NBA All Star Game torn to shreds by fans after new format falls flat

The basketball world has all been left saying the same after the latest installment of the NBA All Star Game unfolded on Monday.

Another year, more outrage.

The NBA All Star Game has been on its death bed for a few years now and on Monday it drew closer to its final breath.

Average of 9 LIVE Regular Season games per week plus the best of the NBA Playoffs, including every game of the NBA Conference Finals & NBA Finals LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

For years fans have put themselves through the misery of tuning in to watch the game’s biggest names trudge up and down the court without a care in the world as they jack up uncontested shot after uncontested shot.

In 2025 the league decided to tinker with the All Star format and go with four smaller teams in a mini tournament style event.

But what ultimately played out was more of the same, only this year the actual on court action was drowned out by continual stoppages, award ceremonies and Kevin Hart.

As one fan pointed, in a broadcast that ran for three hours, there was a total of 33 minutes and 41 seconds of actual game time basketball.

It’s not even diehard basketball fans that are now fed up with the game that was at one point in time the crown jewel on the NBA calendar, outside of the playoffs.

Kevin Durant (middle) drives to the rim against the Rising Stars squad. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

In the middle of the broadcast, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green delivered both barrels to the league over the new format which sees teams only needing to score 40 points to secure the win.

“You work all year to be an All-Star and you get to play up to 40 and then you’re done. This is so unfair to Victor Wembanyama, who just took this game really seriously,” Green said on air. “Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just took this game really seriously. When you talk about chasing after the points record, Melo, Kobe and all these guys that had great scoring nights. They don’t get the opportunity to do that with this game.

“All so we can watch some rising stars. We about to watch the Olympic team, now we get the treat of watching the Olympic team play against a U-19 team. Come on, what are we doing? This is ridiculous.”

He later added: “This sucks, it ain’t basketball.”

Draymond savages NBA All Star Game

Draymond wasn’t alone in tearing the NBA and the new format to shreds with those watching on from home taking to social media to unleash.

One wrote on X: “This is the worst presentation of an All-Star game in sports history. We’re breaking in the middle of actual basketball to hand out lifetime achievement awards … and Adam Silver expects these players to take the game seriously?”

A second added: “This is the worst possible format for an NBA all star game I have ever seen.”

A third wrote: “The all star game is washed.”

A fourth noted: “The other all star weekend’s weren’t that bad to me but this is the worst sh*t I’ve ever seen this is pro bowl games level.”

Fans far and wide were not happy with what played out. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP

As the outrage continued, Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum combined for 27 points as Shaquille O’Neal’s “Team Shaq” cruised to victory over Charles Barkley’s “Team Chuck”.

Curry, playing on his home court at Golden State’s Chase Center, reeled off a string of trademark three-pointers to help his star-studded line-up coast to a 41-25 win.

Curry was named Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game, the second time he has achieved the accolade after winning the honour in 2022.

“It’s a celebration of a lot of great things - to be able to play with these guys for as long as we have,” Curry said after being handed his MVP award.

“It’s our responsibility to come out and put on a show and I thank them for helping me do that,” Curry added, gesturing to his teammates.

Originally published as NBA All Star Game torn to shreds by fans after new format falls flat