The NBA world spoke and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver listened. We will be getting a USA vs. World format at the next All-Star game.
Silver explained on Breakfast Ball that the timing couldn’t be better, since the next All-Star Game will take place during the Winter Olympics.
“The game will be on NBC on the very day we’re on. The lead-in will be Winter Olympic events. And then coming out of the All-Star Game, which is now going to be in the afternoon instead of the evening, there will be more Olympic events,” Silver said.
Silver admitted he’s still finalizing the format though, but is excited by the success of what hockey has done.
“So what better time to feature some form of USA vs. the World? I’m not exactly sure what the format will be yet, but obviously we paid a lot of attention to what the NHL did, which was a huge success,” he added.
Of course, this is what the fans want, but what about the players? Well they practically begged Silver to switch up the format at the 2025 All-Star weekend.
“I would love that. Oh, I would love that,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said in February. “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, like having Shai, Jokic, Luka, Wemby, Towns, Sengun. I know those players — obviously I’m missing some guys that I cannot think from the top of my head, going against the best U.S. players. I think it would be fun. I think that would be the best format.
Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, who hails from France, shared the same thoughts:
“I would love to. My opinion is that it’s more purposeful. There’s more pride in it. More stakes.”
READ MORE: Shaq on How LeBron James & Luka Doncic Should Approach Next Season