The NBA All-Star game is the premier event of the league’s midseason celebration, but the annual Saturday night events arguably need even more improvement.
The Dunk Contest in particular rarely draws top talent these days, and the league has cycled through various other events beyond it and the Three-Point Contest. This year, the Shooting Stars contest returned, and in 2024, Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu went head-to-head in their own shooting contest.
But according to a new report from Front Office Sports, NBC is already pushing for further evolution on Saturday night. The network will air All-Star weekend as part of its 11-year broadcast rights deal with the NBA.
Among the changes NBC may propose, according to the president of production, Sam Flood, is a fourth event. Front Office Sports listed a 1-on-1 or 2-on-2 tournament as an option for the slot.
“We’re thinking if there’s another element that could be added that would make Saturday even more of a showcase for the players,” Flood told FOS.
Throughout its first All-Star weekend, NBC focused on the players. Whereas TNT often aired multiple concerts, tributes, and side events throughout Saturday night and the All-Star game, NBC committed to an earlier start time on its broadcast network — and got right to the action.
Within the first segment of the Saturday night broadcast, the Three-Point Contest was rolling, with standout Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel putting up shots.
The All-Star game averaged nearly 9 million viewers on NBC and Telemundo. Viewership data has not been released for Saturday night.
Flood told FOS that NBC is also deploying a familiar face to reimagine the Dunk Contest. Newly hired analyst Vince Carter will “study” how to breathe new life into the event, Flood told FOS.
“He’d love to help any way he can to get the same kind of caliber of dunkers that he had back when he was competing against the best of the best,” he said.
The standout moment of last weekend’s quiet Dunk Contest saw Orlando wing Jase Richardson fall and hit his head beneath the basket.