5 Ways To Save NBA All-Star Weekend

Most NBA fans would agree that the All-Star Game has been a stale product for quite some time, and it seems like the most common topic on talk shows during the week leading up to the event is how to make it watchable again.

Even if it was never as competitive as some of the old heads may remember it, there was still a level of excitement and a degree of pomp and circumstance that made the game a significant part of the yearly sports calendar. Even the Slam Dunk Contest was once a highly anticipated event that provided some of the most memorable moments in league history, but now it’s one that star players collectively scoff at.

All-Star Weekend is too much of a cash cow to imagine the NBA abandoning it anytime soon, but declining ratings and fan interest suggest a new recipe is needed. What is that recipe? I’m not so sure, but… I have a few ideas.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The List

Replace the All-Star Game With A 1 v. 1 Tournament

The 1-on-1 basketball scene has exploded over the last few years, with some of the most prominent events featuring ex-NBA players taking on former NBA stars and streetball stars. Ballislife is even partnering with Nike to host a pair of events in correlation with All-Star Weekend on Saturday, so it’s clear the 1-on1 format draws plenty of fan attention on both a casual and die-hard level.

Now, consider how much hype there would be if the best NBA players competed in a 1-on-1 tournament instead of a glorified game of horse? We know how prideful NBA players are. Do you really think they would take their foot off the gas pedal against one of their All-Star peers? And just imagine the narratives that could come from this. Call us, NBA.

Replace The Celebrity Game With NBA Legends Game

The Celebrity Game and The Rising Stars Game have long been in competition for the most irrelevant event of All-Star Weekend. However, the influx of young talent in today’s NBA has actually improved The Rising Stars Game’s stock, so it’s safe from my chopping block.

That means you’re up, Celebrity Game.

The game seemingly hasn’t had a legitimate celebrity presence, and the fact that we’re fully in the era of livestreamers and nonsensical online content creators populating these spaces turns me off entirely. Instead, why not do something that fans of the game would actually enjoy and host an NBA Legends game?

It’s understood elderly Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan won’t be gracing us with their game, but I guarantee recently retired stalwarts like Derrick Rose and John Wall would love the chance to suit up for a few more games under the bright lights. I know I’d be interested in seeing how Kevin Garnett’s game has held up in the decade since he left the game, or if Steve Nash can still put a little pep in an offense’s step as he approaches his 50s.

Guys who have to take it serious to minimize injury, but it would create a compelling storyline.

Winner Gets Homecourt Advantage In The Finals

When the MLB needed to spruce up the All-Star Game in 2003, a rule was implemented that gave the winning league home-field advantage in that year’s World Series. That seems a bit more radical from a basketball perspective, but if you want to guarantee the most consequential players in the league are giving their all, why now make it a game that could legitimately have potential championship implications?

The MLB eventually ditched the system after the 2016 season, but it still gave the mid-summer classic a luster that other All-Star games lost long ago. Now, they all suck.

Draymond Green calls out Adam Silver and the NBA for the new All Star format calling it a joke to the league:

“Best in the East, Best in the West it works when the game is good. We doing all this different gimmicks makes it more of a joke. It looks good for a year it’s a quick… pic.twitter.com/vsQXjb3aJA

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) February 13, 2026

Involve The WNBA’s Biggest Stars On Saturday

About twenty years ago, it wasn’t hard to find a sports column on any of the biggest platforms that would adamantly tell you there was too much WNBA involvement in the NBA’s All-Star Weekend. Was the criticism misguided then? Mostly, but it certainly isn’t applicable now that some of the most marketable names in the sport, regardless of gender, play in the NBA.

I don’t need to tell you how much of a ratings boost it would be to have Caitlin Clark and Stephen Curry facing off in a special 3-point contest like he did with Sabrina. What about Paige Bueckers and Cooper Flagg pairing on the same Skills Challenge team? Easy money, you’re welcome.

Break The Bank And Make The Dunk Contest Worth It

We saw how much the potential NBA Cup prize money motivated even some of the league’s brightest stars to step their game up during the regular season tournament. With that in mind, how much money would we need to throw at the NBA’s biggest stars to bite the bullet and join the dunk contest? Are you going to tell me that Anthony Edwards or Ja Morant wouldn’t give the fans what they wanted if there were $1 million on the line instead of $100,000 or whatever the amount is?

LeBron’s refusal to ever compete in the dunk contest made it fashionable for the league’s biggest stars to treat the dunk contest with a lack of respect. The best way to re-establish that respect is to make it worth the reputational hit they fear will come from losing.