NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Wednesday that next year’s NBA All-Star Game will use a “USA vs the World” format. This change comes after last year’s All-Star Game, which used a new tournament-style format with teams picked by celebrities. That version didn’t go over well with players and got low TV ratings in the U.S.
When asked on Fox Sports One if the NBA would go with a USA vs the World setup, Silver quickly replied, “Yes.”
He explained that the 2026 All-Star Game will be part of the league’s new media deal and will return to NBC. It also happens to fall during the Winter Olympics, which will be shown on the same network.
“On that day, Olympic events will be shown before the game, and after the game too,” Silver said. “Since the game will be played in the afternoon instead of at night, it’s the perfect time to feature a USA vs World matchup.”
This new format could lead to exciting matchups, like Canadian star and NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing against American guard Tyrese Haliburton from the Indiana Pacers, who are currently in the NBA Finals.
The new format might let big U.S. stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry play together against top international players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the final format isn’t decided yet, but the league was inspired by the NHL’s Four-Nations Face-Off in February, which got a lot of attention, especially the USA vs Canada rivalry.
“I’m not sure what the exact format will be,” Silver said. “But we closely watched what the NHL did, and it was very successful.”
He also mentioned that last year’s Olympic basketball games in Paris, which Team USA won with NBA stars, had great TV ratings in the U.S.