This is the new format for the NBA All-Star Game in 2025

The All-Star NBA Game will introduce a new format in its upcoming edition, scheduled for February 16 at the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.

For the first time, the event will feature a mini-tournament with four teams competing in unprecedented semifinals. The first team to reach 40 points in each semifinal will advance to the final, which will follow the same scoring format.

TNT’s Inside the NBA commentators—Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith—will select three of the four teams from the 24 players chosen for the All-Star Championship.

How will the All-Star players be selected?

The fourth team will consist of the winners of the Castrol Rising Stars game, which showcases the NBA’s top first- and second-year players alongside select G-League talents.

The Rising Stars game will take place two days earlier, on February 14, and the team will be led by Candace Parker, WNBA legend and fellow TNT analyst.

The selection process for the 24 All-Star players remains unchanged. Fans (50% of the votes), players (25%), and media (25%) will determine the five starters for each conference, while coaches will select the reserves. With four teams participating, there will also be four head coaches: the coaches of the best-ranked teams from each conference, along with one of their assistants.

Voting opens this Thursday and runs until January 20. Fans can cast their votes via the NBA app or the league’s official website. On select days—Saturday, December 21; Wednesday, December 25; and Fridays, January 3, 10, and 17—votes will count triple. The final day to vote is January 20.

How much will the winners of the NBA All Star Game receive?

The All-Star starters will be announced on January 23, followed by the reserves on January 30.

The four teams competing in the All-Star Game will share a total prize pool of $1.8 million. The winners will receive $125,000, the runners-up $50,000, and the remaining teams $25,000 each.

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