If you tuned into the 2025 NBA All-Star Games expecting action-packed top basketball, you might have left feeling… underwhelmed. Now, it’s okay, because you weren’t the only ones who felt so. The excitement in the air, fans getting ready to see their favorite players ready to showcase their skills in a high-energy exhibition, turned out to be a bit of a disappointment. Well, after the dust settles and the data is crunched, you realize something shocking. The amount of drama. Is this really what the All-Star experience has come to?
Draymond Green had already made it abundantly clear: the 2025 NBA All-Star Game was more about entertainment than basketball. Speaking candidly on TNT’s coverage, he called out the event’s new format. “What are we doing here?” he rhetorically blurted.
It was Dray’s frustration with the concept of the Rising Stars team, which was added to the tournament for the first time. Apart from it, he also had an issue with the original format being gamified. “You work all year to be an All-Star, and you get to play up to 40, and then you’re done. This is so unfair,” Green added. He wasn’t the only one dissatisfied, but he was certainly the loudest and was right.
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First, let us break down for you how the three-hour event unfolded. The actual basketball time? A mere 42 minutes.
Out of the 180 minutes of airtime, 30 minutes were taken up by ad commercials alone. While it’s no surprise that ads take up a chunk of the broadcast, this year’s volume felt excessive, further highlighting how basketball seemed secondary to the marketing of the event. Add in another 10 minutes of pre-game talk, and you already have 40 minutes before any basketball even happens!
The games followed a similar pattern: mini-games with breaks, stoppages, and a lack of flow. Game 1—Kenny vs. Chuck—was fun but brief. The segment lasted 12 minutes, but only 10:07 of that was actual gameplay, with plenty of pauses between plays.
There was the Mr Beast Challenge—an entertaining spectacle, sure, but one that had little to do with basketball. Jimmy and Co. hosted a challenge where college student Jared Barajas had to make a three-pointer from the logo before Damian Lillard made three regular shots. Barajas eventually made the shot just before the buzzer in emphatic fashion, but again, this was more drama than sport… While fun moments like this brought energy to the night, they deviated focus away from the basketball action fans came to see.
The pattern repeated in Game 2 (Shaq’s OGs vs. Candace’s Rising Stars), which ran for 16 minutes, but only 12:54 was spent actually playing ball. Game 3—Chuck vs. Shaq—had a similar pacing, running for 14 minutes but only featuring 10:40 of actual game time.
In total, 42 minutes of basketball in three hours of airtime feels like a massive missed opportunity. The decision to split a 40-point game into multiple segments hurt the overall flow, leaving basketball fans hungry for more of the action they initially expected. However, keeping this aside, something happened that left fans questioning: What’s next for Inside the NBA?
Will ‘Inside the NBA’ crew stay loyal to TNT, or will they jump ship?
Amid the theatrics and distractions of the All-Star Game this year, a moment stood out. A tribute to the iconic Inside the NBA crew left one question: Is this the end of an era? Kevin Hart, the night’s viral host, paused during the Shaq OGs vs. Chuck’s Global Stars final. He thanked Shaq, Kenny, Chuck, and Ernie, handing them “gone fishing” gifts, a nod to their signature playoff segment. It was heartfelt, but why now? Could it be a subtle hint that TNT’s long-running basketball talk show might be nearing its end?
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via Getty LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 05: TNT’s Inside the NBA team (L-R) NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal, host Ernie Johnson Jr., wearing an iGrow laser-based hair-growth helmet, and NBA analysts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley talk during a live telecast of “NBA on TNT” at CES 2017 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on January 5, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES, the world’s largest annual consumer technology trade show, runs through January 8 and features 3,800 exhibitors showing off their latest products and services to more than 165,000 attendees. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The timing of this tribute couldn’t have been more interesting. Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT’s parent company, was left out of the NBA’s billion-dollar media deal. Fans were already worried about the fate of the TNT program, especially with ESPN taking over broadcast rights. Shaq’s humor, Barkley’s candid takes, Kenny’s analysis, and Ernie’s steady presence brought a unique chemistry to the screen. But with changes looming, we the fans feared we might lose the beloved show.
While the rumors swirl, though, some decisions are already made. Charles Barkley, after much speculation, reaffirmed his commitment to TNT. “I’m not going to work more as I get older. And I’m going to sit down with ESPN and TNT more because I just need to know if I’m going to continue working,” Barkley said, explaining his bond with the network. He signed a 10-year, $210M extension with TNT in 2022. Even with the future uncertain, his loyalty remains unshaken.
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Shaq, however, seems to be in limbo. His TNT contract is reportedly up after this season, and many believe he’ll jump to ESPN. A new long-term deal with TNT reportedly worth over $15 million per year has surfaced in the headlines, but will he stay? The decision could impact the future direction of the show, leaving fans to wonder if the Inside the NBA family will stay intact.
As for Kenny and Ernie, their futures seem more secure. Kenny is expected to sign a multi-year deal with TNT, while Ernie’s next move remains to be seen. Could they stick together? Only time will tell. But for now, we’ll have to savor the moments they’ve left. The All-Star tribute reminded us why we love these guys—they’re more than analysts; they’re part of the NBA fabric.