Photo Credit: Allen J. Schaben via Getty Images By Okla Jones ·Updated February 18, 2026 /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

When Anthony Edwards lifted the All-Star Game MVP trophy on Sunday night, I felt something that I hadn’t felt in years (this pertains strictly to the game itself, of course), which was a feeling of satisfaction. For the first time since I can remember, the midseason All-Star matchup meant something. Back to the days when Kobe made you work on both sides of the court; when The East vs. The West winner had bragging rights for another year, and when everybody wanted to be the best. While it was a good feeling, I still had to ask myself: Is the NBA All-Star Game really back? For one night, it looked like it might be.

The league scrapped the traditional East vs. West setup and introduced a three-team format of “USA Stars,” “USA Stripes,” and “Team World.” The teams played 12-minute round-robin games, with the top two advancing to a final. The opening matchup saw the Stars slip past Team World 37-35. The Stripes followed with a 42-40 win over the Stars. In the championship round, the younger Stars beat the veteran Stripes 41-21, and Edwards was everywhere, setting the tone on offense as well as defense. It was the kind of effort fans have been asking for.

Inglewood, CA – February 15:LeBron James of Team USA Stripes drives past Karl-Anthony Town of Team World in the third game of the 75th NBA All-Star game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Sunday February 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

Victor Wembanyama was just as exciting, as he poured in 33 points for Team World, showing why the league’s future is as bright as can be. Young stars like Cade Cunningham and Tyrese Maxey each had stretches of brilliance, and while Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James are still elite, the night felt like a proper passing of the torch, and honestly, I was here for it. It was also cool to see Barack and Michelle Obama sitting courtside, because it brought me back to a better, simpler time in this country, but I digress. 

As far as viewership, the broadcast averaged 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and Telemundo, peaking near 10 million. It was the largest All-Star audience since 2011 and a significant jump from last year. Even still, the weekend was not perfect. The Dunk Contest continues to struggle with star participation and creativity, and the Celebrity Game lacked a decent amount of recognizable names. While I enjoyed the Three-Point Contest (Damian Lillard should continue to be protected at all costs), I didn’t realize it was on television until the final round. The game itself may have regained its relevance, but the rest of the festivities have not fully caught up.

Michelle Obama and Barack Obama at The 2026 NBA All-Star Game held at the Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

My hope, as it may be for many others, is that this year’s game wasn’t just a tease. It was an amazing set of games, but one competitive night does not erase the years that it wasn’t. The league has tweaked the format multiple times in recent seasons—some changes have landed, while others have fallen flat. Either way, the game felt competitive. It felt like something worth watching again; for me, at least.

So, is the All-Star Game back? I’m not ready to declare a full resurgence, but for the first time in a long time, it’s trending in the right direction.

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