On Tuesday, the NBA revealed that the 2025 All-Star Game would introduce a fresh format, with four teams competing in three different games in the San Francisco Bay Area, on Sunday, February 16, at the Chase Center. However, some of the reactions to these changes have been negative, including a sharp critique from Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant.
“I hate it. I absolutely hate it. Terrible,” Durant said in an interview shared by journalist Gerald Bourgue, following the Suns‘ practice on Tuesday. When informed about the upcoming changes, the 36-year-old forward didn’t hold back: “The All-Star Game format is changing and the other formats… all of it is terrible, in my opinion.”
Durant quickly made it clear that he believes the NBA should return to its traditional format. “We should just go back to East vs. West and just play a game,” Durant stated, rejecting the changes not only to this year’s edition but also to the 2018 revamp that eliminated the Conference divisions for team selection. “I think we’ve been trying to bring that flair back with All-Star Weekend but I think we should just keep it traditional.”
Despite his strong disapproval, Durant acknowledged that the new format might still have its merits, even if he doesn’t see it yet. “You never know, I might be wrong. I’m just another guy with another opinion,” he said with a touch of resignation. “We’ll see how that works.”
Durant knows what the NBA All-Star game is all about
Kevin Durant is one of the most experienced and accomplished players in NBA All-Star history. Over his 18-year career, KD has been selected 14 times, making him one of only seven players to achieve such a distinction.
His All-Star presence was uninterrupted from 2010 to 2019, with a brief hiatus due to his Achilles tendon injury. He returned to the All-Star Game in 2021 and has been a fixture ever since. Additionally, Durant was named the MVP of the game twice, in 2012 and 2019.
What will the new NBA All-Star format be like?
The biggest change to the All-Star Game for 2025 is that it will no longer be a single exhibition game. Instead, the event will take the form of a mini-tournament featuring three direct elimination duels.
Four teams will compete in this new format: Three teams will be made up of the 24 All-Star players selected via voting, as in previous years. However, these teams will be chosen by iconic three NBA analysts—Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith—each of whom will select eight players.
The fourth team will be composed of the winners of the Rising Stars game, which features the league’s top first- and second-year players, along with standout G League talent. This team will be managed by analyst and WNBA legend Candace Parker. Coaching the four teams will be the two best head coaches from each Conference, based on their records through February 2, and both of their assistant coaches.
The teams will be split into two semifinal brackets, with each matchup ending when a team reaches 40 points. The winners will then face off in a final game with the same rules to determine the champion of the new All-Star format.
NBA All-Star prizes
The NBA has allocated a total prize pool of $1.8 million for the revamped All-Star tournament. Each player on the winning team will receive $125,000, while the runners-up will earn $50,000 each. Players on the teams that exit in the semifinals will still receive $25,000 as a consolation prize.