‘45% Ads, 50% Yapping, 5% Basketball’: NBA fans tear apart All-Star Game Format

NBA new format: Fans have been disappointed, and are posting hilarious reactions ever since the 2025 NBA All-Star Game introduced a new tournament-style format. Right after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the new format, fans and analysts have been highly sceptical.

“ New NBA All- Star Game format: 45% Advertisements, 50% Yapping, 5% Basketball,” commented one socila media user.

What is NBA’s new mini All-Star format

NBA’s new All-Star Game format consists of a four-team, mini tournament instead of just one game.

Earlier, the NBA used to follow the traditional East vs. West format, which began to grow stale. After a few years in which the top two All-Stars drafted their own teams, in 2025, the NBA rolled out the mini All-Star format, which is considered to be the most ambitious plan yet, reported Sports Illustrated.

NBA mini All-Star format consists of a four-team tournament featuring squads drafted by Inside the NBA‘s Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, and a fourth team made up of the winning team from Friday’s Rising Stars tournament.

The four-team tournament during the NBA All-Star Game will feature a $1.8 million prize pool, with each player on the winning team set to receive $125,000.

NBA new format sparks meme fest

Apart from hilarious reactions and comments by fans, the NBA new format has also sparked a meme fest on social media.

“ Watched a little of the new NBA all star format.,still lame grab a**, no defense ,3 point shooting exhibition with a futile attempt at a comedy show thrown in,” wrote one social media user.

“Adam Silver realising no new format can make NBA stars care about the All Star Game,” added another user, along with a unique gif.

How basketball players reacted to NBA new format

NBA’s new format has drawn mixed reactions from notable basketball players.

“It’s different from what we’re used to, but it’s basketball at the end of the day. I think guys will go out there and try to play and impress the fans and stay healthy and give a good show,” American basketball power forward Kevin Durant told CBS News.

Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards of Minnesota Timberwolves said he didn’t “really know too much about it.”