NBA All-Star Weekend Recap: Thrilling Games, Lackluster Dunk Contest

The new All-Star Game format brought out the competitive spirit, but the Slam Dunk Contest struggled to impress

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The NBA's latest All-Star Game format, featuring a round-robin tournament between two American teams and a World team, was a surprising success, with players bringing a high level of effort and competitiveness. However, the Slam Dunk Contest failed to live up to its storied history, with underwhelming performances and a lack of creativity. The weekend also saw impressive individual performances, including Kawhi Leonard's dominant showing and Damian Lillard's 3-Point Contest victory.

Why it matters

The NBA has been searching for ways to revive interest in the All-Star Game, which had become an exhibition lacking in real competition. The new format appears to have succeeded in that regard, but the Slam Dunk Contest remains a concern, as the league struggles to get top stars to participate and recapture the magic of past events. The weekend also highlighted the league's efforts to promote player health and recovery, with Lillard and Jayson Tatum making successful returns from serious injuries.

The details

The new All-Star Game format, which pitted two American teams against a World team in a round-robin tournament, was praised by players and fans for its increased competitiveness. Phoenix's Devin Booker noted that 'every team honestly wanted to win,' a stark contrast from past All-Star Games. However, the finale between the two American teams was anticlimactic, with the younger squad routing the older squad. The Slam Dunk Contest, meanwhile, was widely criticized, with poor performances and a lack of creativity. Miami's Keshad Johnson won the event after San Antonio's Carter Bryant failed to complete an impressive second dunk.

  • The NBA All-Star Weekend took place on February 16-19, 2026 in Inglewood, California.
  • The All-Star events on Saturday and Sunday began at 2 p.m. Pacific time due to NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics in prime time.

The players

Devin Booker

A Phoenix Suns player who was a member of the victorious Stars team in the new All-Star Game format.

Karl-Anthony Towns

A player who expressed his appreciation for the increased competitiveness of the new All-Star Game format.

Tyrese Maxey

A player who scored nine points in the final game between the two American teams.

Kawhi Leonard

A seven-time All-Star who scored 31 points in 12 minutes while leading his team to victory in one of the mini-games, prompting praise from his fellow All-Stars.

Damian Lillard

The Portland Trail Blazers guard who won the 3-Point Contest for the third time, joining an elite group of players to accomplish that feat.

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What they’re saying

“I think every team honestly wanted to win.”

— Devin Booker (chicagotribune.com)

“I've been asking for it, fans have been asking for it, media have been asking for it, (and) I feel that after today, I think you all can see the competition is there. I think that we all brought it today, brought a sense of effort. I hope that the fans and all of you appreciate it.”

— Karl-Anthony Towns (chicagotribune.com)

“We're definitely one-up on the uncs right now.”

— Tyrese Maxey (chicagotribune.com)

“That's probably one of the most special quarters of basketball we've witnessed.”

— Devin Booker (chicagotribune.com)

“That's what the home crowd wanted to see. I'm glad I was able to do something in that game.”

— Kawhi Leonard (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

The NBA has not yet announced the format for the 2027 All-Star Game in Phoenix, and the future of the World team component remains uncertain depending on the number of international players having All-Star-worthy seasons.

The takeaway

The new All-Star Game format succeeded in bringing out the competitive spirit of the players, but the Slam Dunk Contest continues to struggle to capture the creativity and excitement of past events. The weekend also highlighted the league's efforts to promote player health and recovery, with impressive comebacks from serious injuries.