As the NBA explores ways to revitalize interest in its All-Star Game, the idea of a U.S. vs. World format has gained traction, with international players expressing strong support following Sunday’s mini-tournament.
Second-year Spurs center and first-time All-Star Victor Wembanyama, for one, voiced his enthusiasm.
“I would love to. My opinion is that it’s more purposeful,” he said, via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “There’s more pride in it. More stakes.”
Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, a nine-time All-Star, was even more fervent about the concept.
“I would love that. Oh, I would love that,” he said. “I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that. For sure, I’d take pride in that. I always compete, but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete.”
Reynolds highlighted the NHL’s success with its 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, which replaced the traditional All-Star Game format. The competition, which culminated in a high-energy U.S. vs. Canada showdown, stoked national rivalries and generated considerable excitement.
NBA officials are reportedly watching this success closely, considering how it might be adapted for basketball.
While there are not enough All-Star-caliber players from specific nations to create four teams, a U.S. vs. World matchup could provide a new dynamic for the annual event.
“Sometimes things just get old and kind of need a facelift,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “I know they’ve done different things to try to get it going. I think what’ll be interesting to see is how this 4 Nations thing turns out in hockey. If that turns out great, might have to peek an eye.”
This year’s roster already featured six international All-Stars, including Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Pascal Siakam, and Alperen Sengun. Luka Doncic, while sidelined by injuries, would undoubtedly be in the mix, and Karl-Anthony Towns, who represents the Dominican Republic in international play, is another potential addition.
However, filling out the World roster could pose challenges. Some players may not necessarily meet the standard of All-Star status, and creating a balanced roster would take away spots from American players, who make up about 70% of the NBA.
This has raised concerns about fairness in the selection process.
“Not to say we couldn’t figure out a way around this, but to the extent we want to have a fair process for picking All-Stars, if you’re picking half the players from a 30% pool and the other half from a 70% pool, it might not be fair to the players,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “So, that’s one thing we’re looking at.”
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