Report: NBA considering World squad as part of 3-team All-Star tourney

The NBA may transform the 2026 All-Star Game into a three-team competition that would pit its best Americans against its top global stars.

The league is reportedly considering converting the exhibition to a round-robin tournament featuring two teams comprised of American players and one World squad, sources told Shams Charania of ESPN. The teams would consist of eight players each, maintaining the total 24 players selected annually to the All-Star Game.

The teams would reportedly face off in games lasting a single 12-minute quarter.

The NBA and the players' union both pitched the new format to the league's competition committee, which reportedly responded positively to the proposed change.

Commissioner Adam Silver said in June that the 2026 All-Star Game would likely have some sort of USA-versus-World format in order to capitalize on the 2026 Winter Olympics occurring at the same time. NBC, which owns the broadcast rights for the Winter Games in the United States, will air the All-Star Game next season for the first time since 2002.