This has been discussed for years. Because players don’t show full commitment, the annual All-Star Game has not been exciting for a long time. According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, a new format should now remedy this.
As the reporter announced that night, the NBA is currently in “serious talks” about whether to change the format of the game. One idea under discussion is to divide the players into four teams instead of two, as has been the case so far. These would then compete against each other in two semi-finals, with the winners going on to face each other in the final.
This process is very reminiscent of the format of the “Rising Star Tournament”, in which the best young players in their first and second years of their career compete against each other every year.
The game format has been adapted several times in recent years. For several seasons, all-star captains selected their players from both conferences. At the last event, in February of this year, the two conferences competed against each other again, but without being mixed.
However, the hoped-for increase in intensity did not materialize. NBA boss Silver has already expressed his displeasure on several occasions: “There is no doubt that the players disappointed last season.” He has already hinted that there could be further adjustments to the rules: “We are looking at other ways to organize the games.”
