“I hate it,” Kevin Durant said bluntly. “Absolutely hate it. It’s terrible.“ Those aren’t words you hear every day from one of the NBA’s biggest stars, but when it comes to the league’s new All-Star Game format, KD didn’t hold back. His criticism turned heads and added to the growing concerns about the NBA’s declining viewership, which has dropped a staggering 48% since 2012.

In an effort to reverse this trend, Commissioner Adam Silver introduced a bold new format for the All-Star Game, hoping to inject fresh excitement into the weekend. But so far, it hasn’t been smooth sailing.

Now, Charles Barkley, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, has weighed in, sharing his thoughts on Durant’s comments and whether the league’s latest experiment is the right move.

Chuck joined the Dan Patrick Show and opened up about his views on the revised All-Star format. “We’re going to have to do something. Ratings are down, down, down. Like I said, the fans are the most important aspect of the game. We need the fans to be successful… We got a new model this year,” he explained.

When pressed further about his opinion, Barkley admitted, “I want to do anything to help the game, Dan. I saw Kevin Durant ripped the new format.”

After KD’s outburst, he did acknowledge the league’s efforts, adding, “I think we’ve been trying to bring that flair back somehow with the All-Star weekend. But I think we just keep it traditional… I might be wrong. I’m just another guy with another opinion.”

Barkley, however, isn’t convinced tradition is the answer. “I don’t know how this thing is going to turn out this year. But listen, let’s be honest. What we’ve done the last few years is not working, plain and simple.” He further noted how interest wanes during Christmas, with the NFL dominating the holiday season. For him, trying a fresh approach is the league’s best shot.

Interestingly, Sir Charles even pitched a bold idea: “I’ve always suggested we do the United States against the world. I think that would be fantastic.“ If the current format fails, we might see that suggestion come to life.

But for now, Barkley seems determined to make the new model work.

Sir Charles and the New All-Star format

On Tuesday, the league announced that the traditional All-Star Game is being replaced by a mini-tournament featuring four teams and a three-game event. This dramatic twist is all about bringing fresh energy to a weekend that has struggled to keep fans engaged. And the format is straightforward but exciting.

Two teams will battle it out in the first semifinal, while the remaining two face off in the other semifinal. Winners of each game move to the finals, all with one thrilling twist: the first team to score 40 points wins the match. Each squad will have eight players, including three teams made up of NBA All-Stars and one team drawn from the Rising Stars championship game.

Draft process? NBA icons Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal will step in as honorary general managers to draft the NBA All-Stars, with the big event set for February 6 on TNT. Meanwhile, WNBA legend Candace Parker is lending her expertise as the ‘Rising Stars’ GM.

Not only that, the head coaches with the best records in each conference as of February 2 will lead two All-Star teams. Their assistant coaches will head up the third NBA All-Star team and the Rising Stars team. With a mix of strategy, big names, and fierce competition, the league hopes this revamped format finally wins over the fans.