“I think it’s always going to be like this, so we should accept it.” Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic had once said about the NBA All-Star, showing the All-Star games had run their course. But then the fans received the update of a completely new format that brought NBA legends like Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and ex-WNBA star Candace Parker into the mix. As intriguing as it sounded, the ground reality has not been exactly what many would’ve expected.

There was a reason behind bringing in the new format: declining viewership and craze for All-Star events. Thanks to our NBA superstars for putting minimal effort they do in these events. No wonder the idea that a mini-tournament might re-ignite a lost competitive spirit gave birth to the new format. How successful it turned out to be? Let’s have a closer look.

What do the NBA stars like Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and more themselves think of the new format?

It’s not a surprise that fans weren’t the only ones shaking their heads at the new format of NBA All-Star. Even NBA legends like Draymond Green, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley had some strong opinions on the matter.

One of the biggest complaints? The fact that one of the three teams didn’t even consist of All-Stars. That alone had Draymond Green seeing red, and he didn’t hold back during TNT’s broadcast. His frustration was obvious as he repeatedly bashed the format, calling it everything but a success.

At first, the night showed a little promise. Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny brought some much-needed energy, thanks to Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander taking things seriously. For a brief moment, it felt like the new format might actually work. But by the time the final rolled around? Yeah, not so much. The game itself became an afterthought, overshadowed by how messy things had become.

One of the most surprising voices of criticism? Kenny Smith—who was actually one of the GMs in this whole experiment. Before the final buzzer even sounded, he said what a lot of fans were already thinking: “I think they’re gonna change the format back,” Smith admitted on the broadcast, right before Jayson Tatum sealed the deal with a dunk.

Draymond Green? He took things even further. In his eyes, this format wasn’t just bad—it was a disaster. “This sucks,” he said bluntly, rating the new four-team format a zero out of ten. He also pointed out that players like Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander, who took the game seriously, were robbed of the chance to make history—unlike past legends like Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony.

But Charles Barkley wasn’t about to let Green’s criticism slide. Instead, he fired back with a brutally honest take of his own: “Your generation messed the game up, so we have to experiment with the Rising Stars.”

So, where does that leave us? If even the analysts on Inside the NBA can’t agree, you know the debate isn’t over. So let’s have a look at it from another angle:

Did NBA All-Star’s new format solve the existing issues of the previous format?

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game was wild—ridiculously high-scoring, to say the least. The Eastern Conference alone dropped 104 points in the first half. That’s not just high-scoring; that’s borderline absurd.

By the time the third quarter wrapped up, the scoreboard read 160–136. Nearly 300 points combined—and there was still an entire quarter left to play. When the dust settled, the East had shattered records, finishing with 211 points, breaking the previous All-Star Game high of 196.

At this point, we have to ask—was anyone even playing defense? The answer is obvious. Wide-open shots, free drives to the basket, and zero resistance—this wasn’t basketball at its best. Sure, All-Star Games are meant to be fun, but where’s the competitiveness?

The NBA thought a new format would breathe life into the event, but if anything, it just exposed a bigger issue—how do you make an exhibition game actually competitive? Right now, players treat it like a glorified shootaround, and fans are noticing. The lack of defense didn’t just make the game feel hollow—it made it less entertaining.

And now, we’re already hearing reports of yet another change. One-on-one tournaments with big cash prizes have been floated as a way to get players to actually try on both ends of the floor. That alone tells you the new format isn’t working. If the NBA has to keep dangling incentives just to make its biggest stars care, then isn’t that proof the format itself is flawed?

All-Star Weekend was already losing its magic—ratings, effort, and fan interest were all trending down. And while official ratings aren’t out yet, social media reactions say it all. Fans aren’t impressed. If the NBA doesn’t figure it out soon, this “new” format will be no better than the last—a forgettable, defenseless mess that die-hard basketball fans won’t waste their time watching.

The only way to save the legacy of All-Star events? Somehow inculcate a higher competitive spirit in the next generation of superstars. Something we witnessed in the likes of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.