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Following numerous unsuccessful attempts, the NBA has chosen to adopt the USA vs. the World structure for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, as reported by Shams Charania.
Traditionally, most local European All-Star Games feature a team comprised of local talent paired against an ensemble of mostly American players classified as “foreign.”
With the East vs. West format’s waning allure and a noticeable lack of competitiveness in these matchups, interest in the USA vs. World format has steadily increased. Critics often argued that featuring only 12 All-Stars from the US alongside 12 international players could be inequitable, potentially allowing some less deserving candidates to participate solely based on their nationality.
However, this concern has been addressed, as Charania indicates that the revamped All-Star Game will likely introduce a round-robin contest featuring three squads—two from the USA and one representing the World—each consisting of eight players. These three teams will compete in a round-robin style.
Ergin Ataman speculated that following tonight’s game, Dimitris Giannakopoulos, the president of Panathinaikos, may need to reevaluate whether Nikola Jokic remains his favorite player globally #Eurobasketpic.twitter.com/O7p1SWU5a5
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) September 3, 2025
According to the same report, the NBA and the NBPA have presented this new format to the Competition Committee, which has received it positively.
The timing of this announcement is particularly noteworthy, coinciding with the conclusion of an outstanding game in EuroBasket 2025, where Serbia, led by Nikola Jokic, faced off against Turkey, featuring Alperen Sengun, in a memorable matchup.
