Ernie, Chuck, Shaq and Kenny explain the new format for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game which will feature a mini-tournament.
• Get NBA League Pass TODAY
• NBA All-Star 2025: Complete coverage
As part of a new tournament format, the “Inside the NBA” crew drafted players for Sunday’s 2025 All-Star Game. Which team has the most firepower: Shaq’s OGs, Kenny’s Young Stars or Chuck’s Global Stars?
> Trending Topics: Which Castrol Rising Stars team will reach All-Star Game?
> Trending Topics: Picks for All-Star Saturday Night
Kenny’s Young Stars. Let’s just say I like Kenny’s thinking in building his roster with young guys who might bust a gut trying to win this. The fear is that, as Tyrese Haliburton talked about after his All-Star debut, the peer pressure to cruise and be cool is real. But if young stars such as Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Williams, Cade Cunningham and the rest are willing to challenge Shaq’s OGs and Chuck’s Global Stars, this group could bring the whole affair back to life.
Shaq’s OGs. The last time we saw Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant on the same team, they won gold. While the stakes on Sunday are nowhere near as high as the Olympics, it’s hard to choose against this trio, particularly with Curry having a chance to show out in his city.
But who will they face in the championship? I’ve got Chuck’s Global Stars, which features three of the top five players on the Kia MVP Ladder (even without counting the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo), being too much for Kenny’s Young Stars.
Shaq’s OGs. Chuck’s Global Stars is loaded with foreign-born players but the loss of Giannis Antetokounmpo will diminish Chuck’s chances. This means Shaq’s OGs will conquer if only because he has Stephen Curry, the hometown favorite, who not only wants to put on a show but has his fellow aging legends, LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Kenny’s Young Stars. If Giannis Antetokounmpo were playing, Chuck’s Global Stars would be the favorites because the Bucks star would be the most likely to take this competition seriously. But with Antetokounmpo out, take the young guys. They have plenty of talent and probably wouldn’t mind showing the world that it’s their time to shine. Anthony Edwards will want to put on a show, and if there’s any defense, it will be played by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Evan Mobley.
