NBA Exploring One-on-One Tourney to Revitalize All-Star Weekend
After another heavily-criticized All-Star Game in 2025, the NBA is looking to shake things up once again – this time with a potential one-on-one tournament featuring the league’s best players.
According to reports, the league is seriously considering introducing a one-on-one competition for the 2026 Los Angeles-based All-Star Weekend, with a rumored $1 million prize for the winner. This move comes in response to growing skepticism that the annual event has lost its competitive edge and entertainment value, despite multiple format changes in recent years.
A Solution to a Dull All-Star Game?
While the NBA has experimented with different formats – including the Elam Ending, team drafts, and, most recently, a mini-tournament format – the All-Star Game has still been widely lambasted for its lack of effort and intensity. Players have often treated the showcase as more of an exhibition than a competition, leading to declining viewership and fan engagement.
A one-on-one tournament could be the answer. The concept would introduce a high-stakes, playground-style battle between some of the best scorers and defenders in the game, giving fans the matchups they’ve always dreamed of seeing. Would Kevin Durant dominate against Jayson Tatum? Could Stephen Curry handle the size of Giannis Antetokounmpo? The intrigue is endearing.
Players Are Excited About the Idea
Several stars have already expressed their willingness to participate.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, known for his all-around dominance, is all in.
“Yeah. If I had the chance to play one-on-one with anybody, I would love to do it. Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun for the viewers, for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate.”
“I’ve done every competition, I think. I’ve done the Skills Challenge. I’ve done the Dunk Contest. I haven’t done the three-point shooting. But if it’s a one-on-one competition, I would love to participate.”
Antetokounmpo also pointed out the importance of two-way play in this format:
“I think sometimes you forget, to be good, to be a good one-on-one player, you’ve got to be able to play both ways. You’ve got to get a stop to get the ball. You don’t get a stop, you’re not getting the ball.”
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, one of the league’s most flambouyant isolation scorers, also showed enthusiasm for the idea.
“I’m open to it,” Irving said. “Yeah, when there’s smoke, there’s fire, and that fire in one-on-one, we actually get it to happen, though.”
He also addressed concerns that some players might avoid participating out of fear of being embarrassed:
“I don’t think anybody’s embarrassed. I just think that there has to be an appreciation there first of what you do because you got to commentate a little bit differently than you do five-on-five. There’s an appreciation for seeing a [one-on-one] matchup that I think goes beyond just what the traditional space is now. So maybe if we create that, I’m with that.”
Kevin Durant, who has long been considered one of the best one-on-one players in NBA history, has also expressed confidence in his ability to win such a contest. When asked who would win a hypothetical one-on-one tournament, Durant didn’t hesitate:
“I would have to go with myself,” he said.
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What Would the Tournament Look Like?
While details are still being finalized, early reports suggest that the competition could feature a bracket-style tournament, with matchups between players from different positions. It could be played to 11 or 21 points, with traditional one-on-one rules – meaning that a player must get a stop in order to regain possession.
A $1 million prize has been rumored as an incentive, which could further encourage star participation.
Will It Work?
The idea of a one-on-one tournament is certainly intriguing, and it could provide the All-Star Weekend with the competitive fire it has been missing.
If the league can get its biggest stars to participate, this format has the potential to create unforgettable moments – ones that could reignite interest in an event that has lost its spark.
The NBA has tried many things to fix All-Star Weekend. Could this finally be the solution?
