5 Key Takeaways from All-Star Weekend: New Game Format, Dunk Contest Drama, and a Goodbye

Over the weekend, the basketball success was divided between two cities and united by the skill of Stephen Curry. It was a fulfilling outcome as expected.

NBA All-Star 2025 belonged to the San Francisco Bay Area, and it was well represented by San Francisco and Oakland as the most important player in the history of those two cities was voted Kia MVP of the All-Star Game.

Curry was obviously the headliner as the weekend approached, and when LeBron James was a late scratch Sunday because of injury, Curry had to come through. Which he did.

As for the weekend as a whole? These five takeaways try to explain it all:

1. Weekend remains a work in progress

With the work ethic of a Hollywood cosmetic surgeon, the league has nipped and tucked the weekend and especially the All-Star Game itself over the past several years, searching for ways to make it more entertaining and competitive and, well, better looking.

Two things were apparent this weekend: The work continues and the improvement, however marginal, was evident.

With four teams competing in tournament-style elimination for the first time, there was a sense of urgency in Sunday’s semifinals and final — especially considering that, with a first-to-40-points-wins rule in place, defense was necessary.

Therefore, the competition? Yes, better than previous years.

“That was the goal,” said Damian Lillard.

The league tried to strike the right balance between the game and entertainment, filling the breaks — sometimes long — mainly with comedian Kevin Hart wisecracking. Ambitious, for sure. A success? The feedback from fans and viewers will determine that.

For those who still aren’t sold, there is good news. Chances that the NBA will keep tinkering seem pretty safe, if only because the league is trying to make the weekend as perfect as possible.

2. Dunk revival on tap, perhaps

Hard to say which received the better reception: Mac McClung winning his third straight AT&T Slam Dunk championship or the reaction from potential competition in the future.

“Mac might make me decide to dunk,” Ja Morant said on social media.

“If you do it, I’ll do it with you,” Giannis Antetokounmpo responded with an equally public post.

“Zach and AG wassup,” Morant added, referring to Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon, whose classic duel in 2016 was the last memorable contest involving two truly great dunkers.

Obviously, the NBA would be thrilled if Morant, Giannis and a few others (wassup Anthony Edwards and Zion Williamson?) volunteered to make the contest great again. But for whatever reason(s), the game’s most creative dunkers routinely pass on the contest.

The suspense for the 2026 field must wait. Until then, the trophy belongs in the hands of a G Leaguer, who said he’s probably done unless the NBA wants him back (meaning, show McClung the money).

McClung vs. LaVine vs. Gordon vs. Morant vs. Giannis vs. Zion — or some combination of that — would instantly become a headliner. And iconic.

3. Castle was — and is? — the young king

He may or may not win Kia Rookie of the Year. Check back in another few months. But Rookie of All-Star Weekend? Send the trophy to the engravers and put Stephon Castle’s name on it.

The Spurs’ first-year guard reached the final of the dunk contest and executed a jam that should’ve dropped 50s across the board but fell just short. He helped his team advance out of the Castrol Rising Stars to Sunday’s All-Star semis.

If you went into the weekend wondering who would emerge as a young statement-maker, it’s hard to argue against Castle. And now, with the home stretch of the season upon us, this leads to another question: how will San Antonio use Castle from here?

The situation in San Antonio is … tricky. The Spurs added De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline and also have Chris Paul. It’s a good problem to have, but is it time to elevate Castle’s minutes, and possibly his role as well?

Fox is cemented as a starter. But Paul isn’t a long-term answer. The Spurs can either wait until next season to give that spot to Castle, or do it now. Or maybe Paul sees the future and asks to come off the bench now (probably the least likely scenario).

What would give the Spurs their best shot at making the playoffs? Therein lies the answer.

4. ‘Inside the NBA’ is out

And that’s a wrap for the most popular and conversation-stirring NBA show, at least for NBA All-Star weekend. Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal conducted their final midseason classic, which belongs to NBC starting next season.

What will we miss? Well, aside from their usual chemistry and observations both witty and controversial, there are two traditions that will be hard, and perhaps impossible, to replace:

Ernie at the Legends Brunch. He was the designated MC at the Sunday morning event which draws many of the past greats. And Johnson punctuates the brunch with poems about the game, players and those who passed over the last calendar year.

This time, Johnson signed off with this: “It’s TNT’s last All-Star Game, in what is our last season. We’ve relished every second with this league, and you’re the reason. You the players, and you the fans, who watch us night-to-night. For 40 years, each game, each show has been a sheer delight.

“Pointing fingers or placing blame have no place in this rhyme. Bitterness or ill will, come on; don’t waste my time. Instead, consider gratitude. We’re thankful and we’re blessed. Our TNT production crew, our backbone, just the best. And so for all my colleagues, every teammate in our ranks, we offer you a simple yet sincere and heartfelt ‘thanks.’”

Smith’s call on the dunk contests. Smith is on top of his game when discussing, in live time, the creativity and originality of the dunks. And he usually projects the winner.

Smith was on the call in 2000, the last time the Bay Area hosted the All-Star Weekend, when Vince Carter went thermal, mouthed “it’s over” and Smith screamed: “Let’s go home.”

Smith said that call was a career-maker for him, and his voice will be associated with those epic Carter dunks forever.

On McClung’s dunks Saturday, Smith playfully suggested to end the contest and just let McClung do five tries by himself with music in the background.

TNT’s iconic quartet received autographed jerseys from the All-Star teams, as well as well-timed parting gifts that work best with a boat on a lake. As comedian Kevin Hart said: “Ain’t no more work after this. You gone fishin.’”

5. Practice your half-court heaves, boys and girls

Because you’ll never know when you’ll randomly get chosen to shoot against Lillard for the chance to win $100,000.

That’s the advice. And that’s the final take from All-Star Weekend, endorsed by Jaren Barajas, the fan who bathed in green paper Sunday after swishing a shot from the logo in the MrBeast Challenge and getting smothered by Shaq and Smith.

And so, as another All-Star Weekend closed, Curry got the game ball, while Jaren got the bag.

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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.

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