It isn’t a secret that the NBA All-Star Game has lost some of its magic over the last few seasons. As the years have passed, the players’ effort level has been noticeably decreasing, with the 2025 game being one of the worst ever. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has tried countless alternatives to fix this issue. Next season, the league will undergo a Team USA vs Team World format. But comedian Gary Owen has a different idea, which he guarantees will draw more ratings.
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Traditionally, the All-Star Game has followed an East vs West format. The league decided to change things ahead of the 2017-18 season. Silver adopted a park-like approach consisting of two team captains selecting from a pool of players. That method lasted until the 2023-24 season, when the league reverted to East-West. The result was an unentertaining blowout.
Last season, the league was desperate to make the game competitive. Their brilliant idea involved a four-team mini-tournament, which included the winning team of the Rising Stars Challenge. Fans didn’t waste any time expressing their frustration with the event.
Now the league has gone on a limb to implement a Team USA vs Team World format for the upcoming season. Although it could certainly strike some interest, Owen believes another outcome will hit the mark.
“Could we do an all-white versus all-black All-Star game at All-Star Weekend?” Owen said on the Road Trippin’ podcast. “I think that would draw numbers.”
Richard Jefferson wasn’t necessarily on board with Owen’s proposition. Instead, he vocalized how the current format would most likely have more impact.
“If we do black versus white, I think that separates us. I think if we do America versus Europe, that brings us together,” Jefferson declared.
Owen didn’t even take the time to mull over Jefferson’s rebuttal. “Black and white will bring everybody together. We get too caught up saying, ‘We can’t do it.’ Motherf*****, the numbers it would do,” Owen proclaimed.
Adam Silver and the rest of the board of governors have no intention of changing their plans for the All-Star game. Unless the 2026 All-Star Game is a complete and utter failure, this may be the new format for the event for the foreseeable future.
The NHL did something similar to their All-Star Game by rebranding to the Four Nations Face-Off. It became a smash hit among fans and the sense of patriotism from the players representing their country led to high-level competition.
Hopefully, the NBA is able to find a similar recipe for success and revive what was once a highly anticipated event.
