In an All-Star tournament that was met with pushback for its format and its coverage, Team Shaq prevailed on Sunday when the basketball was all said and done.
In the three-team mini-tournament, Team Shaq’s squad of All-Star veterans defeated Team Candace’s roster of non All-Stars in the semifinal round. It then rolled past Team Chuck’s squad of international All-Stars via a 41-25 victory in the final to secure the title of 2025 All-Star champions.
Each player on Team Shaq secured a $125,000 prize for the victory. Team Chuck’s runners-up earned $50,000, while the semifinal losers secured $25,000 each just for making it to Sunday.
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After facing a challenge from Team Candace’s Rising Stars team in the semifinals, Team Shaq started the final on fire with an 11-0 lead, sparked by eight early points from Jayson Tatum. Team Chuck never challenged as Team Shaq cruised to a 41-25 win.
Tatum led the way with 15 points, including the game-winning bucket. Warriors star Stephen Curry added 12 points in front of a San Francisco crowd.
In between and sometimes during the games, the broadcast featured commentary and banter from comedian Kevin Hart that distracted from the basketball and was met with vocal criticism on social media.
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The tournament format itself, meanwhile, was the subject of harsh criticism on the TNT broadcast from Draymond Green.
Playing without an injured LeBron James, Team Shaq averted disaster in the second semifinal of Sunday’s All-Star mini tournament.
Led by nine points from Damian Lillard, Team Shaq scored a 42-35 win over Team Candace’s roster of Rising Stars.
In the first-to-40 format, Team Candace kept pace with Team Shaq for much of the game that was tied at 28-28. But Team Shaq pulled away with a 14-7 run to secure the win and avoid losing to a team of non-All-Stars. Team Shaq missed a bunch of shots down the stretch as they tried to end the game on a 3-pointer while sitting on 37 points.
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Officials then ignored an obvious foul of Kevin Durant as Team Shaq sat on 39 points in an apparent effort to avoid having the game end on the free-throw line.
Damian Lillard eventually put the game to bed with a deep 3 to secure the win.
Team Shaq advances to face Team Chuck in the final.
Behind an outburst from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and some actual All-Star Game defense from Victor Wembanyama, Charles Barkley’s team of international stars struck first Sunday night.
Team Chuck cruised to a 42-31 win over Team Kenny in the first semifinal, which featured a lineup of young stars headlined by Jalen Brunson and Evan Mobley. Anthony Edwards was a DNP with a lingering groin injury.
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Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 12 points, including the game-winning bucket. Gilgeous-Alexander beat Jaren Jackson Jr. off the dribble and put Team Chuck over 40 points with a two-handed dunk. The first team to 40 points in the semifinal round wins.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s easy path to the bucket with the game on the line won’t assuage critics tired of the lack of defense in the All-Star game. But Victor Wembanyama at least made an effort in his first All-Star game debut.
He finished with six points, four rebounds, one steal and this block of Cade Cunningham in the winning effort for Team Chuck.
Similar to the Rising Stars challenge, the NBA All-Stars will competed in a three-game tournament. The All-Stars were split into three teams — through an All-Star Draft conducted by TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The first two matchups were Team Shaq vs. Team Candace Parker, and Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny. Parker’s team qualified Friday as the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge when it was coached by Chris Mullin, and it features Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey and others.
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For each game in Sunday’s tournament, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points.
As for prize money, each player on the championship-winning team will receive $125,000; each player on the second-place team will receive $50,000; and each player on the third- and fourth-place teams will receive $25,000.
The All-Star teams are comprised of the East and West starters (voted by fans, players and media members) and reserves (voted by coaches). Trae Young and Kyrie Irving were named as injury replacements for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, respectively.
Here’s a breakdown of the rosters (listed in order of how each team was drafted).
Shaq’s OGs
- Anthony Davis, Mavericks*
Kenny’s Young Stars
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers
Chuck’s Global Stars
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks*
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
- Trae Young, Hawks
- *injured
Team Candace
- Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
- Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
- Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
- Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
- Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
- Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
- Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (added by Parker after Friday’s games)
