PHILADELPHIA — All-Star Weekend is a time for NBA fans and players to take a break from the regular season. It's a time to watch your favorite players participate in dunk contests, three-point shootouts, and, of course, the All-Star Game. But this year could feature a different flavor as talks about a new tournament emerge ahead of the 2025 All-Star Game. Here's what we know ...

What would it look like?

The NBA has discussed potentially changing the format of this season's 2025 NBA All-Star Game. The new format would feature a four-team tournament, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.

The teams would consist of three different eight-man rosters. The fourth team would be the winner of the Rising Stars game. The teams would compete in a tournament style bracket, facing off against other teams with the winners moving on to the final round of the tournament.

What's the current format?

The All-Star Game has went through quite a few changes throughout the years. In the 2023 NBA All-Star Game there was a target score determined with no time on the clock in the fourth quarter. The team that scored the most points during each of the first three 12-minute quarters received a cash prize that was donated to charity. This was just one change the league experimented with.

However, last year the league returned to the classic format where the Eastern Conference faced off against the Western Conference with a traditional scoring system and 12-minute quarters.

Why make the change?

In recent years, the NBA has been open to new changes to appeal to the fanbase. Last year's All-Star Weekend held the first ever NBA vs. WNBA three-point challenge between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu. There are strong conversations that the pair will return in a variation of the shootout, which could include Klay Thompson and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, Charania reported. So, it comes as no surprise that more changes would come.

A tournament style of play could alter the energy around a game that has struggled to capture the attention of fans — and players — as it became less compelling over the years. Last year's All-Star Game was a prime example as the East defeated the West, 211-186, in the highest-scoring All-Star in league history.

The league and the National Basketball Players Association have been in discussions on how make the 2025 event more unique. When discussing new All-Star concepts, the four-team tournament gained the most traction, according to reports.

When and where is the 2025 All-Star Weekend?

The Golden State Warriors will host 2025 All-Star Weekend in San Francisco from February 14-16, with the All-Star Game set to be played at the Chase Center. Last year's All-Star Weekend was hosted by the Indiana Pacers.

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