San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is the latest NBA player to express his opinion on the new All-Star game format. Instead of the East vs. West format that the league brought back last season, they will try out a new format that will hopefully excite fans back into tuning in.
Next year’s All-Star game format will be a single-elimination tournament that will be contested among four teams. 24 All-Stars will be split into three eight-man teams, while the fourth team will comprise the winner of the rookies/sophomores Rising Stars game. Whichever team reaches the target score first will advance in the mini-tournament.
The NBA hopes to curb the fans’ disappointment about the past All-Star games’ lack of competitiveness with the new format they are going to implement. Wembanyama recently remarked on the proposed format, saying nothing beats the old school.
“I’m personally wondering how to put competitiveness back into the All-Star game. When I set foot on that court though, I’m gonna be competitive for sure. But I don’t think anything beats the old school East vs. West format,” Wemby said.
Victor Wembanyama on the new All-Star game format:
“I’m personally wondering how to put competitiveness back into the All-Star game. When I set foot on that court though, I’m gonna be competitive for sure. But I don’t think anything beats the old school East vs. West format.”… pic.twitter.com/cvhTWYn5et
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 22, 2024
Victor Wembanyama was not a part of the All-Star game that fans and analysts alike blasted for being uncompetitive. The East won 211-186 in what would be the highest-scoring All-Star game in NBA history.
Kevin Durant was the first to criticize the format change. The Phoenix Suns superstar made his feelings known about it in a media interview on Tuesday.
“I hate it, I absolutely hate it. Terrible. All-Star Game format changing, all the formats—terrible in my opinion. We should just go back to East-West,” Durant said. “I think we’ve been trying to bring that flare back somehow with All-Star Weekend, I think we [should] just keep the tradition. We’ll see how this one works. You never know, I might be wrong.”
I asked Kevin Durant what he thought about the new format for the NBA All-Star Game: “I hate it. Absolutely hate it. Terrible….We should just go back to East-West.” pic.twitter.com/T7owR5aJY7
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) December 17, 2024
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis also weighed in on the new All-Star game format. “I don’t really like it. But we’ll see how it goes this year and see if they change it or not,” he said.
Anthony Davis on the new All-Star Game format: “I don’t really like it. But we’ll see how it goes this year and see if they change it or not.”
— Melissa Rohlin (@melissarohlin) December 18, 2024
Victor Wembanyama is poised to make his All-Star debut
Victor Wembanyama almost made the cut for the All-Star game as a reserve last February. Next year, however, it looks like he might get a spot.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Kawhi Leonard were the frontcourt players for the West in the previous All-Star game. This season, however, Towns has moved to New York while Leonard has yet to play a game, making it likely for “The Alien” to be picked.
However, next year’s All-Star game will not implement the traditional East vs. West format. Regardless of it, though, the likelihood of Wemby being selected is high, given his current averages of 24.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.8 blocks per game.
Victor Wembanyama in his last 11 games:
42 PTS 6 REB 5 AST 2 STL 4 BLK
20 PTS 12 REB 7 BLK
28 PTS 7 REB 7 AST
25 PTS 10 REB 3 BLK
15 PTS 13 REB 7 AST
34 PTS 14 REB 11 AST
20 PTS 10 REB 3 BLK
34 PTS 7 REB 6/14 3PT
25 PTS 7 REB 9 AST
28 PTS 14 REB 5 AST
50 PTS 6 REB 8/16 3PT pic.twitter.com/FyaEi6OlTq— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) December 20, 2024
The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year has been red-hot following a slow start to the season. Over his last 10 games, he has led the Spurs with 27.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 blocks.
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