The Timberwolves guard scored 32 points and said the new format forces competition in ways East vs. West never could
Anthony Edwards won the 2026 All-Star MVP by doing what he does best: scoring efficiently and dominating the competition. The Timberwolves guard posted 32 points on 13-for-22 shooting with nine rebounds and three assists, edging out Kawhi Leonard for the award despite Leonard’s absolutely ridiculous 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting in his home building. But Edwards credited something bigger than his individual performance for making the All-Star Game actually watchable: the format change and Victor Wembanyama’s refusal to play fake basketball.
The three-team, round-robin format completely changed the dynamic of the All-Star Game. Instead of the traditional East vs. West matchup, the NBA split players into Team Stars (young American talent like Edwards), Team Stripes (veteran Americans), and a World team (international players). Four 12-minute games replaced quarters. Suddenly there were actual stakes. Suddenly players couldn’t coast. Edwards understood this immediately. “He set the tone, man. And he woke me up, for sure,” Edwards said about Wembanyama’s competitive intensity in the opening game.
Wembanyama was genuinely upset about losing games
When Scottie Barnes hit a game-winner to lift Team Stars over the World team in overtime, Wembanyama stormed back to the bench in disbelief at his team’s defensive execution. That’s not All-Star Game energy. That’s playoff intensity. That’s a player who actually cares about winning individual possessions. “It’s a game we love it’s a game I personally cherish so being competitive is the least I can do,” Wembanyama said. He had 14 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in the first game alone, basically carrying a World team against Edwards and company.
Kawhi Leonard’s performance was genuinely spectacular in a way All-Star performances usually aren’t. The Clippers star scored 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting (6-for-7 from three) in just 12 minutes against the World team. His peers couldn’t believe what they were watching. Scottie Barnes said: “We were watching it like, ‘Damn, this guy is killing.’ We were just like in awe. In shock, too. When a guy has it going like that, it’s special.” Edwards literally told Leonard before the final game: “Hey, you need to chill out.” The format had made competitiveness so real that teammates were joking about Leonard’s dominance rather than accepting it as normal.
What’s worth noting is that Edwards actually preferred beating the World team to beating Team Stripes in the finale. Why? “Because they say they’re the best players in the world. So beating them is the best feeling in the world.” That’s Edwards being genuinely competitive. The World team carried cultural weight. Beating them meant something. The final blowout victory over Team Stripes (47-21) meant less to him because the stakes felt lower.
The competitive format genuinely worked
Kevin Durant acknowledged the difference: “I think it was definitely a step up in the competitive department compared to last season. Kawhi was great. Ant was great. I think we did what we’re supposed to do for the fans.” That’s a superstar admitting the new format produces better basketball. The 12-minute games create urgency. Three teams create investment in specific narratives. Players actually try.
Edwards would support using this format again in Phoenix next year
“I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12-minute games, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good.” Leonard was open to either format, saying competitiveness matters more than the structure: “I still think going back to East-West will be great I think guys will compete still. But it’s like, whatever grabs the attention of the consumer, I’m for it.”
The three-team format didn’t just produce an MVP performance. It produced actual basketball and genuine competition. That’s the legacy of this All-Star Game.
