INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Shortly after a buzzer-beater by De’Aaron Fox, a triple from the left corner gave Team Stripes a 42-40 victory over Team Stars in the second game of the new look. All-Star Gamea sweat-soaked LeBron James subtly summed up his most important takeaway from a back-and-forth with the younger generation.
“Old heads, 1-0,” James said with a wide smile.
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In a word, the four words spoken by the greatest player of this generation were powerful. Not as an omen – Team Stars lifted the trophy after a convincing victory 47-21 in the final – but for the simple meaning of the level of play displayed. For all the talk – from social media to national television segments and podcasts – around All-Star Weekend and the lack of enthusiasm, despite all the gimmicks and format changes and incentives brought to the table, the problem and the answer were still the same thing: the players.
Anthony Edwards receives the Most Valuable Player award during the 2026 All-Star. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
(Anadolu via Getty Images)
Yes, these players endure an absolutely grueling schedule for months out of the year, pushing their bodies to their physical and mental limits. And yes, everyone deserves a break from time to time. But in an era where effort and expectations were considered to be at an all-time low, giving a real kickoff, abandoning the idea of a passive, boring kickoff, would do a lot of good. The upper echelon of NBA players got to this level by being better than the rest of the field – more intense, smarter, faster, stronger and more competitive. What better way to show it than among peers?
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“I think they’re not really going to understand what I’m saying, but I like this format,” All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards said, with 10 votes out of a possible 14. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes and it’s three different teams separating guys. I think it was really good…I feel like the old Chiefs played hard, too. They were playing really good defense.”
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For basketball purists and casual fans alike, Sunday afternoon offered the best the NBA has to offer. Players who catch the opponent at the point of attack, with real defensive intensity on and off the ball. Edwards picks off defenders like a hyena dissolving a carcass, heading straight for James and Kevin Durant. The insatiable will to win of Victor Wembanyama, visibly frustrated by the missed rotations, the less than optimal shot selection and the defeat. Jaylen Brown expresses his desire for a 1 on 1 tournament, inviting all those who dare to mobilize to take up the challenge. And Kawhi Leonard, putting a phenomenal belt on young whippersnappers and the international crème de la crème, reminding the world – in front of his audience – that he remains one of the best to don them. Sunday was special.
“It was awesome,” Leonard said. “Glad Adam (Silver) let me in. This is what the home crowd wanted to see. I’m glad I was able to do something in this game. … It’s always fun to go out and compete with these guys and cherish the court with them. They’re all legends and they play great basketball.”
Moving the conversation forward, seeing Edwards and Wembanyama raise their game on one of the biggest stages, as basketball ambassadors, is essential to the future of the sport. One of the topics discussed this weekend, alongside the future of the LeBrons, Durants and Currys of the world, is the crowning face of the league. Both Edwards and Wembanyama offer different perspectives when it comes to league dynamics, but collectively they represent the best the NBA has to offer. In Wembanyama, a reminder of the beauty of being different and the growth that comes with this awareness. In Edwards, the audacity to apologize to oneself and discover one’s true power and influence. Together, the recipe for taking the league to the next generation is as clear as day.
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“It’s something that has to be natural, of course,” Wembanyama said. “Obviously, social media and the NBA can promote whoever they want. But at the end of the day, it’s going to be the best players and the ones people ask for. Being the face of the league, that’s something that can be manufactured, but only to a certain extent. It’s going to be only the best players. That’s what it’s all about.”
There is a very real storm in which the NBA finds itselfwith illegal sports gambling, allegations of financial misconduct and tanking at the forefront of issues. But if Sunday was a microcosm of what it means to be in the eye of the storm, it’s phenomenal. The mix of fiery youth and very present aging stars who still grace us with their presence is why people pay insane amounts of money to go out in droves. Perhaps the success of the All-Star Game is making some of the most prolific dunkers rethink their lack of interest in participating in the contest. Maybe watching Dame Lillard lift the trophy forces great shooters — like Steph Curry did — to rediscover the love for competition.
“It felt good,” Durant said. “I hope we build on that and the weekend becomes more and more competitive and the fans start to enjoy it more and more.”
