2026 is the year of sincerity, no more gimmicks, aloofness or slacking on defence. For the first time in a long time, the players in the NBA All-Star Game cared, and the product was undeniably better for it.
Scottie Barnes was in the closing lineup for all three Team Stars games as a defensive pest and drained the game-winner against Team World. Victor Wembanyama swatted three shots against Team Stars, looked furious after losing that opening game, and came out determined against Team Stripes. LeBron James, at 41 years old, chose not to take the weekend off with 19 minutes total on the night, and Kawhi Leonard played every minute of the third game and dominated with 31 points on his home floor, including the game-sealing bucket against Team World.
The biggest names in basketball — past, present and future — came to play.
All three preliminary matchups ended in game-winning triples: a catch-and-shoot three from Barnes in overtime, a relocation three from De’Aaron Fox as the buzzer sounded and a “let me have this dance” stepback triple from Leonard over Karl-Anthony Towns. All three shots were contested.
Despite the flame burning low in the final between Team Stars and Team Stripes, with the former securing a blowout 47-21 win behind an All-Star Game MVP-securing showing from Anthony Edwards, when you take stock of the night as a whole, it’s apparent the air felt a little different.
Maybe it was national pride on the line, or a call from big boss Adam Silver pushing the players to compete, or Wembanyama’s unrelenting desire to win rubbing off on everyone, but for the first time in a long time, it didn’t feel or look like a simple annual showcase of stardom. It looked like high-level basketball (for the opening three games, at least).
While there weren’t as many highlight lobs or half-court threes as you might catch in past all-star festivities, hoops fans were treated to physicality, high-stakes one-on-ones, never-say-die defence and scintillating shot-making.
At the end of the day, all-star weekend is a celebration of basketball — a showcase of the game at its highest level. That hasn’t been the case in recent seasons, as games felt unimportant and the weekend as a whole felt a bit too reliant on nostalgia rather than a quality product. But for one night at least, the NBA looked like itself.
Here’s a look at some of the best (and worst!) moments from all-star weekend.
Kawhi Leonard’s re-apex
At 35 years old and with injury-riddled year after injury-riddled year, Leonard looks to have caught a second wind.
Earlier during all-star weekend, Leonard got some Raptors fans in arms, saying that the 2019 championship-winning roster may not have been all that talented, but compensated with their work ethic.
Then, going up against two of his former teammates in Pascal Siakam and Norman Powell on Team World, he backed those words up, dominating the third mini-prelim with 31 points on 11-of-13 from the field and six-of-seven from deep with two steals in 12 minutes, refusing to sit for even a second in the must-win matchup.
After sinking the game-winning bucket against Team World, Leonard was all smiles (a rarity!) as he walked back to his side of the floor and pointed to the infamous ‘Wall’ in the Intuit Dome, basking in the sound of MVP chants on his home court.
Edwards, Wembanyama battle for “face of the league” title
Victor Wembanyama understands the weight on his shoulders and is more than happy to bear the burden that could come with being the face of the NBA.
“I definitely see it happening. I think it’s the natural course of things, you know? Supply and demand. I’m here to supply,” the French superstar told NBA insider Chris Haynes on Saturday.
In his second All-Star Game, Wembanyama capped his night with 33 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in 19 minutes between his two prelim games. He challenged Kevin Durant in isolation, pinned a Cade Cunningham layup against the glass on a nice recovery block and threw down dunks with authority. He brought the energy the weekend needed, never showing quit and taking the game seriously, and it was contagious — particularly for one of his main competitors for that future face of the league title.
Edwards responded to Wemby from opening tip — literally, as he challenged the seven-foot-whatever big man for the jump-ball.
The 24-year-old finished with 32 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal over his three games, and while he made it clear post-game that he’s not “shooting” to become the face of the league, he’s comfortable with the idea of it, saying, “if it happens, it happens.”
He certainly has the personality — and talent, of course — for it.
Dunk contest falls on its head
Ilia Malinin wasn’t the only athlete taking a tumble this weekend.
While dunk contests of years past featured high-flying performances from Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordon, and, in recent years, Mac McClung, the NBA trotted out a lineup of lesser-known dunkers like Jaxson Hayes, Carter Bryant and Jase Richardson.
And unlike the acts that made all-star weekend must-see TV, the highlight of the showcase might’ve been one of the worst misses in dunk contest history rather than a big-time make.
Orlando Magic guard Jace Richardson — and son of two-time dunk champ Jason Richardson — went for an alley-oop dunk off the side of the backboard. But as he went up for the slam, the ball got caught on the backboard, and the rookie fell hard on the floor, hitting his head in the process, prompting a collective “Ohhh” from the Intuit Dome crowd rather than the more appropriate “Ooooh” (there’s a subtle difference).
Keshad Johnson busts a move
Though Keshad Johnson certainly wasn’t a known commodity before Saturday — the undrafted second-year wing has played 257 total minutes in the NBA with 109 points — he might have some of that main-character energy the dunk contest has sorely needed.
His dunks may not have been the most jaw-dropping, but when it comes to winning the hearts of the basketball community, Johnson’s post-slam vibes were the kind you can’t help but smile about.
From his pre-contest introduction, walking out the tunnel like John Wall and busting moves with Bay Area hip-hop legend E-40, to then jumping over him, dancing some more, calling his parents after his win and overall being the life of the party, the undrafted Miami Heat forward brought the energy to a dunk contest that was sorely in need of it.
Actor Austin Butler, in an appearance on viral internet show Subway Takes, once said that he was told by a friend at a party that “embarrassment is an underexplored emotion, go out there and make a fool of yourself… everything you want is on the other side of that.” Johnson, in his quest to make a name for himself in the NBA, stole the show, if just for a night. Not because of his dunks — though they did win him the contest — but for that contagious vivacity and willingness to embarrass himself and dance like no one’s watching.
Who needs an Achilles?
Damian Lillard‘s recovery seems to be going pretty well.
The sharpshooting superstar won his third three-point shooting contest on Saturday, scoring 29 points in the final round of the tournament to join Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only three-time winners.
Lillard hasn’t suited up this season as he recovers from an Achilles injury suffered in the first round of the playoffs last year, but it was enough to beat Devin Booker in the final after praying a bit on the Suns guard’s downfall.
With the Portland Trail Blazers sitting at 27-29, in the ninth seed in the Western Conference with a young and fun roster, it’s worth wondering how intriguing they could be next season once the clock strikes Dame Time.
Shams “Screen Time” Charania
The top insider in basketball may not have shown his skills on the court, but he stuck to his strengths at all-star weekend.
No, he didn’t make a shot. No, he wasn’t a good table setter after turning the ball over three times. No, he didn’t live up to his Jannero Pargo NBA player comp as a possible microwave scorer. But he did check his phone multiple times during the All-Star Celebrity Game, which, if we’re being honest, is what an NBA insider should be best at.
While the seven-foot-six Tacko Fall grabbed 21 boards, Suns owner Mat Ishbia turned back the clock with a gritty performance sure to make his former Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo proud, and GloRilla had WAG Brandon Ingram getting hyped on the sideline, Charania had coach Giannis Antetokounmpo publicly calling him out and creating an almost Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy-esque sideline tension.
After a weird trade deadline saga, with Charania reporting Antetokounmpo had one foot out the door, and the Greek Freak eventually sticking around in Milwaukee, there may not be too much love lost between the two.
