INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After the first contest of the 2026 NBA All-Star Game — which featured a brand new format with two USA teams and one World team — ended, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was asked by the NBC broadcast about wanting the ball on the first possession of overtime. Edwards didn’t directly answer the question, but his response was telling.
Edwards admitted that Victor Wembanyama “set the tone,” and it was hard not to match his energy. It was a stark contrast to Edwards’ comments on the eve of the NBA All-Star Game, when he directly said “no” when asked if the intensity from the Olympics in 2024 could carry over to this format.
Edwards had every reason — like most NBA fans in attendance and watching at home — to be skeptical. After all, there have been more lowlights from the actual All-Star Game itself than highlights in recent years. It’s clear the players agree the format was a success, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver should be hand-delivering thank-you notes to Wembanyama for helping make it happen.
“He set the tone,” Edwards said postgame about Wembanyama. “It was definitely competitive with all three teams. I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense. But yeah, he set the tone, man. It woke me up for sure.”
Winners and losers of revitalized NBA All-Star Game: Kawhi goes off, Wemby sets tone, KAT gets picked on
Jack Maloney
Edwards had an All-Star Game to remember. He scored eight points in the final game against the USA Stripes team and was named All-Star Game MVP. Edwards best showing of the game came in that opening game against Team World, when he dropped 13 points in an overtime victory.
The final game of All-Star Weekend turned out to be anticlimactic, but the other three games were entertaining, competitive and intense. Take it from Knicks star Jalen Brunson. What Wembanyama did wasn’t just felt by one player.
“I think Wemby’s a leader,” Brunson said. “The way he carries himself is fantastic for this game. I think he’s done a great job and you see what his impact is on and off the court around this game.”
Despite being in just his third year in the league, Wembanyama’s impact is already being felt throughout the league. Last year’s All-Star Game was mostly a snooze fest, but the new format injected new life into the event.
“It’s the game we love,” Wembanyama said. “It’s the game I personally cherish. Being competitive is the least I can do.”
The format of having each team play each other once in a 12-minute quarter setting certainly brought more juice than usual. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard dropped 31 points to help Team Stripes advance in a game against Team World. Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer just seconds after Edwards hit a clutch shot of his own to help the USA Stripes team win its opening game. All teams actually played defense.
Fans at home might’ve been confused by the format, and for good reason. Even players were trying to figure out the rules as the game was happening, which is why Leonard pitched afterward for the traditional East vs. West format to return.
“I think it was good,” Leonard said. “I didn’t really figure it out until we got here. As the game was going on, trying to figure out the records. … I thought it was good, but I still think going back to East vs. West will be great and I think guys will compete still.”
Love or hate the new format, it might just be here to stay. Nonetheless, the new format was a breath of fresh air for all parties involved. All-Star Saturday Night — one of the premier events on the NBA calendar — might’ve been a wash, but the All-Star Game itself made up for it.
“It was a step up in the competitive department compared to last season,” Rockets star Kevin Durant said.
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