The NBA All-Star Game has changed to a drastically new format this season, switching from a one-game clash to a four-team mini tournament this year. The new All-Star setup is intended to revitalize the matchup's intensity and entertainment value after the game has been criticized in recent years for its subpar level of play.
Here is a breakdown of the new rules and format:
New NBA All-Star Format Explained
The All-Star Game has traditionally featured the Eastern Conference players taking on the Western Conference players in one game. In the new format, there will be a mini-tournament between four teams over three games—two semifinals and one finals matchup.
The teams will no longer be based on conference either. Though there were an equal amount of players selected to the All-Star Game from the East and West, the players have instead been selected onto three different teams. Each team will feature eight NBA players, and the fourth team in the tournament will be the winner of the Rising Stars challenge.
The three teams featuring NBA players had their rosters selected by TNT broadcasters Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith. Team Chuck, comprising of primarily international players, will take on Team Kenny, a team of younger NBA stars, in the first semifinal. Team Shaq, which is predominantly composed of veterans, will take on the Rising Stars team in the second semifinal. The two winners will then face off in the final.
The games will also no longer go for 48 minutes, the length of a normal NBA game. Instead, the winner will be the first team to score 40 points.
Prize Pool
The All-Star Game also carries a financial incentive, with a total prize pool of $1.8 million. Every player from the winning team will receive $125,000. Each player on the second-place team will earn $50,000, and players on the teams that don't make the finals will take home $25,000 each.
More on the 2025 NBA All-Star Game
This article was originally published on www.si.com as What Are the New Rules for the NBA All-Star Game? Explaining Changes for 2025 .
