76ers' Paul George blasts new NBA All-Star game format; 'Just wasting time'
12/30/2024 04:48 PM
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant isn't the only NBA player voicing displeasure with the new All-Star Game format for 2025; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has also joined the chat. Shortly before, the 76ers veteran forward George passed Vince Carter on the all-time 3-point shot list, and he discussed the NBA's new All-Star Game tournament in a recent episode of Podcast P presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment.
Fortunately for George, he likely won't have to partake in the All-Star Game amid his less-than-stellar production in his first season with the 76ers. However, that didn't prevent him from chiming in on what he believes is too much for what used to be one sole game honoring the best players in the NBA.
"We already had a hard time with one game; how are we going to have three All-Star Games? We had a hard enough time trying to get everyone to compete at a high level playing in one game," George said. "So I just don't understand how; I guess it's a shorter number to play to, so I guess that's the competitive part about it. It's competing to get to, I think it's 40 or something like that.
"But yeah, I just don't like the format; if we're not going to go out and compete and be competitive, then I think it's still just wasting time," George concluded.
After the NBA announces all 24 All-Stars, they will be divided into three eight-player teams. Then, the fourth team will be made up of players from the winner of the Rising Star Challenge between rookie and second-year players. TNT commentators Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O'Neal will draft the three teams.
Will Paul George represent 76ers in 2025 All-Star Game?
76ers forward Paul George averages less than 20 points per game two months before All-Star weekend for the first time in ten seasons. He's posting 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game for the 76ers in 2024-25, while the Sixers have won five of their last six, including a Christmas Day victory over the champion Boston Celtics.
After beating the Celtics 118-114, Joel Embiid discussed the 76ers' high ceiling this season, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
"We got a high ceiling," Embiid said. "It's all about us putting it together…I don't think that was close to our best basketball, but we got a pretty good chance."
Then, Sixers' All-Star duo Embiid (32 points) and Tyrese Maxey combined for 64 points in their 114-111 win against the Utah Jazz, and George finished with 13 points.
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