'Must See Basketball': Giannis Antetokounmpo Hints NBA All-Star Game Change To USA Vs The World Concept

The 2025 All-Star Game Was a Taste of What Giannis Antetokounmpo idea Could Be

Interestingly, Giannis’ idea isn’t totally out of left field. The 2025 All-Star Game already experimented with elements of the concept, thanks to a mini-tournament format that featured four unique teams.

The twist: instead of East vs. West or Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis, TNT analysts Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley acted as GMs and drafted their squads from a pool split into three categories—“OGs,” “Young Stars,” and “Global Stars.”

Shaq’s “OGs” lineup had veteran firepower like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, James Harden, and Anthony Davis. Kenny’s “Young Stars” included breakout names like Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Evan Mobley.

Then came Barkley’s “Global Stars,” which featured a loaded international roster: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Alperen Şengün, Pascal Siakam, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, and Giannis—though the Bucks star ultimately sat out due to injury, with Trae Young stepping in.

As the league continues to evolve and its international presence grows stronger, Giannis’ pitch could be the blockbuster the NBA needs to inject life back into its midseason showcase. And with Silver already entertaining the idea, don’t be surprised if Team World vs. Team USA becomes reality by 2026.