The NBA and National Basketball Players Association announced today a groundbreaking format for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, set for Sunday, February 16, at Chase Center in San Francisco. The event, airing at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, will feature a mini-tournament with four teams competing in three games to determine the All-Star champion.
For the first time, the traditional All-Star game will shift to a multi-game structure. Two semifinal matchups will feature four teams battling to be the first to score 40 points. The winners will advance to the championship, where the format remains the same. The first team to reach or surpass 40 points takes the crown.
The four teams will include Team Charles, Team Shaq, and Team Kenny, led by TNT’s Inside the NBA analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith, who will serve as honorary general managers. Each team will comprise eight players, drafted live on February 6 by the analysts ahead of TNT’s scheduled doubleheader.
The fourth team, Team Candace, will feature the championship-winning squad from the Castrol Rising Stars game, showcasing top first- and second-year NBA players alongside G League standouts. WNBA legend and TNT analyst Candace Parker will serve as Team Candace’s honorary general manager.
Voting for the 24 All-Stars will remain unchanged. Fan voting accounts for 50%, while current NBA players and a media panel each contribute 25% to selecting the starters. Reserves will be chosen by NBA head coaches.
Head coaches for the All-Star teams will come from the staffs of the top-seeded Eastern and Western Conference teams as of February 2. The leading Eastern and Western coaches will guide two teams, while assistants from those staffs will coach the Rising Stars champions and the remaining All-Star team.
The league also revealed a $1.8 million prize pool for the competition. Players on the championship-winning team will earn $125,000 each, second-place players will receive $50,000. Those on the third- and fourth-place teams will take home $25,000.
The NBA’s revamped All-Star format aims to energize fans and players. It will create a fresh, competitive spectacle during the league’s marquee midseason showcase.
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