Andre Drummond, Sixers give thoughts on new All-Star game format


Andre Drummond, Sixers give thoughts on new All-Star game format

CAMDEN, N.J. -- The 2025 NBA All-Star game will look much different on Feb. 16 in San Francisco. In the past, it was always East vs. West and then it went to the top vote getter in each conference being a team captain to select their team and then back to East vs. West in 2024.

However, the 2024 All-Star game received a lot of criticism for its lack of entertainment and fans being upset with the way things are going.

Therefore, the league is making a major change. The 24 All-Stars will be divided into three times and the winner of the Rising Stars challenge will be the fourth team. The teams will play in a semifinal game with the first one to score 40 points winning. The winner of each semifinal will advance to play each other in the final.

"I think it's cool," said Philadelphia 76ers big man Andre Drummond. "I mean, it's different from what I'm used to, but it's just trying to do different things to kind of bring more attraction to All-Star Weekend because it has gotten a little stale because it's been the same thing for so many years. So I think they're trying to make it a little more entertaining and more fun for guys to come out."

Drummond was an All-Star twice with the Detroit Pistons in 2016 and 2018. In 2016, it was East vs. West. In 2018, he was on Team LeBron.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse coached in the 2020 All-Star game when the Elam ending was introduced and it was an entertaining contest. That's what he remembers about his All-Star game experience.

"Listen, I think that they've changed the format a lot here recently, right?" Nurse started. "I coached one of them, and I coached the first Elam ending, and that was, like, that was some of the best basketball I'd ever been a part of in my life. I mean, that was a collection of guys that were -- it was awesome."

That 2020 game was one of the most entertaining games in recent history. However, the games after did not reach that hype with 2024 being the final straw for most viewers.

"I didn't really pay that much attention last year to it, but, obviously, there were a lot of reports about the game wasn't good to watch last year," Nurse added. "So, I mean, I think it's smart of them to take some steps forward to try to make it better."

At this point, the NBA needs to get interest back in the All-Star game and the hope is that this new format will do that.

"I've been to the All-Star thing a lot, in a bunch of different capacities, and it's an amazing showcase, an amazing weekend for anybody that loves basketball, or loves the NBA or whatever," Nurse finished. "It's really an amazing event. So I give them, give them some credit for trying to keep it amazing."

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