Adam Silver completely revamped the 2025 edition of the NBA All-Star Game. But it was not the new format that drew fans’ ire.
The NBA All-Star Game is supposed to be about the actual “game.” But a lot of the attention during Sunday’s festivities was diverted to non-basketball events scattered throughout the night.
The NBA used the All-Star Game as a chance to honor “Inside the NBA” during the show’s final year airing on TNT. Aside from having Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaq coach the teams and get on the mic for the games, there were also tributes made to the “Inside the NBA” cast during breaks in the action.
Several fans voiced their frustrations on X, with many dubbing the 2025 NBA All-Star Game as the “worst” one yet.
Many also complained that comedian Kevin Hart got way too much screen time than he deserved. The 5’4″ Hollywood star has been a common fixture during All-Star Weekend over the last few years. But on Sunday, his shtick no longer resonated with fans who wanted to see some actual basketball being played.
The league may have been trying to compensate given that this year’s event was much shorter than normal. Three All-Star teams and one Rising Stars squad competed in a tournament-style competition. Each game was a race to 40 points, which is not a hard total to reach during games with minimal defense being played.
It did not help that LeBron James sat out the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in two decades. Fellow All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Edwards also failed to suit up for the contest.
The game has been criticized over the years due to the lack of competitive spirit from the All-Stars themselves. But focusing less on the basketball part of the event probably isn’t the solution.
