Anthony Edwards Wins MVP, Leads Stars to All-Star Game Tournament Victory

Minnesota Timberwolves star claims first All-Star MVP award in entertaining NBA showcase

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Anthony Edwards won the Most Valuable Player award while leading his 'Stars' team past the 'Stripes' team 47-21 to win the final of the NBA All-Star Game tournament on Sunday. The NBA's latest format for the midseason showcase featured round-robin games between two teams of American All-Stars and a team representing the World, with Edwards and the Stars emerging victorious after a competitive display of basketball.

Why it matters

The NBA has long struggled to make the All-Star Game an entertaining event, but this year's format featuring a mini-tournament appeared to succeed in generating more intensity and competitiveness from the players. The event highlighted rising stars like Edwards and Wembanyama while also featuring veteran superstars like LeBron James, providing an exciting showcase for the league.

The details

Edwards led the Stars to victory in the final round-robin game after the Stripes had beaten the Stars earlier. The World team, led by Victor Wembanyama's strong performances, gave the American squads a tough challenge but ultimately came up short. Kawhi Leonard thrilled the home crowd with a dominant effort for the Stripes in the third game before the Stars prevailed in the final.

  • The NBA All-Star Game tournament took place on Sunday, February 16, 2026.
  • The event was held at the Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

The players

Anthony Edwards

The Minnesota Timberwolves star won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award after leading his 'Stars' team to victory in the tournament.

Victor Wembanyama

The young French phenom played for the World team and led them in scoring in both of their games, showcasing his talent on the All-Star stage.

Kawhi Leonard

The Los Angeles Clippers star thrilled his home crowd with a dominant performance in the third round-robin game for the Stripes team.

LeBron James

The Lakers superstar made his record 21st All-Star appearance, playing for the Stripes team.

Luka Doncic

The NBA scoring leader sat out the World team's second game, likely to preserve his health ahead of the second half of the season.

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What they’re saying

“We chose to compete today, and we came out on top. I ain't going to lie, Wemby set the tone. He came out and played hard, and we had to follow that.”

— Anthony Edwards (news-herald.com)

“It was a pretty good display of basketball. Better than last year, in my opinion. It was fun. … I think being honest with ourselves is good. It's a game we love, it's a game I personally cherish, so being competitive is the least I can do.”

— Victor Wembanyama (news-herald.com)

“Old heads 1-0. We've got a lot of guys that have played a lot of basketball, so no matter what's going on, we know how to keep our composure and execute.”

— LeBron James (news-herald.com)

What’s next

The NBA All-Star weekend will return to the West Coast in February 2027 when Phoenix hosts the event for the fourth time.

The takeaway

The NBA's latest format for the All-Star Game, featuring a mini-tournament between American and World teams, succeeded in generating more intensity and competitiveness from the players. The event showcased rising stars like Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama alongside veteran superstars, providing an exciting midseason showcase for the league.