SAN FRANCISCO — The 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco and Oakland yielded positive and appreciated moments.

But it also fell flat in other areas as the league fiddles with the All-Star Game format and tries to make it a more appealing and entertaining product for the league, players, partners and fans.

The new mini four-team tournament where the first team to 40 showed potential but still had drawbacks.

“I think it was a good step in the right direction to reinvigorate the game in some way, and then you tinker with it again next year and see what changes you can make,” Golden State All-Star MVP Steph Curry said.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, playing in his first All-Star Game, said, “It felt like there were high stakes in the games. It was better than I expected, and that format, I think it worked pretty well.”

There were hiccups, such as the in-game entertainment drawing out the length of the game to the detriment of viewers’ interest.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA All-Star winners and losers:

WINNERS

New format amplifies competitiveness, but system still flawed

The All-Star Game mini-tournament presented a clear upgrade, with players more engaged to defend and compete, though the revamped format was still imperfect. Ultimately, breaking up the All-Star teams across three different squads with no regard for conference affiliation still felt too much like a gimmick. The average fan likely wants to see something that more closely resembles a traditional East vs. West showdown, just one in which it’s clear the players care. The solution may be obvious.

During this All-Star Game, each player on the championship-winning team received a payout of $125,000, while each player on the second-place team earned $50,000. Each player on the third- and fourth-place teams got $25,000. If the NBA wants to return the All-Star Game to glory, the league should significantly increase the payout for the winners and have the losing team net considerably less. It may not be the best for optics, but if the league wants the exhibition to be a more desirable product, throwing some more cash behind it should be a starting point.

Bay Area: San Francisco and Oakland

The NBA celebrated San Francisco and Oakland — with official All-Star events taking place in both cities. Courts were refurbished throughout the region. Oakland native Gary Payton was a heavy presence throughout the weekend as were former Golden State Warriors stars Mitch Richmond, Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin and former Warrior Rick Barry. All five are Hall of Famers, and future Hall of Famer Steph Curry and his wife, Ayesha donated the funds to renovate the McClymonds High School gym where Hall of Famer Bill Russell played in Oakland.

Steph Curry

Mac McClung makes his case as all-time dunker; contest may be better for it

No player had ever won three consecutive NBA Slam Dunk Contests before Saturday night, when Orlando Magic guard Mac McClung made his case as one of the all-time dunkers. McClung, who plays for the team’s Osceola Magic G League affiliate, scored perfect 50s on each of his four dunks and soared over sedans, people spinning on hoverboards and Evan Mobley — a 6-foot-11 forward — who was standing on a short stage.

Shaq’s purple fedora

Leave it up to Big Diesel to dress to impress. Shaquille O’Neal, whose Shaq’s OGs team won the All-Star Game, came correct with a purple fedora that made the rounds throughout the night. At one point, during a segment that was bolstered by comedian Kevin Hart’s delivery, the fedora was passed to Charles Barkley, who cooperated and put it on. During another segment, it went to Hart. All of it infused levity and humor to the festivities Sunday night.

Tyler Herro

Competing in his second NBA All-Star 3-point contest, Herro, a Miami Heat All-Star guard, won the event for the first time.

LOSERS

Delay in All-Star championship game

With the score 11-1 in the All-Star Game, there was a break to honor the TNT “Inside the NBA” crew, which is doing its final All-Star Weekend before the new TV deal begins next season and NBC provides coverage of All-Star events. Nothing wrong with that.

But it caused a nearly 20-minute delay in resumption of the game, and it was easy to lose interest. “Yeah, breaks, I guess, weren’t ideal. I would rather play without breaks. But I had fun nonetheless,” Oklahoma City All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.

Said Boston’s Jayson Tatum: “The toughest part, they stopped the game to do the presentation while we were kind of halfway through it. We were sitting down for 20 minutes, whatever it was. It was kind of tough to get back into the game after that.”

Injuries

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dallas’ Anthony Davis and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards did not play in the All-Star Game because of injuries.

Antetokounmpo and Davis were listed out and were replaced with commissioner choices — Trae Young and Kyrie Irving. However, James and Edwards were late scratches.

James’ absence ended his NBA-record streak of 20 consecutive All-Star starts.

Skills Challenge sputters, again

The most exciting  part about the Skills Competition was that a team — the Spurs contingent of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama — tried to cheat and got disqualified. The Spurs tried to find a loophole in the rule by quickly wasting their shot attempts in the interest of saving time. Fans booed, the product was substandard, communication of the rules was messy and an NBA staffer even prevented TNT’s Allie LaForce from interviewing Paul and Wembanyama.

Compare that to the 2007 Skills Challenge, when Paul (then 21), Kobe Bryant (28), LeBron James (22) and Dwyane Wade (26) — all legitimate stars — competed in the event. Getting the game’s best to participate, but more importantly buy in, is the only way the event survives.

Inclusion of the Rising Stars in All-Star Sunday

Warriors forward Draymond Green, working as a guest analyst for TNT, absolutely shredded the NBA’s decision to have the winning team of the Rising Stars event compete against the All-Stars who were selected. He called it “absurd” and “ridiculous” and ranted about it several times.

His teammate, guard and All-Star MVP Stephen Curry didn’t disagree, although he was far more diplomatic. “Obviously there was a lot of conversation around the fourth team and the Rising Stars,” he said. “The All-Star experience on Sunday is very sacred, and you have to work your way into that.”

They’re not wrong. While the Rising Stars did put forth a good fight, that is not the goal of All-Star Sunday; it’s to present the very best in the world, in competition. Including the Rising Stars is tantamount to a participation trophy, and it weakens the overall product.