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The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will take center stage on 17 February at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, with a bold new format aimed at reigniting the competitive spirit of the midseason spectacle.
This year’s event will introduce a tournament-style format that replaces the traditional All-Star Game, a move designed to ensure higher intensity matchups and a more engaging fan experience.
But the world's best hoops league's showpiece weekend features much more than just games, with events like the Slam Dunk Contest offering fans incredible scenes and storylines.
On Sunday afternoon Philippine time, let's take a look at what's happened so far during this star-studded weekend, and what dazzling displays of basketball are yet to come.
Gone are the days of the classic East vs. West showdown or even the captain-led drafts of recent years. Instead, the NBA has opted for a high-stakes, four-team, three-game tournament. Three of the teams were drafted live on TNT by legendary analysts Charles Barkley (Team Chuck), Shaquille O’Neal (Team Shaq), and Kenny Smith (Team Kenny). The fourth team will feature the winners of the Rising Stars Challenge, a squad composed of standout rookies, second-year players, and elite G League talents.
Each game in the tournament will be played to a target score of 40 points. The two semifinal winners will face off in a championship match, where the victors will be crowned the ultimate All-Star champions. This new approach aims to eliminate the casual exhibition feel of recent All-Star Games, pushing players to compete at a higher level.
This year's Rising Stars Challenge provided an unexpected twist, as San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle led Team C to victory in the final against Team G-League, securing their place in the All-Star tournament. Castle, named the Rising Stars MVP, delivered a standout performance alongside teammates such as Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George and Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht.
With the tournament format in place, these young stars won’t just be All-Star Weekend spectators, they’ll be suiting up against the league’s biggest names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the All-Star tournament. Castle, brimming with confidence, issued a message to the NBA’s biggest stars: “Just be ready for us. Don’t count us out. We’re here to win.”
One of the weekend’s most anticipated competitions, the Three-Point Contest, saw Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro outshoot a field of sharpshooters to claim the title on Saturday night. Herro edged out Cleveland’s Darius Garland and Indiana’s Buddy Hield in the final round, securing his first-ever Three-Point Contest victory. The absence of Golden State’s Stephen Curry, last year’s marquee participant, left a void in the competition, but Herro delivered an electrifying performance to fill the gap.
The AT&T Slam Dunk Contest saw Mac McClung cement his legacy as a dunking legend, becoming the first player ever to win three consecutive contests.
McClung battled Stephon Castle — clearly not content with his stellar Rising Stars performance — in the finals after earning three straight perfect 50s in the earlier rounds.
His high-flying artistry wowed the judges, securing his place as the undisputed dunk king. The contest also featured strong showings from Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis and Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr., but McClung’s dominance was undeniable.
The revamped Skills Challenge saw Team Cavaliers — composed of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley — emerge victorious after a dramatic final against Team Warriors, which featured Draymond Green and Moses Moody. The contest was not without controversy, as Team Spurs, led by Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama, was disqualified for attempting to manipulate the event’s timing rules. In the end, the Cavaliers showcased their precision and teamwork to take home the trophy.
The new Skills Challenge format featured four teams of two players each competing for the title. The setup of the challenge was simple yet demanding. The team’s first player had to make three successful bounce passes into a target, followed by one successful chest pass.
Then, they had to sprint the length of the court and shoot a wing three-pointer, an elbow jumper, and a corner three. After making another chest pass, they had to run back down the court for a layup or dunk before their teammate runs the same sequence.
The team that finished the relay the fastest was crowned the winner.
To ensure maximum effort from players, the NBA has introduced a lucrative prize pool of $1.8 million. Each player on the championship-winning All-Star team will receive $125,000, while second-place finishers will earn $50,000 each. Even the third- and fourth-place teams won’t go home empty-handed, securing $25,000 per player.
With the changes in place, NBA fans can expect a rejuvenated All-Star Weekend where every game matters. Whether it's the young stars looking to make a statement, veterans competing for pride and prize money, or Mac McClung aiming for dunk contest history, this year’s event promises to be one of the most thrilling All-Star Weekends in years.
