Adam Silver Explains Why Team USA vs. Team World For All-Star Game Wouldn’t Be Fair To American Players

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver explains the problem with introducing the Team USA vs. Team World format for the All-Star Game.

4 Min Read

Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The recent NBA All-Star Games have proven to be duds, and there are growing calls for the introduction of a Team USA vs. Team World format. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had stated that some sort of international competition could be held in 2026, but during an appearance on the Club 520 Podcast, he explained why Team USA vs. Team World won’t be fair.

“The game itself, we’ve not put our best foot forward,” Silver said. “And I think the players recognize that, we recognize that. So, as you mentioned, we’re talking about changing the concept, doing something maybe close to what the NHL did in the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

“I think if it were just a straight-up USA-World, as much as fans would love that, I’m not sure it would be fair to the players,” Silver stated. “Because roughly 30% of the players are from outside the United States, so it wouldn’t be fair to pick half the team from 30% and the other half from 70%.

“We’re looking at different formats now,” Silver continued. “Talking to the Players Association because we need their agreement where we would use that concept, again similar to [what] the NHL did, where you create that passion around the USA playing other countries, other regions in the world.” 

The NHL temporarily replaced its All-Star Game with the 4 Nations Face-Off this year, and it proved to be a massive hit among the fans. The NHL players were giving it their all as they were representing their countries. You’d hope that the NBA players would do the same in a similar setup.

As Silver pointed out, it wouldn’t be fair if the NBA just went with the Team USA vs. Team World format, as the player pool is much smaller for one compared to the other. You’d imagine that if the idea were put forth, there would be some pushback from the NBA Players Association.

Previously, the NBA’s President of League Operations, Byron Spruell, had also made it clear that the league had not locked into a Team USA vs. Team World format. He added that they hope to have an international theme for the game in Los Angeles in 2026.


Giannis Antetokounmpo Wants The NBA To Adopt The Team USA vs. World Format 

Silver and Spruell’s comments about next year’s game would disappoint Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Following the disastrous mini-tournament that was held for this year’s game, Antetokounmpo stated he would love to participate in a Team USA vs. World game.

“Oh yeah, I would love that,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think that would be the most interesting and most exciting format. I would love that and, for sure, I’ll take pride to that. I always compete but I think that will give me a little bit more extra juice to compete.

“Having Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), (Nikola) Jokic, Luka (Doncic), Wemby (Victor Wembanyama), (Karl-Anthony) Towns, (Alperen) Sengun, having all those players playing with you … going against the best US players, I think it’ll be fun,” Antetokounmpo added. “I think that will be the best format…”

Putting the element of fairness aside for a bit, this would be an incredible clash. If the players on both teams give it their all, we’d get an All-Star Game for the ages. We won’t be getting that game, though, and it will be interesting to see what kind of format the NBA comes up with.

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Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
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