In an NBA All-Star tournament that was met with pushback for its format and its coverage, Team Shaq prevailed on Sunday when the basketball was said and done.
In the three-team mini-tournament, Team Shaq’s squad of All-Star veterans defeated Team Candace’s roster of non All-Stars in the semifinal round. It then rolled past Team Chuck’s squad of international All-Stars via a 41-25 victory in the final to secure the title of 2025 All-Star champions.
Each player on Team Shaq secured a $125,000 prize for the victory. Team Chuck’s runners-up earned $50,000, while the semifinal losers secured $25,000 each just for making it to Sunday.
Team Shaq ran away from opening tip
After facing a challenge from Team Candace’s Rising Stars team in the semifinals, Team Shaq started the final on fire with an 11-0 lead, sparked by eight early points from Jayson Tatum. Team Chuck never challenged as Team Shaq cruised to the 16-point victory.
Tatum led the way with 15 points, including the game-winning dunk in the first-to-40 format. Warriors star Stephen Curry added 12 points in front of a San Francisco crowd.
Stephen Curry wins MVP
Curry was named All-Star MVP for his effort in his home arena. He shot 4 for 8 from 3-point distance for his 12 points in the final while adding four rebounds, two assists and one steal. In Team Shaq’s semifinal win, Curry tallied eight points, six assists, one rebound and one steal.
The All-Star MVP is the second for Curry, who also won the award in 2022.
Format, broadcast draw less-than-glowing reviews
In between and sometimes during the games, the broadcast featured commentary and banter from comedian Kevin Hart that distracted from the basketball and was met with vocal criticism on social media.
The championship game was interrupted for a lengthy tribute to the TNT broadcast team by Hart in the network’s final year covering All-Star weekend. The tournament format itself, meanwhile, was the subject of harsh criticism on the TNT broadcast from Draymond Green.
Team Shaq avoids disaster in semis
Playing without an injured LeBron James, Team Shaq averted disaster in the second semifinal of the day.
Led by nine points from Damian Lillard, Team Shaq scored a 42-35 win over Team Candace’s roster of Rising Stars who were selected as All-Stars.
In the first-to-40 format, Team Candace kept pace with Team Shaq for much of the game that was tied at 28-28. But Team Shaq pulled away with a 14-7 run to secure the win and avoid losing to a team of non-All-Stars. Team Shaq missed a bunch of shots down the stretch as it repeatedly tried to end the game on a 3-pointer while sitting on 37 points.
Officials then ignored an obvious foul of Kevin Durant as Team Shaq sat on 39 points in an apparent effort to avoid having the game end on the free-throw line.
Damian Lillard eventually put the game to bed with a deep 3 to secure the win.
Team Chuck strikes first
Behind an outburst from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and some actual All-Star Game defense from Victor Wembanyama, Charles Barkley’s team of international stars struck first Sunday night.
Team Chuck cruised to a 42-31 win over Team Kenny in the first semifinal, which featured a lineup of young stars headlined by Jalen Brunson and Evan Mobley. Anthony Edwards was a DNP with a lingering groin injury.
Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 12 points, including the game-winning bucket. Gilgeous-Alexander beat Jaren Jackson Jr. off the dribble and put Team Chuck over 40 points with a two-handed dunk.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s easy path to the bucket with the game on the line won’t assuage critics tired of the lack of defense in the All-Star game. But Victor Wembanyama at least made an effort in his first All-Star game debut.
He finished with six points, four rebounds, one steal and this block of Cade Cunningham in the winning effort for Team Chuck.
How the new All-Star format works
Similar to the Rising Stars challenge, the NBA All-Stars competed in a three-game tournament. The All-Stars were split into three teams — through an All-Star Draft conducted by TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The first two matchups were Team Shaq vs. Team Candace Parker, and Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny.
The rosters
The All-Star teams were comprised of the East and West starters (voted by fans, players and media members) and reserves (voted by coaches). Trae Young and Kyrie Irving were named as injury replacements for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, respectively.
Here’s a breakdown of the rosters (listed in order of how each team was drafted).
Shaq’s OGs
Kenny’s Young Stars
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Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
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Jalen Brunson, Knicks
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Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
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Jalen Williams, Thunder
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Darius Garland, Cavaliers
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Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
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Cade Cunningham, Pistons
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Tyler Herro, Heat
Chuck’s Global Stars
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Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks*
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
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Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
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Pascal Siakam, Pacers
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Alperen Şengün, Rockets
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Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
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Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
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Trae Young, Hawks
*injured
Team Candace
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Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
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Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
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Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
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Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
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Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
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Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
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Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
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Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (added by Parker after Friday’s games)
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NBA commish Adam Silver talks state of the league
NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference at All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) SAN FRANCISCO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver sees all and hears all: the praise of where his game is or, most importantly, the constant critique the NBA is subject to, almost on a daily basis.
The never-ending 3-point discussion, one that even he has chimed in on at times.
The money element, the financial decisions that have played a big part in trades involving Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, and the standoff with Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The officiating, the challenges with a million camera angles and a million more opinions on social media and in NBA locker rooms.
And he’s even contributed to it in ways, jokingly throwing gasoline onto the discourse by suggesting 10-minute quarters instead of the usual 12 — a suggestion that earned a decent amount of criticism.
“I try to read it all, frankly, and we try to absorb it at the league office,” Silver said during his annual news conference at All-Star Weekend inside Chase Center. “I think the state of the game is excellent. I think it’s the media’s role, the fans’ role, it’s perfectly appropriate to be critical of the game, and I find it very helpful. I’m not one of those people who said I don’t read criticism.”
How Silver is trying to shape the league.
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How did we get here on All-Star Weekend and what did we miss?
Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung dunks over a car during the slam dunk contest at the NBA All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Nobody was beating Mac McClung in his three-peat bid.
The Magic G Leaguer was once again the runaway slam dunk contest winner for his third-straight title Saturday night in a performance for the ages. He started things with a dunk worthy of a closer and continued to wow with each successive dunk. Each of McClung’s dunks earned a perfect 50 score.
Catch up on all of NBA All-Star Saturday night.
