INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The ultimate key to a competitive All-Star Game is getting the players to buy in. That has been elusive in recent years.
Then we saw it on Sunday in Los Angeles. After the game the players praised the new USA vs. World format, and the 12-minute, one quarter mini-games.
"I think they ain't really going to take in what I'm saying, but I like this format," All-Star MVP Anthony Edwards said. "I think it makes us compete because it's only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good … I feel like the old heads played hard, too. They were playing real good defense."
Edwards was not the only player thinking that way.
"I think it was definitely a step up in the competitive department compared to last season," Kevin Durant said.
"I know the world guys wanted to win. I know Victor [Wembanyama] wanted to win bad," Devin Booker said. "You could see it. And I know our team did.
"Shout-out Kawhi. We were watching that game in the back. That's probably one of the most special quarters of basketball we've witnessed."
Booker also threw the NBA league office some love for changing around the players' schedules during All-Star Weekend.
"The NBA did a good job of us doing all our media and pictures yesterday. So today, we could just come in and properly get our bodies activated. I think that was a big part of it," Devin Booker said. "I think every team honestly wanted to win."
Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey — who got the young Stars off to a fast start in the championship game — said it was really about player buy-in.
"We wanted to play hard. It doesn't matter what the format was, I came in, I'm going to play some defense," Maxey said. "I'll score when I can, but I want to play hard, bring energy, get some steals, and have fun."
Karl-Anthony Towns said this was his favorite All-Star Game he's played in, partly because he got to represent the Dominican Republic on the World Team, and partly because of the level of competition.
"Fans have been asking for it. Media have been asking for it," Towns said. "I feel that after today, I think you all can see the competition is there, and I think that we all brought it today and a sense of effort. I hope that the fans and all of you appreciate it."
A number of the World players were excited to represent the growth of the game.
"I think it brought some competitiveness with it, and it's a fun format," first-time All-Star Deni Avdija said. "So it shows how the game went global, which is amazing to see."
Victor Wembanyama was the guy credited with sparking the hard play — Edwards the MVP said Wemby set the tone at the start of the first game, when he scored the World's first seven points.
Wembanyama liked the USA vs. World format, but is open to a return to tradition.
"I liked it," Wembanyama said of the format. "I wouldn't be against this format in the future, and I wouldn't be against the regular East versus West either."
Wemby isn't the only player who still likes the East vs. West
"I thought it was good," Kawhi Leonard said. "But I still think going back to East-West will be great. I think guys will compete still."
Whatever the format is next year in Phoenix, hopefully we see the same level of player buy-in, defense, and competitiveness. It's what we've all been hoping for.