'Must see basketball' — Giannis Antetokounmpo pushes for 2026 NBA All-Star Game to feature Team USA vs World in epic new format
Giannis Antetokounmpo. Image via: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Giannis Antetokounmpo may have missed the 2025 All-Star Weekend due to injury, but he has been vocal about the future of the NBA's midseason show. The Milwaukee Bucks star lit up social media with a bold vision for reviving the struggling All-Star Game, and it was highly anticipated: Team USA vs.
Team World. And with the league desperately seeking ways to inject life into its marquee exhibition, this might be the spark it needs.
Giannis Antetokounmpo backs USA vs. World NBA All-Star format
Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking to get in the NBA All-Star games for 2026, but with the twist that many NBA fans are rooting for. Certainly, Team USA vs. Team World has been the talk of the town for a long time. Responding to a fan on X, Antetokounmpo shared that the 2026 All-Star should have Team USA competing against Team World.
'This should be next year All Star Game format!! Must see basketball,' Giannis posted on X. He replied to a fan who attached a graphic that showed two superstar lineups — an elite American five squaring off against a dominant international squad.
For years, fans and league officials alike have lamented the All-Star Game's steady decline. Flashy but lifeless, the event has lacked urgency, effort, and authenticity.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed!
IC Markets
Start Now
Undo
Now, Giannis is offering something more than just another format tweak — he's offering stakes.
The hypothetical matchup he shared was electric and will potentially be an instand fan favorite. LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum are suiting up for Team USA against a world-class international five of Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama— the game will be what fans have been asking for all along.
Also Read:
Sydel Curry-Lee revealed Seth Curry's hilarious Instagram story with her husband Damion Lee
This isn't a new idea. The NBA experimented with a USA vs. World theme in past Rising Stars games, and the NHL saw huge success with its 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. That tournament, featuring national squads from the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Finland, reignited fan interest and drew emotional buy-in from players, even if it came with heightened injury risk. Canada's overtime win against Team USA was as thrilling as it was symbolic of what All-Star events could be when players genuinely care.
Get
IPL 2025
match
schedules
,
squads
,
points table
, and live scores for
CSK
,
MI
,
RCB
,
KKR
,
SRH
,
LSG
,
DC
,
GT
,
PBKS
, and
RR
. Check the latest
IPL Orange Cap
and
Purple Cap
standings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
"Bottom tier organization" -Indiana Pacers management leaves fans disappointed ahead of Game 1 of NBA finals
"Bottom tier organization" -Indiana Pacers management leaves fans disappointed ahead of Game 1 of NBA finals (Image source: Getty) Indiana Pacers arranged a free merch event for their supporters ahead of the NBA finals which ended in chaos. With fans lining up for the free merch at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Pacers' were out of the freebies before the event could even end. Though the massive number of supporters did show enthusiasm, the poor management and risk handling skills of the Pacers' management is out for scrutiny. After being out of freebies for the event, the team made the announcement on their Instagram and X handles, leaving fans, who were waiting for hours, disappointed. Indiana Pacers' Gear Grab event went out of hands The recent drive through event organized by the Indiana Pacers went out of hand as the team was out of free merchandise before the event ended. The event, named 'Drive Thru Gear Grab,' was held on June 5, 2025, the day of NBA finals, thus increasing fans' excitement. The team had officially made the announcement on June 4, 2025, where they clearly stated that it will be a drive-through free merchandise event at Pennsylvania St. side of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where the first 5000 vehicles will get their hands on exclusive Pacers' merchandise. The event was supposed to start at 4 PM EDT and should have lasted for 3 hours. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tecno Pova Curve 5G - 144hz Curve Feels Like No Phone Before TECNO Mobile Book Now Undo What the team did not expect was the huge queue of fans lining up for the event before the starting time. Due to the huge response, all the merchandise packs went out even before the event ended. Due to this, the Pacers' had to make an official statement apologizing to fans regarding the sudden pause and thanking them for showing up in big numbers. Indiana Pacers release official statement on running out of the gear Grab merchandizes (Image Source: Indiana Pacers via X) However, many fans were left disappointed with the poor management skills of the team and expressed their grief on the situation. One fan went on to say, 'Been here since 3:30pm thanks for giving away all the bags to people who walked up instead of those who followed the rules and stayed in their cars in the drive up lane.' It seemed various fans did not follow the rule of staying in the drive through lane and went straight up to get the gear packs. What's more astonishing is that the Pacers' management didn't do anything about it. Despite the chaos, most fans are quite happy that the team is now one step closer to that trophy. Indiana Pacers is entering the finals for the first time since 2000, which makes it all the more special for the fandom. Whether they will sweep the trophy from the OKC Thunder or disappoint their fans again, remains to be seen. Also Read: NBA Finals 2025: Where to watch Game 1 Indiana Pacers vs Oklahoma City Thunder, full schedule and more
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Twins' Pablo Lopez to miss 8–12 weeks after shoulder injury sends him to IL
Image Source: Getty Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo López is expected to land on the injured list after leaving Tuesday night's 10–3 win over the Oakland Athletics with discomfort in his throwing shoulder. The team suspects a lat strain, and while no official diagnosis has been made yet, López is scheduled to undergo further evaluation. Early exit raises concerns for Twins' Ace López, the team's Opening Day starter and one of their most dependable arms, felt tightness in the back of his shoulder during the fifth inning. Despite completing the frame, he experienced the same discomfort while warming up for the sixth. 'I tried to stay loose between innings, but it just didn't feel right,' López said. 'After three warmup pitches, I knew pushing it could've made things worse.' Manager Rocco Baldelli and head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta quickly responded to his signal from the mound. After a brief discussion, López left the game, clearly frustrated. 'It sucks,' he said. 'I hate missing starts. I hate the idea of this being serious. But I also know I have to listen to my body.' This is López's second potential IL stint this season and will be out for 8-12 weeks. Earlier this season, he missed a couple of starts in April because of a hamstring strain. Before that, he'd been remarkably reliable, never missing a single start since joining the Twins. Rotation plans shift as team awaits imaging results With López likely sidelined, the Twins are already weighing their next move. They called up David Festa from Triple-A St. Paul, and he is expected to start Wednesday's series finale in Sacramento. The current rotation includes Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Chris Paddack, Zebby Matthews, and now Festa. Simeon Woods Richardson, who's been working on his game in Triple-A, might get the call again if the Twins need another arm. Also Read: " Good thing with pitching and hitting": Pablo Lopez reacts after twins scores historic 13th win despite players injuries Baldelli acknowledged the uncertainty but tried to stay optimistic. 'It looks like a lat strain, but we need to wait for imaging before making decisions,' he said. In 2023, López earned an All-Star, and that strong performance has helped him compile a 2.82 ERA in his first 11 outings this season. Now that he is not playing, the Twins have to boost their efforts for the approaching key schedule. At this point, the team is proceeding slowly and hopes for good results.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Who is going to be NBA finals winner? Fan-favorite Air Corgi prediction stirs pot with its unconventional pick
Who is going to take the NBA championship trophy home? The buzz around the same has skyrocketed as the Finals are starting on June 6. Amidst all the discussions, fan-favorite Air Corgi is also out with her pick. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Her choice resonated with the X users in large numbers, but there were a few who had different thoughts. Air Corgi prediction shared on X cements Indiana Pacers as new champions Sharing Yahoo Sports' Air Corgi post, an X user brought to the fans the moment where Air Corgi nets the ball thrown to her. The nets were assigned the names Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, respectively. Air Corgi deflected the ball from a distance using the headshot, and it went down the nets. The process was repeated seven times, corresponding to the number of games played in the NBA Finals series. Of the seven times, the result went in the Pacers' favor four times, making them the NBA Finals winner by 4-3. The tweet read: 'Air Corgi makes her NBA Finals prediction' It was followed by the video. Take a look at the snapshot of the same: So, according to her predictions, the Indiana Pacers are likely to get crowned the new champions of the NBA. In response to a question asked by a fan, X's AI tool Grok replied: 'Air Corgi has been right in about 75% of its 2025 NBA playoff predictions, correctly forecasting three out of four series. It accurately predicted the Pacers over the Cavaliers (4-1), the Knicks over the Celtics (4-2, inferred), and the Pacers over the Knicks (4-2) in the Eastern Conference. However, it incorrectly predicted the Rockets over the Warriors (Warriors won 4-3). These are playful guesses, not based on analysis, so accuracy may be coincidental. ' The response sheds light on the reason why Air Corgi predictions have become a rage among NBA fans. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Fans could not keep calm over Indiana Pacers being declared as winners, igniting debate The YouTube short Video of the Air Corgi prediction game shared on X garnered 3.7 million views till the writing of this news piece. It is engaging the fans remarkably. They have shared their thoughts with a lot of enthusiasm on the prediction made by Air Corgi. The majority of fans are with the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were also the top-seeded team this season. A fan rejected the video's claim completely and wrote, 'Just make a new one, okc losing 2 straight home games is like 0%.' Another fan commented, 'I don't think so lol.' One more comment that showed the Thunder's huge fan base was, 'He's cooking' However, there were a few fans who seconded the opinion provided by Air Corgi An excited fan commented, 'Pacers in 6 is also my prediction.' Another opinion was, 'I've been saying Pacer in 6 from the get go.' Also Read: Finals The Indiana Pacers have a tough fight ahead as their opponent is the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are considered the better team. If the Pacers can pull off the upset, it will be historic, as the win would be their first.
