The NBA will overhaul its marquee exhibition once again, shifting the 2026 All-Star Game at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome to a three-team, round-robin tournament, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Under the proposal, two squads made up of U.S.-born players and one international team will compete in 12-minute quarters in a format modeled after golf’s Ryder Cup. Each roster will feature eight players, creating a mini-tournament that the league hopes will reinvigorate the midseason showcase.
The NBA’s Competition Committee reviewed and backed the concept this week after receiving feedback from players, executives, and team governors. The National Basketball Players Association has also given its approval.
The league has experimented with multiple All-Star structures in recent years. Last February’s four-team mini-tournament—including a team of rising stars—generated only modest interest and left television ratings largely unchanged.
Adding an international component reflects the NBA’s evolving makeup. Roughly one-quarter of the league’s players were born outside the United States, and every MVP since 2018—Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić, and Joel Embiid among them—has hailed from abroad.
The 2026 contest will be the first All-Star Game carried by NBC under the league’s new media rights agreement, ending decades of TNT broadcasts.
By blending national pride with a fresh competitive format, the NBA aims to restore energy and viewership to an event that has struggled to maintain traction.
Source: Hoops Wire
