NBA commissioner Adam Silver wants a more competitive All-Star Game.

His broadcast partners domestically and globally want a more competitive game.

Fans – and their seething, disgusted, and worse, apathetic emails dropped into my inbox – want the same.

I, too, prefer a more competitive All-Star Game.

Yet, I am skeptical that there is a long-term solution to making it a better product for the league, its partners and fans.

That doesn’t mean the league should stop searching for improvements. Changes to the All-Star Game, such as team captains picking rosters regardless of conference and using a targeted score similar to the Elam Ending ‒ have provided a modicum of satisfactory games: a 148-145 finish in 2018, a 157-155 affair in 2020 and a 163-160 result in 2022.

But last year’s 211-186 outcome – the first 200-point game in All-Star history – bothered Silver. His disappointment was palpable when he delivered the All-Star trophy to the winning team, and he later called the game a “sore point.”

“There’s no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year’s All-Star Game,” Silver told reporters in Mexico City earlier this season. “We all want to do a better job providing competition and entertainment for our fans.”

So the league altered the format once again for the 2025 game Sunday in San Francisco. The 24 All-Stars will be divided into three teams of eight, and the Rising Stars championship team will comprise another squad in a four-team mini-tournament. The winners of the semifinals will play in the final. The first team to hit 40 points is the winner of each game.

A new format has the possibility of injecting competitiveness into the event. The NBA maintains that anytime you put competitive athletes in a competitive situation, they will show up – and that’s what the league has counted on for the in-season NBA Cup.

Plus, the shorter games and reduced scores eliminate the eye sore of a game in the upper 100s or low 200s in points.

I am perplexed by the addition of comedian and actor Kevin Hart’s just-announced role as on-court emcee during Sunday’s game. He will “bring his signature humor and energy to the reimagined All-Star Game format, providing commentary from the court as play unfolds,” according to the league.

The league wants players to take the game more seriously, but a funnyman will have jokes during the game.

“Hey LeBron, get back on defense, what do you think this is a regular-season game?”

“Hey Shai, you want that regular-season MVP? Play harder!”

“Jokic, let some American-born players win MVP!”

Perhaps stakeholders get what they want out of the game this season.

If it happens, can it last? Silver said a year ago, “We’re not necessarily looking for players to go out there as if it’s the Finals, but we need players to play defense. We need them to care about this game.”

All-Star contests – not just in the NBA – have evolved over the years. The NFL’s Pro Bowl is now a skills competition and flag football game. MLB for a brief time used the All-Star Game winner to determine which league had home-field advantage, but that’s no longer the case. The NHL plays a four-team 3-on-3 tournament.

These aren’t the All-Star Games of the 1960s, ’70s, ’80s or even ’90s. It’s a different time with a different player. That doesn’t mean the NBA should stop trying and resign itself to a dunk show or 3-pointers from the logo on every possession.

The NBA is trying, and its basketball operations staff gets polite applause for the new concept. The trick moving forward is reinventing the All-Star format every year to maintain players’ competitive interest. In 2026, the format can’t be the same as it is this season. Maybe similar. But not the same.

Follow NBA columnist Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

OAKLAND, Calif. — NBA All-Star weekend tipped off Friday with a cavalcade of events that included Hollywood stars and the greatest talents in basketball. 

Emmy Award-winning actor Rome Flynn led Team Barry Bonds to a 66-55 win over Team Jerry Rice in the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game on Friday at Oakland Arena. Flynn finished with a game-high 22 points, shooting 10-of-16 from the field, and eight rebounds, five assists and one steal. He was named MVP with his bold and beautiful performance. (Flynn won a Daytime Emmy Award for his role on the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” in 2018.)

“Shout-out (to) my teammates. They were looking for me before the game,” Flynn said. “They said, ‘We want you to get the MVP.’ I’m a selfless guy. I just want to win. They just put the ball in my hands.”

And in the nightcap, some of the NBA’s Rising Stars competed in a three-game series with Team C, coached by Chris Mullin, winning a spot in the main event Sunday against Shaquille O’Neal’s team.

This year marks a departure as the All-Star Game will be two semifinals pitting the best in the league against each other. The winning teams will play in a third and final game. The format now includes the winning Rising Stars squad from Friday, which will be helmed by WNBA icon Candace Parker.

Catch up on all the action from Friday’s Celebrity Game and now-crucial Rising Stars showcase event:

Rising Stars: Spurs guard Stephon Castle wins MVP

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle scored 12 points, while adding three rebounds and two assists, in leading Team C over Team G League and into Sunday’s All-Star Game.

Rising Stars: Chris Mullin’s Team C advances to All-Star Game

Rising Stars, Game 3: Team C 25, Team G League 14

Team G League was competitive early, but Team C ripped off a massive run to win the Rising Stars mini-tournament, clinching a berth in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.

Facing a four-point deficit in the middle of the game, Team C (led by coach Chris Mullin) ripped off a 17-2 run to close the game and top Team G League, 25-14. Team C did it on defense, clamping down on the perimeter and never letting Team G League find rhythm.

San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle willed Team C, leading all scorers with 12 points, while adding three rebounds and two assists. In fact, Castle scored seven more points than the next closest players — Dalton Knecht of Team C, and Dink Pate and Leonard Miller of Team G League — each of whom scored five points. Castle was named MVP.

As they did in their victory over Team T (led by coach Tim Hardaway Sr.), Team C allowed Castle to run point and push in transition; in the final against Team G League, Team C scored 10 fast-break points, compared to just two from Team G League.

But, more than anything, it was the Team C defense that limited Team G League to just 31.6% shooting – that won the game.

Rising Stars, Game 2: Team G League 40, Team M 39

The offense wasn’t as crisp in the second game of the Rising Stars mini-tournament as it was in the first, but the action was far closer. There were six ties and 10 lead changes in the game and the largest lead either team held was four points.

In the end, it was Team G League (led by coach Jeremy Lin) who topped Team M (led by coach Mitch Richmond) by the score of 40-39.

With the score at 37-35, Team G League had multiple attempts to tie the game late, and finally did, thanks in part to five consecutive missed free throws by Team M. Rockets forward Amen Thompson of Team M, however, soared through the lane for a dunk, giving Team M a 39-37 lead.

Lin called a timeout and dialed up a play to get a 3-point shot. And while the design faltered, Team G League forward Bryce McGowens eventually heaved a shot from beyond the arc as the shot clock was winding down. He swished it home, winning the game for Team G League, who won despite shooting 45% from the floor.

Team G League posted 10 second-chance points to Team M’s two, and the game’s two leading scorers, center Leonard Miller (14) and McGowens (12) were both on Team G League.

They will face Team C (led by coach Chris Mullins) in the final.

Rising Stars, Game 1: Team C defeats Team T, 40-34

Team C (led by coach Chris Mullin) pulled away from Team T (led by coach Tim Hardaway Sr.) to take the first game of the Rising Stars mini-tournament with a score of 40-34. Team C outhustled Team T, scoring five second-chance points and pushed the pace, topping Team T in fastbreak points, 13-5.

Spurs guard Stephon Castle orchestrated the Team C offense, pushing the ball and finding shooters for open looks. Castle dropped six points — including the game-winning jumper — four assists and four rebounds. Jazz guard Keyonte George led Team C with 10 points, shooting 3-of-5 from the field, while Raptors guard Gradey Dick led Team T with 12 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field.

So now, Team C advances to the finals to face the winner of the game between Team G League (led by coach Jeremy Lin) and Team M (led by coach Mitch Richmond). The winner in the final will then compete in the revised All-Star Game on Sunday.

Rising Stars, Game 1: Team C 25, Team T 21

In the first game of the Rising Stars mini-tournament, a battle between Team C (led by coach Chris Mullin) and Team T (led by coach Tim Hardaway Sr.), it was Team C that raced out to an early 10-point lead.

Team C pushed the pace up the floor, earning seven fast break points out of the team’s first 15 points, as Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George dropped eight early points on three-of-four shooting, including a pair of 3s, as Team C sped out to a 15-5 lead.

But Team T battled back by working the paint, and it was Raptors second-year guard Gradey Dick leading all scorers midway through the game with nine points on four-of-five shooting.

Team C leads Team T, 25-21.

Rome Flynn named celebrity All-Star MVP: Check out highlights

For his effort, Flynn who won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2018, was named MVP of the celebrity game.

“When I’m not filming, I hoop,” Flynn said on the court while holding the MVP trophy. “You want to have fun, but ultimately you want to win the game. It’s really competitive and we actually wanted to win. We had a real game plan.”

Flynn revealed the game plan Barry Bonds, the coach of the winning team, had for the contest. “He said, ‘Get Rome Flynn the ball.’ ”

Flynn is from Springfield, Illinois, and attended the same high school as former NBA All-Star Andre Iguodala.

Was Druski snubbed for MVP?

Despite Druski appearing to be shocked at the MVP trophy presentation — where he went to accept the trophy before Rome Flynn was called — the comedian was nowhere near a top performer. Druski, of Team Jerry Rice, finished with four points in the losing effort. He shot 1-of-6 from the field and 1-of-4 from three. He added one rebound and one turnover to his stat line. 

Celebrity All-Star Game Stats

How did your favorite star fare in the All-Star Celebrity game? Here’s a look at the box score:

Final: Team Bonds 66, Team Rice 55

Actor Rome Flynn scored a game-high 22 points, leading Team Bonds to a 66-55 victory against Team Rice in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Friday in Oakland. The Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor delivered a show with his scoring – he has a pick-up game quality step-back fadeaway jump shot – passing and dribbling. Shelby McEwen, the high jumper who won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and played two seasons of community college basketball, had 14 points for Team Rice and had the only two dunks of the game – a two-handed slam in the third quarter and a windmill dunk in the fourth. WNBA forward Rickea Jackson had 16 points and musician Tucker Halpern scored eight points for Team Bonds. Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens scored 18 points for Team Rice.

Q3: Team Bonds 47, Team Rice 35

Team Bonds has a double-digit lead over Team Rice heading into the fourth quarter. Actor Rome Flynn of Team Rice continued his MVP campaign on Friday with a deep three from behind the Ruffles Four-point Ridge Line to extend Team Bonds lead to 47-35. Flynn is nearing a double-double — maybe even a triple-double — with 15 points (7-of-12 FG), six rebounds and five assists. Team Rice’s Shelby McEwen is keeping his squad in the game with nine points, while his teammate Terrell Owens has eight points. 

Team Bond’s Kai Cenat finally got on the board with a layup on an assists from none other than Flynn. Team Rice’s Druski is still scoreless. (He missed two free throw attempts in the third quarter.)

Watch: Olympian Shelby McEwen dunks in All-Star Celebrity Game

Leave it to the Olympic high jumper to get the first dunk in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Shelby McEwen, who won a silver medal for the U.S. in the high jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, threw down a two-handed dunk for Team Rice in the third quarter. McEwen played college basketball at Northwest Mississippi Community College and averaged 5.7 points in 2016-17 and had a season-high 16 points against Arkansas State Mid-South.

Halftime: Team Bonds 31, Team Rice 25

Actor Rome Flynn was the star of the second quarter, finishing the first half with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists and giving Team Bonds a 31-25 lead at halftime. Flynn whipped a quick no-look pass to Tucker Halpern for an assist and was the best non-athlete on the court. He also displayed a nifty fadeaway jump shot. Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens leads Team Rice with six points. Fan favorite Dylan Wang, the Chinese actor and singer who has 5.7 million followers on Instagram, received the biggest cheers when he scored on a layup late in the second quarter. Druski continues to shoot but remains scoreless for Team Rice.

“I feel great. I’m just trying to let the game come to me a little bit,’ Flynn said at halftime. ‘I had an Olympic high jumper (Shelby McEwen) guarding me in the first quarter… I couldn’t really do too much with that guy guarding me. I got some good match-ups and knocked down a couple mid-range (shots).”

Q1: Team Bonds 10, Team Rice 10

We are all even after one quarter. Team Bonds jumped to an early lead with a quick bucket from Shelby McEwen, who just so happens to be an Olympic high jump silver medalist. Team Bonds quickly had an 8-2 advantage, but actor Pablo Schreiber and Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens started to heat up for Team Rice. They each scored four points to tie it at 10.

Comedians are off to a rough start. Team Rice’s Druski is 0-for-2 from the field and had a turnover along the sideline while bringing the ball up the court. Meanwhile, Team Bond’s Cenat got rejected at the rim by Golden State Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton.

Jerry Rice spars with Barry Bonds 

The trash talking has begun. Coaches Jerry Rice and Barry Bonds, two Bay Area legends, engaged in verbal sparring before their star-studded lineups faced off against each other in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday.

“How many rings do you have?” Rice asked Bonds, who jokingly responded, “I have two divorce rings.”

Bonds, who played 15 seasons with the San Francisco Giants from 1993 to 2007, never won a World Series during his 22-year career. Rice, on the other hand, won three Super Bowl titles with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played for 16 seasons from 1985-2000. Rice also played four seasons with the Oakland Raiders (2000-2004). 

When is the NBA All-Star Celebrity game?

The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game takes place on Friday, Feb. 14, with the TV broadcast airing on ESPN.

All times Eastern.

Game starts: 7 p.m. ET

NBA All-Star Celebrity game TV channel: How to watch showcase

TV channel: ESPN

ESPN will have TV coverage from Oakland Arena. The event precedes the Rising Stars game that will tip off at 9 p.m. ET on TNT and TruTV.

NBA All-Star Celebrity game stream: How to stream basketball event

NBA All-Star weekend welcomes a few events tipping off across networks that include ESPN and TNT, which you can stream on Sling.

Watch NBA All-Star weekend events with Sling

Who are the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game coaches?

Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice knows a thing or two about greatness — He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion, after all. Now, he’s adding coaching to his resume. Rice will serve as the All-Star celebrity coach of Team Rice, alongside Grammy award-winning rapper 2 Chainz. The rapper, whose real name is Tauheed Epps, has some basketball experience. He played two seasons of collegiate basketball for the Alabama State Hornets.

Rice and Epps will face off against Team Bonds, led by former MLB heavyweight Barry Bonds, the league’s all-time career home runs leader (762). Bonds will be accompanied on the bench by influencer Khaby Lame, who has the most-followed account on TikTok (162M).

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game rosters: Who is on Team Bonds?

*Kai Cenat; popular streamer 
*Baron Davis; former NBA player and entrepreneur 
Rome Flynn; Emmy-winning actor 
Rickea Jackson; Los Angeles Sparks star
Mickey Guyton; four-time Grammy-nominated country musician
Tucker Halper of Sofi Tukker; two-time Grammy-nominated musician
Noah Kahan; two-time Grammy-nominated multi-platinumartist 
Danny Ramirez; star of Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: New World Order”
Masai Russell; Olympic 100m gold medalist 
Pablo Schreiber; star of Paramount+’s “Halo” 
*Dylan Wang; Chinese actor and singer 

*Asterisk represents a celebrity’s second All-Star game appearance

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game rosters: Who is on Team Rice?

Matt Barnes; NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors 
Bayley; WWE Superstar 
Chris Brickley; top basketball skills trainer
AP Dhillon; Indian singer, rapper and songwriter 
Druski; comedian and creator 
*Walker Hayes; singer-songwriter 
Shelby McEwen; Olympic high jump silver medalist
Terrell Owens; Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver 
Shaboozey; five-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter
Oliver Stark; star of the drama series “9-1-1” 
Kayla Thornton; Golden State Valkyries forward

Pelicans’ Yves Missi ruled out of Rising Stars showcase

New Orleans Pelicans rookie Yves Missi will no longer participate in Friday’s Rising Stars mini-tournament after hyperextending his knee in the Pelicans’ 140-133 overtime win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, the day before the NBA All-Star break commenced. Although “an MRI taken last night showed no structural damage,” the Pelicans said Missi will opt to rest his knee ahead of being reevaluated next week.

Missi will be replaced by Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis on Team M, which is coached by Mitch Richmond. Buzelis is also a participant in Saturday’s dunk contest. The rookie averages 6.4 points in 14.8 minutes per game in 53 games this season. In his last eight games, he has scored in double figures each time and averaged 14.1 points.  

When is the Rising Stars game?

The reimagined Castrol Rising Stars mini-tournament follows the  Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game:

When: Friday, Feb. 14, 9 p.m. ET
Where: Chase Center 
Channel: TNT, TruTV
Streaming: TNT Overtime, NBA App, NBA.com, Max, Sling

Carmelo Anthony, Sue Birds finalists for 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame class

A group of 17 finalists were announced for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 on Friday as part of the NBA’s All-Star Game weekend, including former Nuggets and Knicks icon and 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony, eight-time All-WNBA point guard Sue Bird, three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard and four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore.

The group of finalists was whittled from a list of 95 nominees that were announced in mid-December. Nominees are sorted through six categories: North America, Women’s, Contributor, International, Women’s Veteran and Veteran. Read the full list of finalists here.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

But it comes with a caveat. McClung, a phenomenal leaper at 6-2 and a creative dunker, is a novelty, a G-League player with minimal NBA experience. 

McClung has won the past two dunk contests, and at this weekend’s All-Star festivities in San Francisco, he will try to join Nate Robinson as the only three-time winners.

Some of the NBA’s best dunkers have refrained from participating, leaving it to a guy who has played in just five NBA games since the start of the 2021-22 season, two rookies and a third-year player to carry the event.

This year, McClung will be joined by rookies Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls and Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs and second-year player Andre Jackson Jr. of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Here’s a closer look at this year’s dunk contest participants, how to watch and past champions:

2025 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest participants

Mac McClung

McClung’s leaping ability and creativity make him a fan-favorite, and he is a thoughtful participant, going over ideas with confidantes. While McClung has yet to get substantial minutes with an NBA team, he has parlayed his dunk contest success into endorsement deals, helping him pursue his NBA dream without going overseas for a lucrative payday.

Matas Buzelis

Buzelis, a 6-10 forward, came into the league as a known leaper and showed off his dunking ability in the G League last season. The No. 11 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Buzelis has 31 dunks through Monday’s games and told reporters, “I’m not going there to lose.”

Stephon Castle

Castle, a 6-6 guard who was the No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft by the Spurs, has 39 dunks this season through Monday’s games. He has two of the top dunks this season, according to the NBA’s “Dunk Scores,” which uses player tracking data and data science to assign a score to a player’s dunk.

Andre Jackson Jr.

Jackson has an impressive collection of dunks this season, including some high-flying, forceful put-back dunks. Will that translate to the dunk contest?

Dunk contest odds: Who is the favorite to win?

Odds courtesy of BetMGM:

Mac McClung: -210
Andre Jackson Jr.: +500
Matas Buzelis: +700
Stephon Castle: +800

How to watch Slam Dunk contest

Saturday’s All-Star festivities, including the dunk contest, will be broadcast on TNT, starting at 7 p.m. ET with a tipoff show. The night will be hosted by the network’s ‘Inside the NBA’ crew – Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith with Kevin Harlan, Reggie Miller and Allie LaForce providing commentary and reporting. Events begin at approximately 8 p.m. ET on TNT. You can stream it on Sling.

Prize money for Slam Dunk contest

First place: $105,000

Second place: $55,000

Third place: $20,000

Fourth place: $20,000

Who are Slam Dunk contest judges?

Former NBA players Baron Davis, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and Jason Richardson are this year’s dunk contest judges. Richardson won the event twice (2002, 2003).

Who won 2024 Slam Dunk contest?

McClung won the event in 2024 and 2023. Last year in Indianapolis, he topped Jaylen Brown. McClung jumped over TNT analyst, Basketball of Hall of Famer and 7-footer Shaquille O’Neal, who was wearing a jersey from McClung’s high school, Gate City in southwest Virginia, and completed a two-handed reverse dunk.

What are Slam Dunk contest rules?

There are two rounds. In the first, each contestant will get 1:30 and three attempts to complete a dunk. An official will judge whether a dunk is completed or missed, and any props the players use must be approved beforehand by NBA Basketball Operations. In the first round, each contestant will have the chance to complete two dunks. Completed dunks will be given a score between 40 and 50 points. The average of the five judges will be the final score for that dunk. The two dunkers with the highest composite score from the first round will advance to the final round. If there is a tie after the first round, the judges will then vote to pick the advancing dunker.

In the final round, the dunker with the lowest score from the first round will go first. The same scoring rules apply, and the contestant with the higher score will be the champion. In the case of a tie, there will be a one dunk dunk-off. If there is a tie following the dunk-off, the judges will vote to break the tie, as in the tiebreaking scenario from the first round.

Slam Dunk contest winners, year by year

2024: Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers

2023: Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers

2022: Obi Toppin, New York Knicks

2021: Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

2020: Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat

2019: Hamidou Diallo, Oklahoma City Thunder

2018: Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz

2017: Glenn Robinson III, Indiana Pacers

2016: Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves

2015: Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves

2014: John Wall, Washington Wizards

2013: Terrence Ross, Toronto Raptors

2012: Jeremy Evans, Utah Jazz

2011: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers

2010: Nate Robinson, New York Knicks

2009: Nate Robinson, New York Knicks

2008: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

2007: Gerald Green, Boston Celtics

2006: Nate Robinson, New York Knicks

2005: Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

2004: Fred Jones, Indiana Pacers

2003: Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors

2002: Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors

2001: Desmond Mason, Seattle SuperSonics

2000: Vince Carter, Toronto Raptors

1997: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers

1996: Brent Barry, Los Angeles Clippers

1995: Harold Miner, Miami Heat

1994: Isiah Rider, Minnesota Timberwolves

1993: Harold Miner, Miami Heat

1992: Cedric Ceballos, Phoenix Suns

1991: Dee Brown, Boston Celtics

1990: Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks

1989: Kenny Walker, New York Knicks

1988: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

1987: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

1986: Spud Webb, Atlanta Hawks

1985: Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks

1984: Larry Nance, Phoenix Suns

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard will try to join a shortlist of three-time NBA three-point contest winners Saturday at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

Lillard won in 2023 and 2024, needing his final shot to go in for the victory in Indianapolis last season.

Larry Bird and Craig Hodges are the only players with three three-point contest titles, and each did it in consecutives years – Bird in 1987, 1988 and 1989 and Hodges in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

Lillard will have competition from some of the game’s best long-distance shooters, including Miami’s Tyler Herro, Cleveland’s Darius Garland, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Norman Powell and Golden State’s Buddy Hield.

Here is a look at the 2025 NBA three-point contest participants (stats through Sunday’s games):

Who is in NBA All-Star three-point contest?

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson

Brunson is 31st in made three-pointers (119) this season and is shooting 39.8% on threes. He has six games with at least five made threes this season, including a season-best seven made triples against New Orleans and Phoenix.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham

Cunningham’s breakout season has been marked by an increase in offensive output, and over the past two seasons, he has improved his three-point shooting. He is 42nd in three-pointers made (108) and shooting 35.2% on threes. He is not a high-volume three-point shooter but has made five threes in two games this season.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland

Garland’s bounce-back season includes a spike in his three-point shooting percentage. He is 11th in 3-pointers made (151) and eighth in 3-point shooting percentage (43.4%, way above last season’s respectable 37.1%). Garland has also made 7-of-12 3-pointers in clutch situations, defined by the NBA as a game that’s within five points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro

An All-Star for the first time this season, Herro averages career-bests in points per game (23.7) and 3-pointers made per game (3.8) and is near a career-best in 3-point shooting percentage (.388). This season, Herro is fourth in 3-pointers made with 185 and is on pace to break his career high for 3-pointers made in a season (203).

Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield

The 2020 3-point contest winner, Hield is 21st in 3s made (136) and shooting 37.3% from deep this season. Hield has three games with making seven 3s in 2024-25.

Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson

Johnson is 33rd in 3-pointers made (118) and is shooting 41.8% on 3s, which is 23rd this season. On Nov 22, Johnson made nine 3s, scoring a season-high 37 points against Philadelphia.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard

Lillard is one of the game’s all-time great 3-point shooters and ranks fourth on the all-time list of made 3s behind Steph Curry, James Harden and Ray Allen. Lillard is one pace to pass Allen next season and join Curry and Harden as the only players with at 3,000 made 3s.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell

Powell has more 3s than James Harden, Klay Thompson and Devin Booker, coming in at No. 15 with 145 triples. He’s also shooting 42.9% which ranks 14th this season. Powell has produced one of the league’s most enjoyable performances, averaging a career-high 24 points in his 10th NBA season.

3-point contest odds: Who is the favorite?

Odds courtesy of BetMGM:

Damian Lillard: +375
Darius Garland: +500
Tyler Herro: +500
Buddy Hield: +525
Norman Powell: +525
Jalen Brunson: +750
Cam Johnson: +850
Cade Cunningham: +1200

How to watch the NBA All-Star 3-point contest

All-Star Saturday Night is on TNT and coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with a tip-off show, followed by events beginning at approximately 8 p.m. ET. You can also stream on Sling.

What are the NBA 3-point contest rules?

Ball racks are stationed at five locations around the 3-point line, and four of the racks contain four orange basketballs and one money ball. The orange basketballs are worth one point, and the money ball, which has to be the last ball shot on each rack, is worth two points. The fifth rack will be an all money-ball rack and each competitor gets to choose where this rack will be among the locations. Each money ball on this rack is worth two points. Two pedestals are placed deeper than the 3-point line, edging closer to the center court logo, and each pedestal holds a white basketball. A made shot from deep range is worth 3 points.

Who won 2024 NBA All-Star three-point contest?

Lillard won the 3-point contest in Indianapolis in 2024, needing to make the final shot of the event to edge Atlanta’s Trae Young and win his second consecutive 3-point contest. He also needed to make his final shot to win the event in 2023.

What is prize money for winning three-point contest?

First place: $60,000

Second place: $40,000

Third place: $25,000

Fourth place: $15,000

Fifth place: $15,000

Sixth place: $15,000

Seventh place: $15,000

Eighth place: $10,000

NBA All-Star three-point contest winners by year

2024: Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks

2023: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

2022: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

2021: Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

2020: Buddy Hield, Sacramento Kings

2019: Joe Harris, Brooklyn Nets

2018: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

2017: Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets

2016: Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

2015: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

2014: Marco Belinelli, San Antonio Spurs

2013: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers

2012: Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves

2011: James Jones, Miami Heat

2010: Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics

2009: Daequan Cook, Miami Heat

2008: Jason Kapono, Toronto Raptors

2007: Jason Kapono, Toronto Raptors

2006: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

2005: Quentin Richardson, Phoenix Suns

2004: Voshon Lenard, Denver Nuggets

2003: Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings

2002: Peja Stojakovic, Sacramento Kings

2001: Ray Allen, Milwaukee Bucks

2000: Jeff Hornacek, Utah Jazz

1998: Jeff Hornacek, Utah Jazz

1997: Steve Kerr, Chicago Bulls

1996: Tim Legler, Washington Wizards

1995: Glen Rice, Miami Heat

1994: Mark Price, Cleveland Cavaliers

1993: Mark Price, Cleveland Cavaliers

1992: Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls

1991: Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls

1990: Craig Hodges, Chicago Bulls

1989: Dale Ellis Seattle SuperSonics

1988: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics

1987: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics

1986: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics

The United States faces archrival Canada on Saturday night with a spot in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off on the line.

The USA has three points after a 6-1 rout of Finland in its opener on Thursday. Canada has two points after beating Sweden in overtime Wednesday.

If the USA wins in regulation Saturday, it would have six points, enough to clinch one of the two spots in Thursday’s championship game in Boston, regardless of what happens in Monday’s games. A regulation loss would complicate the U.S. path.

The USA and Canada are favorites in the best-on-best tournament.

Canada’s Sidney Crosby had three assists in the opener and the team’s power play features multiple Hart Trophy winners Crosby and Connor McDavid, reigning MVP Nathan MacKinnon, former Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar and former 50-goal scorer Sam Reinhart.

The USA features three-time goal-scoring leader Auston Matthews, two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, plus brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, who each scored twice on Thursday.

Here’s what to know about Saturday’s games and the full schedule at the 4 Nations Face-Off:

When are Saturday’s games at the 4 Nations Face-Off?

Sweden will face rival Finland at 1 p.m. ET. The USA and Canada will play at 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch Sweden vs. Finland and USA vs. Canada

The Sweden-Finland and USA-Canada games will be aired on ABC.

How to stream Sweden vs. Finland and USA vs. Canada

 Sling, Fubo and ESPN+ carry ESPN and ABC games.

4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV

(Times p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17:  Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

This isn’t your father ’s Big 12 anymore.

Since the conference’s inception in 1996, men’s basketball has been mostly run by Kansas, with the occasional solid seasons from Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa State and Baylor.

It’s undergone rapid change in the past few years. The Sooners and Longhorns are gone. A bunch of new schools across the country joined, with the goal to help the league maintain its prestige in a sport it loves to say it is the deepest conference in.

Well in a now 16-team Big 12, it’s the newbies that have raided the territory and claimed the land. Out with the old and in with the new.

Credit commissioner Brett Yormark for striking gold in the conference realignment mess. It’s impossible to replace the brands in Oklahoma and Texas, so what did the Big 12 do? Got the right pieces at the right time in the right place – reminding the college sports world the moves aren’t all about football.

In 2023, the Big 12 added Houston; not the biggest football team in Texas, but a men’s basketball program coming off a four consecutive Sweet 16 berths, a Final Four appearance in 2021 and still riding high in the sport. Also joining that year were Cincinnati and Central Florida. In the first season in the league, Houston went 15-3 and won the regular season title before it made the conference tournament final. 

The following year, the Big 12 snatched up Arizona along with three other Pac-12 schools, bringing in a basketball powerhouse that stacked up wins left and right while it dominated the “conference of champions” since Tommy Lloyd came in.

In its inaugural campaign in the Big 12, Arizona’s conference success has transferred over. The Wildcats stormed out to a 11-2 start and are second in the conference. The team above them? The Cougars at 12-1. d

The two teams will meet Saturday in a heavyweight matchup of the new cats in charge. 

“Anytime a good team comes into the league, I’m sure a lot of the coaches in this league probably thought the same thing when we came into the league,” said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson.

The rise of Houston and Arizona in their formative Big 12 years might come as a shock, even with all of the aforementioned accolades. Yeah Houston was dominating the American Athletic Conference, but who really gave it competition? They weren’t getting many tests until March. Yeah Arizona ruled the Pac-12, but outside of UCLA and occasionally Oregon, it wasn’t a deep league anymore.

Any doubt on whether they were legit programs have been put to rest. It happened, Sampson said, because both teams built a culture that players “could touch and believe in.” 

Think about Arizona before Tommy Lloyd. It was sinking rapidly toward the end of Sean Miller’s tenure – partly due to the recruitment violations – and the program needed someone to bring faith back to Tucson quickly. Sampson said he knew it was a great hire for Arizona when it announced Lloyd as coach in April 2021, and with Lloyd’s international approach to the game, the fanbase was rocking immediately. 

BRACKETOLOGY: Michigan surges in NCAA tournament projection

STARTING FIVE: SEC, Big 12 lead biggest games of the weekend

There’s proof the Big 12 move isn’t made for everyone. Now back in the league, Colorado is at the bottom of the standings, still searching for the first league victory. Right above the Buffaloes is Arizona State with a 3-10 conference record. Utah is barely above the other former Pac-12 schools at 12th place with a 5-8 mark.

“If it was done in the Eastern Time Zone or east of the Mississippi, I think he would get more credit,” Sampson said. “In the coaching profession, you know who the real ones are, and Tommy is a real one.

“He knows how to coach, knows how to build, and kudos for Arizona for giving him an opportunity.”

The same could be said for Sampson. Houston hadn’t sniffed success like the Phi Slama Jama days of the 1980s before the veteran coach came in. Since 2019, it’s been to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament each year and won a share of a conference championship each season.

Meanwhile, the longstanding Big 12 powers can only watch the new kids race by them. Kansas, preseason No. 1 team back-to-back seasons, lost its grip on the chokehold it had on the league. The Jayhawks are 18-13 in the Big 12 since last season, far from the program with 12 conference tournament titles. They will end the regular season with a daunting slate of Houston then Arizona. 

Iowa State, which has been revived under T.J. Otzelberger, learned first-hand how tough it is to win at Arizona. It hasn’t recovered since.

Only Texas Tech can say it has handled the new blood this season with wins against both Houston and Arizona, but the Wildcats got revenge last week. Houston awaits its chance at the end of the month.

But before that, the Wildcats and Cougars will play in a top 15 matchup in what will be a rocking McKale Center. The winner will have control of first place of the league and own the tiebreaker should it be needed by March 8.

Saturday won’t decide anything. After all, the Big 12 is a chaotic one where just about any result can happen. 

But Houston and Arizona are taking center stage, pushing out the ones that occupied it for so long. All of the incumbent members can do is watch and realize the new kids on the block are legit.

“Arizona wasn’t good because they were in the Pac-12. We weren’t good because we were in the American,” Sampson said. “Arizona was good because they’re good. They can play anywhere, and I always felt we could too.”

Roseman’s forehead took the brunt of an errant throw of a beer can during the team’s Super Bowl parade in Philadelphia on Friday. The result was a semicircular gash just below his hairline.

Though there’s no footage of the incident, photos of Roseman’s flesh wound quickly circulated on social media, and Eagles edge rusher Josh Sweat told NBC Philadelphia that he saw the accident happen.

‘I laughed at him a little bit when it happened,’ Sweat said. ‘And I know he’s mad at me. … When I saw it, I knew what happened, and I couldn’t contain my laugh. … I did not throw the can at him. But hey, that’s part of it! The [fans are] throwing full cans and bottles.’

Celebrate Eagles’ Super Bowl victory with our new book

All things Eagles: Latest Philadelphia Eagles news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Roseman appears to be taking his battle wound in stride. He began his speech outside of the Philadelphia Museum of Art declaring, ‘I bleed for this city! Go Eagles!’

Roseman has been in charge of Philadelphia’s personnel decisions since 2010 and built the rosters of each of the two Eagles teams in franchise history that won the Super Bowl.

Most recently, the Eagles defeated the Chiefs, 40-22, in Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans.

Follow along here for USA TODAY’s live coverage from the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade.

It’s a Valentine’s Day to celebrate in the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Eagles spent Friday enjoying their parade after winning Super Bowl 59 on Sunday.

Key figures in the Eagles’ championship run like quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and edge rusher Josh Sweat were all part of the parade. Even longtime Eagles icon Jason Kelce came out to celebrate the team’s second Super Bowl title in the last decade.

Thousands of fans lined the streets of Philadelphia to see the champions and one of the younger fans in attendance had a wonderful suprise.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Lucy Bannon celebrated her third birthday Friday with her grandmother, Tracy, by standing on Broad Street with a sign reading ‘Today is my 3rd Birthday! Go Birds!’ at the parade.

Barkley spotted the sign and stopped to take photos with Bannon.

Barkley asked Tracy if he could pick the birthday girl up, Bannon’s father Charlie told the Philadelphia Inquirer, and took time for photos with her and the sign.

Barkley himself celebrated a birthday this week as well. The NFL Offensive Player of the Year turned 28 years old on Sunday and celebrated with his first Super Bowl title.

FULLERTON, Calif. — It can get pretty boring doing the same thing over and over again. 

That’s pretty much the routine for Patty Gasso. For the Oklahoma softball coach, all she does is field a team that constantly wins. Over and over again.

But is she getting tired of it?

“Uh, no,” Gasso said with a laugh.

Cementing herself among the greatest coaches in sports, Gasso has guided the Sooners to the pinnacle of the softball world. She has eight national championships – seven of which have come in the last 11 seasons. – The Sooners are coming off their fourth consecutive title – unprecedented in the sport. 

Even with all of the success, the quest for a fifth-straight championship might be the Oklahoma’s most difficult challenge yet. But early indications show the Sooners won’t go down easy and are ready to add some more hardware to the trophy case.

It’s difficult to win one championship, let alone four in a row. But surprisingly, it’s happened 13 other times in NCAA history across all divisions and sports. The fifth straight is where the crowd shrinks. Five consecutive titles has happened five times, last in 2011-15 from the mighty North Dakota State football team in FCS.

If Oklahoma wants to join another prestigious list, Gasso will have to mostly lean on players that haven’t tasted championship glory.

A major reason why Oklahoma won four in a row was the ‘Core Five,’ a superstar 2024 graduating class that knew nothing but ending the season on top of the softball world. They compiled an astounding record of 235-15 during their time in Norman. 

That core is now gone, and the roster is composed of three players that regularly went to bat last season, two returning pitchers and 14 newcomers.

“I’ve had such a savvy group of players the last four years that really were elite athletes, and so we’re really working, teaching, finding different ways to win with a different set of skills,” Gasso told USA TODAY Sports.

Of course, Gasso brought some potential stars to fill the holes. Highly ranked recruits that made up one of the top recruiting classes in the country and transfer portal hauls now make up the majority of the roster.

It may be a lot for a freshman or inexperienced player to be thrusted into the role, but Gasso said it wasn’t hard for her newcomers to understand the standard. In fact, she feels like they’ve probably taken it a little too seriously, causing some unwarranted pressure. It’s been about trying to take that mental hurdle out of their minds and get them into the same routine that’s worked for four years.

“We always have the same expectations,” Gasso said. “We work every team the same way. Every day of practice, it’s fast, it’s hard, it’s hustling, it’s blue collar. That’s really been our mantra since I’ve been there, and it’s not gonna change.”

What hasn’t changed either so far in 2025 is the winning. The Sooners opened up the campaign with a trip around Southern California, starting in San Diego and then to Fullerton, Los Angeles and Long Beach for six games in four days. It wasn’t against high-caliber teams, but it was a trip with plenty of time in traffic with short turnarounds.

“I want them to feel these challenges, because this is what it really feels like when you get to the end of the season,” Gasso said. 

Despite all the moving around, the trip was a success – a 6-0 record with plenty of highlights from those newcomers. Isabella Smith, a senior transfer from Campbell, threw a perfect five innings against California Baptist, and freshman Gabbie Garcia hit a grand slam in an offensive onslaught against Cal State Fullerton. 

There was success, but it didn’t come without some challenges. The Sooners were pushed to extra innings against San Diego State and Long Beach State, and Gasso felt in other games her team left too many people on the bases, showing signs this team isn’t exactly national championship-looking yet. 

“There’s just so much more that we have to learn and figure out, but they’re catching on,” Gasso said.

There will be plenty of opportunities for Oklahoma to fine tune things in the first month of the season. It only has one ranked opponent, Baylor, before it enters what Gasso calls the “gauntlet” of the SEC. Oklahoma did have worthy challengers in the Big 12, but it now joins conference that has 10 other teams in the top 25, including top-ranked Texas and No. 2 Florida – teams it will face at the end of the regular season.

Gasso knows the challenge they will be navigating in the SEC, and that’s why she wants the start of this season to be focused on getting the team’s body and mindset ready for the task.

“It’s going to be very tough. Even at home, it’s going to be tough,” she said. “We’re trying to get our girls here to turn into women before we get into the SEC.”

By the time we get to the NCAA Tournament, the Sooners may not have a dominating record or be one of the top four national seeds. It’s not the same ol’ Oklahoma, and that’s perfectly fine with Gasso. She’s having fun and insists she’s having a good time working with this group.

It’ll be an even better time if this team is hoisting a fifth consecutive trophy in Oklahoma City.