SAN FRANCISCO — Victor Wembanyama, a standout player from France, has extensive experience competing against U.S. opponents in international basketball settings. He notably shined at the Paris Olympics last year, guiding the French team to the gold medal match against the Americans. Now, Wembanyama is expressing a strong desire to compete against the United States more frequently—perhaps even on a yearly basis. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is also enthusiastic about this idea, suggesting that it would captivate fans and players alike.
There was significant discussion in San Francisco concerning a new concept for the NBA All-Star Game: organizing the event to pit the U.S. team against a team made up of international stars. Wembanyama, the towering 7-foot-4 center for San Antonio, has thrown his support behind this proposal. “I would love to. My opinion is that it’s more purposeful,” he stated, emphasizing the pride that comes with representing one’s country.
When asked about this potential format, Antetokounmpo quickly expressed his approval. “I would love that. Oh, I would love that,” he said. The Greek player, who also has Nigerian roots, believes this format would inject an extra level of excitement and competition into the All-Star Game. “I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete,” he added.
The NBA recently experimented with a new format for the All-Star Game, introducing a four-team mini-tournament where games are played to a target score of 40 points. This approach was inaugurated on Sunday evening, culminating in Shaquille O’Neal’s team taking home the championship. The league opted for this tournament style after long-standing calls for increased competitiveness, as seen in the overwhelmingly high-scoring 211-186 final from the previous All-Star Game.
According to Kevin Durant, a 15-time All-Star currently with the Phoenix Suns, the nature of All-Star Weekend has shifted focus from competition to a celebration of basketball culture. “It shows how united we are as a group and how we can unite the rest of the world with what we do,” Durant remarked, highlighting the community spirit surrounding the event.
Evidence from other sports suggests that a midseason clash between American and international stars could be successful. The current 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament is a prime example, showing intense competition and enthusiasm among players, characterized by high levels of physical play, which fans have relished. “Mayhem,” summed up Canada’s coach Jon Cooper in reference to the fast-paced action.
Some individuals within the NBA are observing the hockey tournament closely to evaluate if a similar setup might be beneficial for basketball. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors noted, “Sometimes things just get old and kind of need a facelift,” and hinted at the possibility of adapting ideas from the hockey event.
If the All-Star Game had featured a U.S. versus World roster this season, the international lineup could have included stars like Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, and Houston’s Alperen Sengun. Players such as Karl-Anthony Towns, who represents the Dominican Republic internationally, and perpetual All-Star Luka Doncic would also bolster the international roster.
However, the transition to a U.S.-versus-World format presents challenges—specifically, the potential decrease in American players receiving All-Star selections. Jokic, a three-time MVP from Serbia, pointed out the current disparity, stating, “The USA has more talented players than the rest of the world.” He highlighted that while Europe and other regions produce talented players, the majority still come from the U.S.
With around 70% of NBA players being American, skepticism exists surrounding the fairness of picking All-Stars from a drastically imbalanced pool. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the complexity of creating a fair selection process, particularly if half the All-Stars were chosen from a 30% share of players.
Before the league settled on the recent tournament format, Silver consulted players like Golden State’s Stephen Curry for their insights. Should Wembanyama and Antetokounmpo be approached about future All-Star formats in 2026 and beyond, their enthusiasm for a global showdown is unmistakable.
“Having Shai, Jokic, Luka, Wemby, Towns, Sengun—I know those players… going against the best U.S. players, I think it would be fun,” Antetokounmpo expressed, underscoring the potential thrill of such a matchup in the All-Star setting.
