The NBA All-Star Game has faced widespread criticism in recent years, as Adam Silver and the league seek ways to make it more competitive.
In 2018, Silver shifted from the traditional East vs. West format to a captain-based draft system, with top vote-getters from each conference selecting their teams. However, in the 2024 season, the NBA reverted to the East vs. West format, which led to mediocre play and was followed by a disastrous tournament in 2025. The league continues to experiment to improve the event.
This year’s NBA All-Star Game will feature a new format. In an effort to rejuvenate the weekend, Silver has selected a U.S. versus World tournament for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
In the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, three teams — two representing the United States and one international team (the World team) — will compete in a round-robin format consisting of four 12-minute games. Each team will comprise at least eight players.
Does this new format change the potential earnings for All-Stars this weekend? Here’s a breakdown of what the All-Star Game winners will receive on Sunday.
NBA All-Star Game prize money
In the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, players will vie for a total prize of $1.8 million. Payouts will be based on the teams’ results in the new “U.S. vs. World” tournament, which features three teams—USA Stars, USA Stripes, and Team World—competing in a round-robin format.
However, all three teams will walk away with a share of the pool to split among their team.
Here’s how it’ll break down.
| Place | Prize Money (Per Player) |
| Winner | $125,000 |
| Runner-up | $50,000 |
| Third Place | $25,000 |
Who won the 2025 NBA All-Star Game?
Shaq’s OG team secured victory at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, which introduced a novel four-team tournament format held at the Chase Center in San Francisco. They triumphed over Chuck’s Global Stars with a score of 41–25 in the championship match.
| Year | Result |
| 2018 | Team LeBron 148, Team Stephen 178 |
| 2019 | Team LeBron 178, Team Giannis 164 |
| 2020 | Team LeBron 157, Team Giannis 155 |
| 2021 | Team LeBron 170, Team Durant 150 |
| 2022 | Team LeBron 163, Team Durant 160 |
| 2023 | Team Giannis 184, Team LeBron 175 |
| 2024 | East 211, West 186 |
| 2025 | Shaq’s OGs 41, Chuck’s Global Stars 25 |
NBA All-Star Saturday Night prize breakdown
Here are the payment breakdowns for all three All-Star Saturday Night events.
| Event | Prize |
| Slam Dunk Contest | $105,000 |
| 3-Point Contest | $60,000 |
| Skills Challenge | $125,000 |