NBA All-Star 2025: Everything about new format, prize money, where and when to watch, and more

Where and how to watch the 2025 NBA All-Star Game? Everything you need to know about the latest rendition of the NBA All-Star Game.

NBA All-Star 2025: Everything about new format, prize money, where and when to watch, and more

Everything to know about the 2025 NBA All-Star game

The NBA’s marquee weekend is ready to go, as All-Star Weekend is upon us once again. The 2025 NBA All-Star Game is set to shake things up with a brand-new format that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes will help bring competitiveness back to the midseason classic.

Scheduled for Sunday, February 16, at the Chase Center in San Francisco, this year’s game will move away from the traditional East vs. West matchup in favor of a four-team mini-tournament. With Stephen Curry playing in front of his home crowd and LeBron James making a record 21st consecutive All-Star appearance, the stage is set for an exciting showdown between some of the league’s top superstars.

What is the new format for this year’s All-Star Game?

Instead of the usual single-game format, the 2025 NBA All-Star Game will feature four teams, each led by an NBA legend from the Inside Crew: Shaquille O’Neal (Team OGs), Kenny Smith (Team Young Stars), Charles Barkley (Team Global Stars), and Candace Parker (Team Rising Stars).

The teams will compete in a tournament-style event with three games and two rounds. There will be no quarters and no game clock. Instead, the first team to 40 points wins each matchup in the first round and a final game of 25 points. This format is designed to bring more structure and a competitive edge to the game, making sure that each possession matters.

  • Game 1: Kenny Smith’s Young Stars vs. Charles Barkley’s Global Stars
  • Game 2: Shaquille O’Neal’s OGs vs. Candace Parker’s team (winner of the Rising Stars Challenge)
  • Finals: The winners of Game 1 and Game 2 face off for the title

With high stakes and cash prizes for every team, the hope is that players will take the competition seriously, creating an All-Star Game that is more entertaining and meaningful than what has been seen over the last few years.

What time is the All-Star Game and how to watch it?

Date: Sunday, February 16, 2025
Time: 5:00 PM PT (Pacific Time)
Location: Chase Center, San Francisco
TV Channel: TNT
Live Stream: Max, NBA App

The tournament-style format means there will be 50-minute breaks between each game, but whether the NBA can stick to that schedule remains to be seen.

What are the squads for the All-Star Game?

Team Shaq (OGs):

  • LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, James Harden, Jaylen Brown, Kyrie Irving

Team Chuck (Global Stars):

  • Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Pascal Siakam, Alperen Sengun, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young

Team Kenny (Young Stars):

  • Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham, Tyler Herro

Team Candace (Rising Stars Winner):

  • Stephon Castle, Keyonte George, Zach Edey, Dalton Knecht Jaylen Wells, Ryan Dunn, Trace Jackson-Davis

What is the prize money for the All-Star Game?

The NBA will also include financial incentives to encourage competitive play, instead of the usual prize money that is directed towards each team’s charity of choice.

  • Winning team: $125,000 per player
  • Runner-up team: $50,000 per player
  • Third and fourth-place teams: $25,000 per player

While these numbers aren’t game-changing for multi-millionaire superstars, they could be enough to push some of the younger players to take the event more seriously.

Betting odds for All-Star Game winner and MVP

NBA 2025 All-Star Winning Team Odds (FanDuel Sportsbook as of Feb 14):

  • Team Shaq (OGs): +100
  • Team Chuck (Global Stars): +200
  • Team Kenny (Young Stars): +410
  • Team Candace (Rising Stars Winner): +900

NBA 2025 All-Star MVP Odds

  • Stephen Curry: +550
  • Victor Wembanyama: +800
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: +800
  • LeBron James: +850
  • Anthony Edwards: +1000

Can the new format bring back the competitive edge?

The NBA has tried multiple ways to revamp the All-Star Game over the years, from the Elam Ending to captain’s drafts, but none have fully solved the lack of effort and defensive intensity. By switching to shorter, higher-stakes games, the league hopes to recapture the edge-of-your-seat excitement that made past All-Star Games legendary.

It also helps that Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, the three most influential players of this era of basketball, will once again share the stage on a historic night. Fans will also get their first true glimpse of Victor Wembanyama on an All-Star stage, which could be the start of something special for the young French phenom.

Whether or not this format sticks around long-term, NBA All-Star 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in years. The combination of a new structure, big personalities, a stacked lineup, and real stakes definitely gives the event some renewed energy this year, after years of lackluster displays.

With San Francisco’s Chase Center serving as the perfect backdrop and Stephen Curry leading the charge in his home city, this All-Star Game has the potential to erase the issues of recent years and bring back the high-intensity, must-watch action that fans crave from the All-Star Weekend.