{"id":158623,"date":"2025-09-11T14:23:56","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T18:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=158623"},"modified":"2025-09-11T14:23:56","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T18:23:56","slug":"nba-will-add-one-on-one-tournament-all-star-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/09\/11\/nba-will-add-one-on-one-tournament-all-star-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Star Hints Confirmation Of Fan Favorite NBA All-Star Event"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mcgratr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tracy McGrady<\/a> is a former seven-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, and a Hall of Fame player. Recently, he joined <em>NBA on NBC<\/em> as part of the new television deal that the NBA signed. Speaking recently on a podcast, McGrady talked about his dream of joining a company like NBC, but also hinted at something fans have long hoped for.<\/p>\n<h2>Tracy McGrady Hints Confirmation Of NBA All-Star One-On-One Tournament<\/h2>\n<p>Last season, NBA All-Star Weekend <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/02\/18\/operation-fix-the-nba-all-star-weekend\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">was a fiasco<\/a> with many fans <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/lakers\/comments\/1irb9fc\/worst_all_star_game_of_all_time_and_its_not_even\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">calling it the worst ever<\/a> due to a lack of star participation and excessive commercials. In the aftermath, NBA commissioner Adam Silver hinted that <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/03\/27\/usa-vs-world-pros-cons-proposed-all-star-game-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">the league was considering changes<\/a>. Ironically, the league had just introduced <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/28\/nba-cancels-new-all-star-game-format-after-just-one-season\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">a new four-team format<\/a> that didn\u2019t deliver and was subsequently cancelled. For next season, the NBA confirmed there will be a <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/04\/official-2026-all-star-game-will-be-team-usa-vs-team-world\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">USA vs. World<\/a> game during All-Star Weekend, an event fans would love to see.<\/p>\n<p>However, McGrady all but confirmed that there will be also be a one-on-one tournament. Speaking on the <em>Gil&#8217;s Arena<\/em> podcast, the former NBA star said:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, I don\u2019t know if you guys know, but I had a conversation with NBC. Sorry, NBC, if I am not supposed to be telling this. But I think they are going to have a one-on-one tournament at All-Star Weekend this year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tracy McGrady GETS REAL On His NBA Legacy &amp; Kobe Comparisons\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P91MxSbq8z4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>With T-Mac&#8217;s words in mind, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game will be the 75th edition of the popular event. The Los Angeles Clippers will host it at their new shiny Intuit Dome in Inglewood (CA). NBC will televise the game nationally for the first time since 2002.<\/p>\n<p>If there was any time to give the fans what they want, it&#8217;s now.<\/p>\n<h3>Can Fans Expect Stars to Show Up?<\/h3>\n<p>No matter what format or events the NBA comes up with, it won&#8217;t matter if the stars don&#8217;t show up. Fans want to see the biggest stars compete against each other, and the decline of the Slam Dunk contest speaks to this. If there are incentives for them to participate, like a cash prize, they may trot themselves out there. Still, nobody wants to see them play uninspired basketball either, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/12\/23\/spurs-victor-wembanyama-new-all-star-game-needs\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">which is the real issue<\/a> with the NBA All-Star Game.<\/p>\n<p>If the league implements a one-on-one tournament, will the league&#8217;s top talents actually make it worth everybody&#8217;s time?<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_113907\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-113907\" style=\"width: 2361px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-113907\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305.jpeg\" alt=\"San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35)\" width=\"2361\" height=\"1630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305.jpeg 2361w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305-300x207.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305-1024x707.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305-768x530.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305-1536x1060.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/12\/IMG_3305-2048x1414.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2361px) 100vw, 2361px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-113907\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nov 2, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) in the closing seconds of the game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That question will be answered in a few months, but there are a couple of elite players that seem like they would take a one-on-one tournament seriously if invited.<\/p>\n<p>Widely considered one of the greatest isolation scorers in NBA history, Houston Rockets forward <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/duranke01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Durant<\/a> was asked <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/news\/kevin-durant-would-choose-himself-to-win-a-1-on-1-nba-all-star-contest\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">who would win<\/a> a one-on-one tournament during the NBA All-Star Weekend (h\/t Olympics.com reporter Chloe Merrell). He immediately replied:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cOf course, I would have to go with myself. There are so many great 1-on-1 players in our league. I don&#8217;t think it would be easy to predict who would come out on top. But if I had to say one guy, it&#8217;d probably be Wemby. I&#8217;d add Tatum in there, too.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Though he hasn&#8217;t spoken about playing in a one-on-one tournament, San Antonio Spurs center <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wembavi01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Victor Wembanyama<\/a>&#8216;s competitive nature is well-documented.<\/p>\n<h3>The NBA Has Hosted A One-On-One Tournament Before<\/h3>\n<p>It&#8217;s been long enough that many fans might not even know, but the NBA&#8217;s hosted a one-on-one tournament before. It happened at halftime during the 1972 and 1973 NBA Finals. The one in 1972 featured players like Detroit Pistons center <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/l\/laniebo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bob Lanier<\/a> and Boston Celtics guard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/whitejo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jo Jo White<\/a>, who would face off despite a considerable size and skill difference.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"NBA Legends ONE on ONE: Bob Lanier vs JO JO White\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J3GmOlCQCN0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>That event has largely been forgotten by the public (the NBA shows it on NBA TV occasionally).<\/p>\n<h3>The Last Word On All-Star One-On-One Tournament<\/h3>\n<p>In the modern times, the basketball world has Unrivaled, the WNBA&#8217;s one-on-one tournament. The event has been praised by fans for showcasing pure individual basketball skills, and many believe the NBA should adopt a similar format. However, one of the common fears is that the event might damage player brands, with stars being reluctant to play and risk losing against other players.<\/p>\n<div class=\"modal-image-setImageMetadata\">\n<p class=\"ng-binding\">\u00a9 Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tracy McGrady is a former seven-time All-Star, two-time scoring champion, and a Hall of Fame player. Recently, he joined NBA on NBC as part of the new television deal that the NBA signed. Speaking recently on a podcast, McGrady talked about his dream of joining a company like NBC, but also hinted at something fans [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5291,"featured_media":158632,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,2,31,3,34],"tags":[69,636,1199,4669],"class_list":["post-158623","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-featured","category-rockets","category-news","category-spurs","tag-kevin-durant","tag-nba-all-star-weekend","tag-tracy-mcgrady","tag-victor-wembanyama"],"modified_by":"Quenton S Albertie","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5291"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158623"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":158633,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158623\/revisions\/158633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158623"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158623"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}