The players aren’t just competing for national pride anymore—they’re now also representing generational pride. This added motivation could lead to some intense, tough basketball on the court.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game was officially announced on Tuesday. This year introduces a fresh format with two U.S. teams and one international team in an USA vs. World showdown. To up the stakes, the U.S. roster is split into two groups based on player experience: the younger “USA Stars” and the veteran “USA Stripes.” The teams are as follows:
USA Stars:
Scotty Barnes (Raptors)
Devin Booker (Suns)
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
Jaylen Duren (Pistons)
Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
Jalen Johnson (Hawks)
Tyrese Maxey (76ers)
USA Stripes:
Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Kevin Durant (Rockets)
LeBron James (Lakers)
Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
Norman Powell (Heat)
World Team:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks, currently out with a calf strain)
Luka Doncic (Lakers)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
Karl Anthony Towns (Knicks)
Pascal Siakam (Pacers)
Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
Seeing the trio of Curry, Durant, and LeBron reunited on the USA Stripes team undoubtedly brings back memories of their past collaborations in international play, like the Olympics. However, there’s excitement in rooting for Team World to come out on top this time—many believe they’ll be more invested from the start and play with greater care, which will push all teams to raise their level of competition.
Ultimately, the goal is to have players genuinely care about the All-Star Game and compete at their best. This new format aims to achieve precisely that.
All-Star Game Format:
This year’s NBA All-Star Game returns to NBC and Peacock, fitting nicely alongside the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. Fans have eagerly awaited this innovative USA vs. World concept. As mentioned, 24 All-Star players will be split into three teams—two American squads and one international group—that will face off in a round-robin style tournament made up of four 12-minute games. Each team will play in at least two of these games.
Following the round-robin, the top two teams will advance to the championship game, which is the fourth 12-minute game, to battle for the title. In case of a tie, point differential will determine the winner.
The 75th NBA All-Star Game is scheduled earlier than usual, taking place on Sunday, February 15th at 5:00 PM ET, and will include expanded coverage of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
How to Watch NBA on NBC and Peacock:
All the action from All-Star Weekend will be available on NBC and Peacock, including Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge (February 13), All-Star Saturday Night events like the 3-point and dunk contests (February 14), and the All-Star Game itself on Sunday, February 15.
The earlier tip-off time for the 75th All-Star Game provides fans with enhanced coverage alongside the Winter Olympics.
Throughout the regular season, fans can stream up to three Monday night games via Peacock’s NBA Monday. Coast 2 Coast Tuesdays—which airs games on Tuesday nights—can also be watched on NBC and Peacock. Typically, 8 PM ET games broadcast on NBC cover Eastern and Central time zones, while 8 PM Pacific games cover the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Be sure to check local listings weekly, but all games will be streamed live nationwide on Peacock. Starting February 1, 2026, NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball on both NBC and Peacock. For the full NBA schedule on these platforms, click here.
How to Sign Up for Peacock:
You can register [here] to access live sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic games, and much more. Peacock also offers a wide variety of movies, TV series, original programming, news channels, and popular shows from NBC and Bravo, giving viewers plenty of entertainment options.
Fan Take:
This innovative All-Star format could revolutionize how players and fans view the event, injecting fresh energy and competitive spirit. By emphasizing national and generational pride, it has the potential to reignite passion and make the All-Star Game truly meaningful for the future of basketball.
