INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Anthony Edwards has never been one to shy away from the spotlight. On Sunday night at Intuit Dome, the 24-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves star seized it entirely, pouring in 32 points across three games to earn the Kobe Bryant MVP Trophy and cement himself as the face of a new All-Star era.

Team USA Stars crushed Team USA Stripes 47-21 in the championship game, capping a dominant run through the league's revamped three-team round-robin format. Edwards collected 10 of 14 MVP votes, with San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard receiving the remaining four after a strong showing of his own.

From the opening tip of the first round-robin contest, Edwards made his intentions clear. The explosive guard attacked the rim with his trademark ferocity, pulled up from deep with supreme confidence, and played with a competitive fire that has become increasingly rare in exhibitions. By the time the championship game arrived, Edwards was operating on a different level than everyone else on the floor.

The lopsided 47-21 final in the title game told the story of a Team USA Stars squad that simply overwhelmed its counterpart. The World team, featuring international talent from across the globe, was eliminated during the round-robin stage, setting up the all-American finale.

But the biggest winner of the night might have been the format itself.

After years of criticism over lackluster All-Star Games that resembled glorified pickup runs, the NBA rolled the dice with a three-team structure pitting USA Stars against USA Stripes against the World in a round-robin tournament. The gamble paid off handsomely. The broadcast drew 8.8 million viewers, a staggering 87 percent increase over last year's 4.7 million — a number that had itself represented a troubling low point for the league's midseason showcase.

The shorter, more intense games created natural urgency. With elimination on the line in every contest, players competed with a physicality and purpose that fans have been demanding for years. The format gave the evening a playoff-like tension that no amount of rule tweaks to the traditional East-versus-West game had ever managed to produce.

The rest of All-Star Weekend delivered its own memorable moments. Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson electrified the crowd by winning the Slam Dunk Contest, bringing the house down with a series of athletic throwdowns that recalled the event's golden age. Portland's Damian Lillard, the ageless sharpshooter, reminded everyone why he remains one of the greatest long-range artists in league history by capturing the 3-Point Contest with 29 points. And in the Shooting Stars team competition, Team Knicks took home the trophy, giving New York's passionate fanbase yet another reason to celebrate during an already exciting season.

For Edwards, the MVP honor represents another milestone in a career that continues to ascend at a breathtaking pace. Already one of the most dynamic scorers in the game, the Timberwolves guard now adds an All-Star MVP to a resume that grows more impressive with each passing season.

As the confetti settled on the Intuit Dome floor and Edwards hoisted the trophy bearing Kobe Bryant's name, the message was unmistakable. The NBA's midseason celebration is back, the format works, and Anthony Edwards is the man of the moment. The league could not have scripted a better outcome if it tried.