The NBA is a big sport with some of the best athletes on Earth. Even so, there are a few players who go above and beyond the norm. There are several ways such athletes get recognized, and one of the simplest is by making the All Star Game.
The contest, which has been around since 1951, draws a big crowd eager to see their favorite stars face off against each other or compete in events like the Slam Dunk or Three Point Contest. It’s a great break from the regular season and is a good way to measure top talent.
While the NBA initially resisted the idea when publicity director Haskell Cohen first proposed it in the early 1950’s, it quickly grew. The success of the first game, combined with the positive press, made it a permanent part of the NBA. It’s now one of the league’s biggest events.
There have been a range of changes throughout the NBA All Star Game history, and one of the biggest is the roster selection process. Picking who makes the game is not a simple task, and it’s one that the NBA has involved a few different entities in over the years.
Currently, players are chosen by a combination of fan, player, and media votes. That gives everyone input and creates a varied process where all stars need to have an extremely wide appeal to make it into the game. However, that wasn’t always the case.
In the past, fans solely chose NBA All Stars. Unfortunately, that created a lot of bias and tended to push players from larger market teams into the game. It also led to many players making the contest based on their own popularity rather than skill.
To stop that, the NBA moved away from fan voting to the current format in 2017. Now, fans account for 50 percent of all votes, while media and players both get 25 percent.
Reserves, in contrast, are chosen solely by coaches. They have free reign to pick their backups, with the only stipulation that they are not able to choose anyone from their own team. That helps them sculpt a roster and creates a more well-rounded team.
Voting is not the only aspect that’s undergone a shift either. The game used to have the same format as a regular game, with the exception of bigger entrances, longer halftimes, and much higher scores. That changed in 2020 with the Elam Ending.
While the fanfare is still there, the game clock now turns off with four minutes left in the game. Then, officials add 24 points (in honor of Kobe Bryant) to the highest score between both teams at the end of the third quarter and whoever reaches that mark first wins.
Memorable All Star Games
The All Star game has a long history, and within that history have been a range of big games. One of the most notable occurred when Jayson Tatum put up a record 55 points in 2023. In 2024, Karl Anthony Towns also made history by scoring 31 points in a quarter.
Magic Johnson put together an incredible 22-assist performance in 1984, while Michael Jordan became the first player to ever record a triple-double within an All Star game in 1997. Both of those were big moments that put some of the greatest players of all time on the map.
Beyond individual performances, the 2020 All Star game had special significance in that it came right after Kobe Bryant’s death and acted as a tribute to the former star. The 1988 game also deserves special mention because Michael Jordan scored 40-points and entered the public eye for the first time.
There have been more than a few incredible All Star games and individual performances over the years, but it’s hard to categorize them due to how much the game itself has shifted since its original inception.
With the exception of the Elam Ending, the contest has kept a set format. However, where it used to be a strict East vs. West affair, between 2018 and 2013 it was decided by a draft where coaches could pick whoever they wanted for their team regardless of where they played.
The league went back on that in 2024, returning to the east vs. west format to make it easier to follow. Both teams now play for the charity of their choice, which keeps everything competitive.
All Star Records and Achievements
As the All Star game is largely dictated by offense, there have been several record breaking performances over the years. The largest came in 2023, when Jayson Tatum put together an impressive 55 point effort.
Beyond that, Magic Johnson set the assist record with 22 in 1984, Stephen Curry drained an incredible 16 three pointers in 2022, while Bob Pettit brought in 27 rebounds in 1962. Rick Barry also had 8 steals in 1975, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 6 blocks in 1980.
Those records are all incredibly difficult to break, but there are quite a few impressive team achievements too. The most points of all time was set earlier in 2024, when the East shattered the previous record and put up 211. Both teams combined for a record 397 points as well.
The most points ever scored in an All Star quarter came in 2021, when Team LeBron strung together 60. Even so, the best ever team performance occurred in 1992. The West All-Stars had the greatest margin of victory (40) and the highest field goal percentage of all time (0.653).
The most rebounds for a team is still held by the 1966 East All-Stars (83), while the most assists for a team remains a tie between the 2017 West All-Stars and the 2024 West All-Stars. They each dished out 60. Those marks have held for years, and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
All Star Weekend Events
The All Star game gets a lot of coverage and fanfare. Part of that is because people love seeing the league’s best players, and part of it is that the entire weekend is a large event. There are many talents to showcase, and they all get their moment to shine.
The biggest of all the events is the Slam Dunk Contest, which shows off various high fliers doing creative and gravity-defying dunks. In fact, some of the most iconic All Star moments happened during that contest.
Vince Carter first made a name for himself by getting three consecutive 50’s. Spud Webb and Nate Robinson also showed short players could jump by winning it despite their small stature. Blake Griffin jumping over a car was a special moment too.
Another event that has grown in popularity as of late is the three-point contest, where the league’s best long distance shooters have a set amount of time to make as many threes as they can from five different points around the court.
Karl-Anthony Towns has the highest score of all time with 29, but Jason Kapono holds the record for the highest percentage when he made 25 of 30 shots. Larry Bird and Craig Hodges are both enshrined as the players to have three wins.
The other side event is the Rising Stars challenge. First known as the Rookie Game, it evolved in 2000 when a team of rookies then played against sophomores. That then shifted again in 2015, when it became USA vs. the World, and changed in 2022 to include G League Players.
The format is now a mini tournament that does a good job of showing off the league’s best young talent. Many greats played in the game, including Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Pau Gasol, Gilbert Arenas, and many more.
Cultural Impact
The All Star game is one of the most unique aspects of the NBA because it directly involves fans. The voting process engages people from all over the world, especially when the league shifted to allow voting in multiple languages in 2003.
Such engagement is important because when someone sees a player they voted for in the game, it creates a much more personal connection. It also allows for TV or social media campaigns to increase league awareness and strengthen the NBA brand.
That’s doubled by the implementation of special uniforms. While players used to wear their regular jerseys in the past, there are now unique patterns (red for the west and blue for the east) designed for the game each year.
Such jerseys create a unique form of merchandise that gives fans another way to play and interact with the league. Having their team’s favorite jersey is one thing, but getting a cool pattern can be a great way to stand out among other fans too.
Another big reason All Star Weekend feels so big is that plenty of celebrities make appearances as well. Not only do they attend to watch, but the halftime show usually features some major stars.
Mary J. Blidge, Mariah Carey, Fergie, Sting, Rihanna, Drake, and Shania Twain are just some of the many high-end acts that have taken the stage over the years. There is also a Celebrity All-Star game, where known names take to the court as well.
Future of the All Star Game
The All Star game has been around for almost as long as the NBA, but interest in the weekend has waned over the past decade. The importance is still there, but it doesn’t feel as big or as culturally significant as it used to be.
That is one of the reasons the NBA has made so many changes to the All Star game, and why they continue to innovate on the format or rules. Though the events likely aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, there’s a good chance they might add in more.
The dunk contest has sharpley fallen off in popularity, while the three point contest has gained a lot of recognition. Finding a way to revamp the dunks with new players or more daring attempts would do a lot to bring it back into the limelight.
There’s also a chance that more shooting contests could further expand the event. Fans love the rise in deep shooting, and tapping into that could be a good way for the All Star weekend to get even more praise.
Conclusion
It’s hard to discuss the NBA without mentioning the All Star Game. The contest has been a part of the league for decades, creating some of the most memorable events of all time both in the game and through events like the Slam Dunk and Three Point Contest.
While its popularity has lessened as of late, it’s still watched by millions and enjoyed by people all around the world. Players love the break, the league loves the revenue, and fans enjoy the hype. It might see some changes, but All Star Weekend isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
