"I absolutely hate it": Kevin Durant bluntly criticizes new All-Star format hours within announcement
Kevin Durant recently shared his thoughts on the NBA's new All-Star Game format. Last season, the league reverted to the classic Eastern Conference versus Western Conference format after six years of using the captain-draft system. However, the return to tradition was short-lived, as the NBA has decided to experiment again.
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will feature four teams competing in a one-day, tournament-style format. Durant wasted no time expressing his distaste for the new setup, saying he prefers the traditional East-versus-West matchup.
"I hate it," Kevin Durant said. "I absolutely hate it. Really terrible. All-Star game formates changing, other formats have been terrible in my opinion. We should just go back to East-West. ... I think we should just keep it traditional. But we'll see how this will work. You never know, I might be wrong."
Details of 2025 NBA All-Star Game format Kevin Durant despises
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game will feature a new format, which has drawn mixed reactions from fans and players alike. Instead of the traditional setup, this year’s game will include four teams competing in a tournament to determine the last team standing.
Each team will have its own general manager: Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny "The Jet" Smith and Candace Parker. O'Neal, Barkley and Smith will draft players from the NBA All-Star roster, while Parker will manage a team composed of the league’s rising stars.
The All-Star draft is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2025, with each team selecting eight players. The tournament itself will take place on Feb. 16, 2025, and will feature three games. In the first round, the four teams will face off, with the winners advancing to the third and final game. The winner of the championship game will be crowned the All-Star champions.
To avoid excessive fatigue, each game will have a target score of 40 points, significantly reducing playing time compared to a standard game
The new format introduces multiple technical aspects that could overshadow the fun and simplicity traditionally associated with the All-Star Game. However, as Kevin Durant acknowledged, it remains to be seen how the format will perform in action.