LOS ANGELES -- Anthony Edwards put on a show for the ages at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, earning his first Kobe Bryant MVP Award and leading USA Stars to the 2026 NBA All-Star Championship on Sunday, February 16. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard tallied 32 points across three games in the revamped tournament format, collecting 10 of 14 possible MVP votes to claim the honor over runner-up Kawhi Leonard.

The new format, which replaced the traditional East vs. West single-game showdown, pitted two teams of American All-Stars against a squad representing the World in a round-robin mini-tournament of four 12-minute games. The first three contests were tightly contested, delivering the kind of competitive intensity that fans and league officials had long hoped the midseason showcase would produce. But it was Edwards who took control down the stretch, pouring in eight points on 3-of-5 shooting in the decisive fourth game as USA Stars routed USA Stripes 47-21 in the championship matchup.

The weekend attracted an average of 8.8 million viewers across multiple networks, marking the largest NBA All-Star audience since 2011 -- a clear signal that the league's bold format overhaul is paying dividends with fans.

All-Star Saturday Night provided its own share of unforgettable moments. Damian Lillard, who has not appeared in a regular-season game this year due to an Achilles tear suffered in last season's playoffs, defied the odds by capturing his third career State Farm 3-Point Contest title. The Milwaukee Bucks guard knocked down shot after shot in the final round, finishing with 30 points to edge Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, who posted 27. Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel rounded out the final three with 17 points. Lillard now joins Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only players in league history to win the 3-Point Contest three times, having previously claimed the crown in 2023 and 2024.

The AT&T Slam Dunk Contest delivered a crowd-pleasing finish as well. Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson, an undrafted second-year player who was recently recalled from the G League, soared past San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant to take the title. Johnson brought the house down with a breathtaking final dunk, launching himself from roughly 10 feet in front of the rim and leaping over rapper E-40 before hammering the ball through the hoop. His combined final-round score of 97.4 sealed a victory that few saw coming from a player who has appeared in just 21 games for the Heat this season.

Team Knicks also delivered a highlight by firing up 47 points to defeat Team Cameron's 38 in the Kia Shooting Stars competition, rounding out a packed Saturday slate.

With the All-Star break now in the rearview mirror, the NBA regular season resumed on Thursday, February 19, as teams shift their focus to the stretch run toward the playoffs. The festivities in Los Angeles will be remembered not just for Edwards' brilliance or Lillard's historic sharpshooting, but for proving that a reimagined All-Star Weekend can recapture the imagination of basketball fans everywhere. If the ratings are any indication, the league may have finally found the formula it has been searching for.