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06/04 15:57 CDT NBA working on plan for US-vs.-world format at All-Star Game
next season, AP source says
NBA working on plan for US-vs.-world format at All-Star Game next season, AP
source says
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) --- The NBA is working on a plan to turn next season's
All-Star Game into a U.S.-vs.-world competition, a person with knowledge of the
situation said Wednesday.
It remains unclear how the format will work, said the person, who spoke to The
Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league has not made any
final determinations. Speaking to Fox Sports 1 earlier Wednesday, NBA
Commissioner Adam Silver --- who has talked about such a game on multiple
occasions --- was asked if U.S. vs. the world is possible.
"Yes," Silver said.
Silver addressed the idea on March 27 as well at the league's most recent board
of governors meeting, when he revealed that the NBA was scrapping the All-Star
mini-tournament format that was used this season.
At that time, the AP reported that the 2026 game --- to be played Feb. 15 in
Inglewood, California, just past the midpoint of the Milan-Cortina Winter
Olympics --- will be moved from its traditional prime-time Sunday night slot to
one that starts on Sunday afternoon. That's happening because the game will be
aired on NBC under the terms of the new 11-year media rights deals that kick in
next season. NBC is also the Olympic broadcaster in the U.S.
So, NBC could show Olympic events in the morning and early afternoon, then the
All-Star Game, then have prime-time Olympic programming.
The move comes on the heels of a popular tournament, the 4 Nations Face-off,
that essentially took the place of the NHL All-Star Game this year, as well as
strong competition at the Paris Olympics, where the Americans won a fifth
consecutive gold medal by rallying past Nikola Jokic and Serbia in the
semifinals, then topping host France and Victor Wembanyama in the title game
--- behind a barrage of late 3-pointers from Stephen Curry.
"What better time to feature some form of USA against the world?" Silver said
on FS1. "I'm not exactly sure what the format will be yet. I obviously paid a
lot of attention to what the NHL did, which was a huge success. ... But also,
going back, last summer, our Olympic competition was a huge success."
There is one big challenge regarding any U.S.-vs.-world format. About 70% of
NBA players are American, while 30% are international, so it would in theory be
easier for an international player to make the All-Star team --- if the rosters
are the same size.
International players, when asked at this year's All-Star Game if they would
want a U.S.-vs.-world matchup, sounded enthusiastic.
"I would love to. My opinion is that it's more purposeful," Wembanyama said
back in February. "There's more pride in it. More stakes."
Added Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who's from Greece: "I would love that.
Oh, I would love that. I think that would be the most interesting and most
exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I'd take pride in that. I always
compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to
compete."
The latest format for the All-Star Game --- a four-team, three-game
mini-tournament in San Francisco with the first team to 40 points winning each
--- was a miss. It came after years of the league asking players for a more
competitive game.
The 211-186 final score at Indianapolis in 2024 was the last straw, and the
league --- for one year, anyway --- thought the tournament was the answer.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
