The NBA All-Star Game wrapped up Sunday night, drawing both praise and criticism for its revamped format. While some stars, including Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, embraced the changes, others, like Trae Young and Draymond Green, were far less enthusiastic.
Draymond Green asked Curry for his thoughts on the format and playing alongside the Rising Stars. The Warriors superstar saw the shift as a positive step. “We appreciate their participation,” Curry said.
“I heard what you said before the game—it’s a special honor. This is a sacred court. You earned your way to it. It felt like the All-Star Game needed a fresh look. You can always reassess, and you can always continue to make decisions on what’s in the best interest of the fans. This is what the whole weekend is about. I think it worked out perfectly. We’ll see what we do next year.”
Kevin Durant echoed Curry’s sentiments, emphasizing the return of competitiveness to the event. “I think we’re starting to see the All-Star Weekend’s competitive nature creep back in,” Durant said. “I think it was solid tonight. It was way better than before. Maybe because the games were condensed, but I feel like guys were trying to play hard.”
These reactions highlight the positive impact of breaking away from traditional, repetitive All-Star structures. The introduction of young, motivated players—such as Victor Wembanyama—could further energize the event, making for a more entertaining showcase.
Trae Young’s opposition
While Curry and Durant saw promise in the revamped format, others weren’t convinced—especially Trae Young. The Atlanta Hawks star made it clear he wasn’t a fan of the lengthy breaks during the game.
“Nah, I didn’t like it at all, to be honest with you,” Young said postgame. “I don’t know what the fans’ reaction was yet, but there were too many breaks. It was too long of a break. Guys were over there ready to play. I thought it was very competitive in the beginning, but as the games kept going on, I think the breaks were just too long.”
Draymond Green blasts the format
Trae Young wasn’t the only one critical of the new format. During multiple TNT broadcast appearances, Draymond Green didn’t hold back his frustration. When asked to rate the new format on a scale of 1 to 10, Green’s response was blunt. “Zero. It sucks. Awful.”
Green elaborated further, specifically taking issue with the Rising Stars being involved. “Now we get the ‘treat’ of watching the Olympic team against a U19 team. C’mon. What are we doing? This is ridiculous. Awful,” Green said. “The [Rising Stars] shouldn’t have been out there… They never belonged on that court. Those games weren’t exciting at all.”
With such strong opinions from players on both sides, it remains to be seen how the NBA will handle the All-Star format moving forward. Will the league double down on these changes or make further adjustments to satisfy both fans and players? The debate is far from over.