Anthony Edwards' Stars team, featuring other Americans, won the final in a new, exciting format at the NBA All-Star Game, defeating a Stripes team led by LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard. The new mini-tournament structure, meant to boost competitiveness, involved three teams and led to close games before the finale.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 15: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons and Team USA Stars defends Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Team World during the 75th NBA All-Star Game at Intuit Dome on February 15, 2026 in Inglewood, California.
NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Anthony Edwards has said it boldly and confidently for years. He intends to be the best basketball player in the world. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard got to beat the World on Sunday, thanks to the NBA All-Star Game's intriguing new format — and then he also beat a team of his fellow Americans to cap an MVP performance. Edwards led his “Stars” team past a “Stripes” squad featuring LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard 47-21 to win the final in this mini-tournament comprising the entertaining main event of All-Star weekend at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome. The NBA’s fourth All-Star format in four years matched two teams of Americans against a team representing everywhere else, hoping to stoke nationalistic passion from players and fans during an Olympic year. The results were solid, with three exciting mini-games in the round-robin tournament all going down to the buzzer before the blowout finale. “I like this format,” 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.” Along with the late-game theatrics, the event generally appeared to be played at a higher level of competitiveness than most All-Star Games in recent years, suggesting the league might have finally cracked the code on the long-standing question of how to make this midseason showcase more entertaining. Edwards forced overtime with a clutch 3-pointer before Scottie Barnes hit a game-ending, overtime 3-pointer for his team in the opening mini-game against the World. De'Aaron Fox hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to win the second game for the slightly older Stripes over the slightly younger Stars. Leonard then thrilled his home crowd with a 31-point barrage for the Stripes in the final round-robin game, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left.“Because they say they’re the best players in the world,” he replied. “So beating them is the best feeling in the world.” Already a four-time All-Star at 24 years old, the six-year NBA veteran has been on the world stage before, winning an Olympic gold medal two years ago in Paris. He has also led the Wolves to the Western Conference finals in two straight seasons. Edwards claimed his first All-Star MVP trophy — an award named for Kobe Bryant — with that tying 3-pointer to cap a 13-point effort in the first game, an 11-point performance in the second, and eight points in the anticlimactic final. The Inglewood crowd included former President Barack Obama, who received a standing ovation pregame — and even motivated Edwards’ performance. “He’s my favorite person in the world,” Edwards said. “We were kicking it . Me and him had a great time. I told him I was going to put on a show for him.” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver thanked the All-Stars for playing hard when he presented the championship trophy to the Stars. Victor Wembanyama effectively challenged his fellow All-Stars to take this game seriously, and they largely appeared to do it. Despite going 0-2, Wembanyama led the World team in scoring in both games with 14 points in the opener and 19 in the third game. “It felt good to be out there with greats, new and old, and even international guys, too,” Kevin Durant said. “Hopefully we just build upon this and the weekend becomes more and more competitive.” The World team was loaded with talent, but went 0-2 after NBA scoring leader Luka Doncic and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic both sat out the second game, likely to preserve the health of two superstars who have struggled with injury in the past month. Giannis Antetokounmpo also didn't suit up at all.Edwards forced OT on a 3-pointer with 13.3 seconds left in regulation, and he hit a 14-footer to begin the first-to-five-points overtime period. Wembanyama made a 3-pointer, but Raptors star Barnes ended it by draining his only shot of the game.Donovan Mitchell took a pass under the net from James and kicked it out to Fox on the perimeter for the winner. Jaylen Brown led the Stripes with 11 points, and James scored eight to begin his record 21st All-Star appearance. A few hours beforehand, James said the game’s presence in the Los Angeles area meant “nothing, because this is not our building. This is a road game.”Leonard utterly dominated even before his clutch 3-pointer to cap the Stripes’ 48-45 victory. Leonard thrilled his home crowd with a dynamic effort, going 11 of 13 and 6 of 7 from beyond the arc. The seven-time All-Star made his first seven shots with five 3-pointers amid raucous cheers from the extra-steep supporters’ section called The Wall behind one basket at this futuristic 18-month-old arena. James put the Stripes ahead with 31 seconds left on a putback dunk, but Wembanyama hit two free throws to tie it before Leonard called game.SAN ANTONIO - A vehicle crashed into an abondend building on Saturday afternoon.A man pled guilty to murdering two Chick-fil-A employees that worked with his wife, who was working at the restaurant when the incident occurred.SAN ANTONIO - A teen is fighting for his life after being shot in the chest.Around 7:55 p.m. on Sunday, police were called to the scene of a reported shpotingSuspect accused of secretly recording 15-year-old girl in bathroom, arrested SAN ANTONIO - A suspect is behind bars after allegedly secretly recording a teenage girl while she was in the bathroom.On Saturday, 31-year-old Nicholas Ryan Sa
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