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February 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Kenny’s Young Stars guard Jalen Brunson (11, right) of the New York Knicks celebrates making a three-point basket against Chuck’s Global Stars forward Victor Wembanyama (1, left) of the San Antonio Spurs during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

How Will New All-Star Game Format Affect Knicks?

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 9:00 AM ET

A battle for national pride may once again separate New York Knicks teammates at the NBA All-Star Game.

The latest attempt to salvage the NBA All-Star Game takes a page out of the National Hockey League's book, as commissioner Adam Silver announced that the exhibition will adopt "some form of USA against the world" during a Wednesday appearance on Fox Sports 1's "Breakfast Ball."

Silver was said to be inspired by the NHL eschewing a traditional All-Star Game in favor of the 4 Nations Face-Off, which had the ice's finest square off in a series of national team showdowns over nine days. Canada defeated the United States in the final while Finland and Sweden likewise fielded teams.

Going global is the latest gimmick the NBA has employed in its mid-winter classic, which has faced increased criticism for its lack of competitiveness and effort. Last season's game in San Francisco reverted to a four-team tournament format which featured three teams drafted by "NBA on TNT" personalities and the winner of the weekend's Rising Stars Challenge.

The switch failed to generate any lasting staying power: defense and effort was once again at a premium in the three games staged (which played to winning scores of 40) and many continued to question the All-Star Game's continued usefulness.

Karl-Anthony Towns Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Knicks fans were particularly put out by the switch: New York had two men (Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns) play in the main event for the first time since 2013 but Brunson was on the floor for only eight minutes as a member of the "Young Stars" team curated by Kenny Smith.

The draft separated Brunson and Towns, as the latter was chosen by the "Global Stars" picked by Charles Barkley, forcing Knicks fans to choose a side in the debut segment. Towns and Barkley's international men of mystery earned a 41-32 victory before falling to Shaquille O'Neal's "OG's" in a one-sided finale.

Silver did not offer a concrete format for the upcoming exhibition, set to be held at the Los Angeles Clippers' Intuit Dome in February, but Knicks fans' loyalties may once again be divided if Brunson and Towns wind up repping the team again.

While Brunson (as well as Knicks teammates Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart) repped Team USA at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Towns played for the Dominican Republic in the same competition, even though he was born in New Jersey.

It stands to reason that Towns joined the "World" team if called upon next winter — and things will only get messier (albeit on a first-world problem level) if the Knicks heed the calls to trade for Giannis "Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo, one of two internationally-born stars among the Eastern group last time around, along with Indiana Pacers star Pascal Siakam of Cameroon.

Obviously, the Knicks have much larger fish to fry than All-Star Game rooting interests, but it's perhaps macabrely poetic to see exhibition issues somewhat ruin what's otherwise a carefree, if not triumphant, experience.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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