A New Format Breathes Life Into the Midseason Classic

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game arrived at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Sunday night with a bold new format and delivered exactly what the league had hoped for: competitive, entertaining basketball that had fans on their feet throughout the evening. The 75th edition of the midseason showcase replaced the familiar East vs. West and the recent draft-style formats with a three-team USA vs. World round-robin tournament, and the gamble paid off.

USA Stars, a squad of younger American All-Stars, defeated USA Stripes, a team of veteran American All-Stars, by a commanding 47-21 margin in the championship game to claim the inaugural trophy under the new structure, as reported by NBA.

How the Format Worked

The league divided its All-Stars into three teams. USA Stars featured the younger generation of American talent, with an average age of 24.8, including Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, and Scottie Barnes. USA Stripes assembled the more seasoned American veterans, headlined by LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Kawhi Leonard, who combined for 76 career All-Star selections. Team World brought together the best international players in the NBA, led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, rising star Victor Wembanyama, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

The three teams played a round-robin of mini-games, each lasting 12 minutes, with the top two teams advancing to a championship final. The target-score format from recent years was replaced by timed quarters, encouraging more consistent effort throughout.

An Evening of Highlight Moments

The tournament produced several memorable sequences. De’Aaron Fox hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift USA Stripes over USA Stars in Game 2, temporarily shifting momentum in the veterans’ favor. Kawhi Leonard delivered a thunderous 31-point performance in just 12 minutes during the elimination game against Team World, thrilling the home crowd at Intuit Dome with a vintage display on his home court.

Team World, despite the star power of Jokic and Wembanyama, was eliminated after falling short in the round-robin stage, setting up an all-American championship showdown.

Stars Dominate the Final

When the championship game arrived, it was all USA Stars. The younger squad overwhelmed the Stripes with energy, athleticism, and relentless defense, building an insurmountable lead and cruising to the 47-21 victory. The lopsided final score belied the competitive nature of the earlier games but underscored the explosiveness of the league’s next generation.

Anthony Edwards led the charge across the tournament, tallying 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists on 13-of-22 shooting, earning the Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award.

Renewed Optimism for the All-Star Game

The NBA had faced years of criticism over the All-Star Game’s lack of competitiveness, with recent editions devolving into uncontested dunks and half-hearted defense. The 2026 edition appears to have reversed that trend. The round-robin structure gave players something tangible to compete for in each game, and the shorter format kept the action intense.

League officials expressed satisfaction with the revamped event, noting strong television viewership and positive reactions from players and fans alike. Whether the USA vs. World format becomes a permanent fixture remains to be seen, but its debut provided a promising template for the future of the NBA’s midseason celebration.