Sun Feb 02 06:10:00 UTC 2025: ## NBA All-Stars to be Drafted in Unique Tournament Format
**San Francisco, CA** – The NBA All-Star Game is getting a major makeover for 2025. Instead of the traditional East vs. West format, this year’s event will feature a four-team mini-tournament with a unique twist: a live draft conducted by the Inside the NBA crew.
On Thursday, February 6th, at 6:30 p.m. ET, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith will select their respective teams (Team Chuck, Team Shaq, and Team Kenny) from a pool of 24 All-Star players. Each team will consist of eight players. The fourth team, dubbed Team Candace, will be the winner of the Castrol Rising Stars game, featuring top rookies and sophomores, and led by honorary general manager Candace Parker.
The tournament will consist of three games: two semifinals and a championship game. The first team to reach 40 points in each game will win. A total prize pool of $1.8 million is up for grabs, with the winning team’s players earning $125,000 each.
The All-Star starters were selected through a combination of fan votes (50%), current player votes (25%), and media votes (25%), while the reserves were chosen by NBA head coaches.
The exciting new format will culminate in the 74th NBA All-Star Game at the Chase Center in San Francisco on February 16th, 2025. Fans can tune into TNT on February 6th to witness the draft and the beginning of this innovative All-Star celebration.
First Piper 