the sophomores, showing the league is theirs for the taking.
The point is this——the All-Star Game shouldn't be a gimmick where a select bunch of pretentious players give 30% and feel just being there is their tribute to the fans. All-Star Weekend should be a stage for making literal NBA history, but we haven't seen anything innovative in a long time. Will the league finally deliver what the fans want? Or will it continue down the path of mediocrity and disappointment? Only time will tell.
And with that, the final buzzer sounds...
We'll see you next quarter! 🚨
JP
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