NBA’s New U.S.-World Mini-Tournament Draws Rave Reviews From All-Stars
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The NBA’s latest All-Star experiment — a U.S. vs. World, three-team round-robin featuring 12-minute games — earned strong approval from participants after Sunday’s showcase.
All three preliminary contests were decided in the closing seconds, a level of intensity many players said had been missing in recent years. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, named Most Valuable Player, guided the USA Stars to the title and credited Victor Wembanyama for setting the tone.
“He set the tone, man. And it woke me up, for sure,” Edwards said.
Wembanyama, who had pledged Saturday to treat the exhibition like a regular game, showed visible frustration when a defensive breakdown allowed Scottie Barnes to bury a game-winning three-pointer in Team World’s opening loss. “It’s a game we love — a game I personally cherish — so being competitive is the least I can do,” the San Antonio Spurs rookie told reporters.
Leonard Shines in Home Appearance
Kawhi Leonard ignited the third matchup, pouring in 31 points to push the USA Stars past Team World, 48-45. The Los Angeles Clippers forward thanked commissioner Adam Silver for selecting him as an injury replacement. “That’s what the home crowd wanted to see,” Leonard said.
Leonard’s performance impressed opponents as well. “We were watching it like, ‘Damn, this guy is killing,’” Barnes remarked. “When a guy has it going like that, it’s special.”
Young Core Headlines Championship Run
Edwards, Barnes, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Johnson, and Chet Holmgren led the youthful Stars squad to a convincing victory over the veteran-heavy USA Stripes in the final.
The league has not confirmed whether the format will return, but several players advocated for keeping it when the All-Star Game moves to Phoenix next season. “I like this format,” Edwards said. “It makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I feel like the old heads played hard, too.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
