This year’s NBA All-Star weekend at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles was the most exciting it has been in years. Standout performances from the main event include Anthony Edwards, who won All-Star MVP, with his 31 points in 12 minutes and Victor Wembanyama, who set the tone for hard competition. The event spanned three days: Friday, Feb. 13, was the celebrity and rising stars games, Saturday, Feb. 14, was the Shooting Stars Game as well as the dunk and 3-point contests and Sunday, Feb. 15, had the All-Star Games.
Actor Rome Flynn from Team Giannis won Celebrity Game MVP for the second year in a row after dropping 17 points for his team. The Rising Stars game was packed with young talent from all over the league. The final game was played between Team Vince and Team Melo, who were coached by former NBA players Vince Carter and Carmelo Anthony. Team Vince took the edge by just one point, winning 25-24. Edgecombe, a Rookie of the Year contender of the Philadelphia 76ers, won Rising Stars MVP.
Although he is out for the season due to a torn Achilles tendon, the Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard won this year’s 3-point contest. He ended the competition with a final score of 29, beating Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, who scored 23. This would be Lillard’s third time winning the 3-point contest in four years.
The Shooting Stars competition made its way back to NBA All-Star weekend for the first time in 10 years. Four teams of three played in a two-round format. The final game was played between Team Cameron, featuring Jalen Johnson, Kon Knueppel and Corey Maggette, and Team Knicks, featuring Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Allan Houston. Brunson led Team Knicks to victory after making the game-winner, giving them a final score of 47. As for the Slam Dunk competition, Carter Bryant started strong, getting a perfect score on a dunk, but couldnt stay consistent for the next round. Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson did what he does best: providing extremely entertaining dunks and eliminating Bryant, Jaxson Hayes and Jase Richardson to win the contest.
The All-Star Games on Sunday were set up in a USA vs. World format, different from the typical East vs. West format used in most years. There were three teams: Team World, Team USA Stars, consisting of younger American players, and Team USA Stripes, representing the older American players who made the All-Star. It was played in a round robin style, allowing each team to compete with one another.
Kawhi Leonard felt comfortable in the Intuit Dome, given that it is where he and the LA Clippers call home. This led to a stellar performance from him, dropping 31 points with 84.6% efficiency.
Wembanyama entered the event with a mission: to make the weekend meaningful again. Edwards followed suit. For years, the event that’s made to highlight the world’s most skilled players felt forced to fans. Players seemed disinterested in participating, taking a lackadaisical approach to the game. The 2026 NBA All-Star proved to be a step in the right direction.
