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NBA All-Star Game Rule Changes

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

The first NBA All-Star game took place 75 years ago, marking a tradition that honors the league's top players. This year, changes are being made to rules and regulations of this game, creating a more entertaining event. In the past, All-Star players would be picked by fans, players and media panels. They would select starters while head coaches vote for reserves. However, this year roster changes, limitations on international players and no position requirements have been added to the rules.

“The starters have been made up of two backcourt players and three frontcourt players, with the reserves being the same split plus two wild cards,” ESPN writer Tim Bontemps said. “This year, though, the starters will be the five top vote-getters, regardless of position, and the reserves will be the top seven, also regardless of position.”

The most obvious change: a three-team format featuring eight-man rosters. Two of these will be made up of American players, and a third will be of international selection. This will allow more game play with a round-robin style tournament. One common problem this rule will face is what happens if those 24 players do not evenly break down into 16 American and eight international players. If the player pool doesn't go into that 16-8 split, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will have to add players to get the even split of American or international players.​​

“Both the NBA and NBC, which is streaming the All-Star Game broadcast, are hoping this change will breathe life into an event that Silver has repeatedly tried to get players to invest more energy into over the past few years,” Bontemps said. 

One of the reasons for the appeal of the international format is NBC's proposal that All-Star Weekend is being inserted into the network's coverage of the Winter Olympic Games in February. As a result, the All-Star Game will not take place at its usual 8 p.m. ET start time, as it regularly has in the past, and instead will be at 5 p.m. ET/ 2 p.m. PT.

Like last year, there will be four 12-minute quarters as part of the game. But, differences with the first three quarters being made up of round-robin play featuring the three teams take place,  allowing each of them to play twice.

“The fourth quarter will then be the game featuring the two best teams after the round-robin action,” Bontemps said. “And, if all three teams have 1-1 records, the two with the best point differential will advance to the championship game.”

Make sure to tune in and watch this year's All-Star Weekend. It takes place in Los Angeles at Intuit Dome, the Clippers new arena, and kicks off February 13.