In recent years, the NBA All-Star game has increasingly been viewed as a spectacle rather than a competitive exhibition of the world’s best players. However, this year’s version changed that. The revamped format completely shifted the intensity, bringing a sense of rivalry to USA vs. World matchups, and legends like Shaquille O’Neal have taken notice.

“I mean, the changes were a little different, but [Victor Wembanyama] and Anthony Edwards really, really set the tone of how the game should be played,” O’Neal said during an interview with TODAY. “They played well. I thought it was a great event, the fans were into it, the players were into it… But those two young guys really, really set the standard of how the All-Star Game should be played.”

From the opening tip, Wembanyama didn’t treat the games like an exhibition, blocking shots, contesting every attempt, and even running the floor. That energy was deliberate, according to him, as he communicated before All-Star weekend began, telling reporters that he wanted to “push the great players of this sport” to play with the competitive fire he did.

Edwards wasn’t far behind, matching and even amplifying Wembanyama’s intensity. After logging 32 points across his team’s three games and earning the All-Star Game MVP, Edwards openly credited Wembanyama for igniting the spark, saying that it “woke me up.” The Timberwolves star also credited the new format.

“I like this format,” he said after the games. “I think it makes us compete, ‘cause it’s only 12 minutes… I think it was really good.”

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Formats don’t play defense, players do, and for once, the league’s brightest young stars decided the All-Star Game was worth protecting.

Shaquille O’Neal Sees the Post-LeBron James Future in the NBA Taking Shape

Shaquille O’Neal didn’t stop praising Wembanyama and Edwards for just their All-Star weekend performance. He zoomed out, looking to the future of the NBA.

“We do have a lot of young, exciting players,” O’Neal said during his interview. “But you know what I’ve been thinking about lately is one day it’ll be no more Durant, it’ll be no more LeBron… and then it’ll be the guys like Wembanyama and Anthony Edwards. It’ll be their turn to step up and take the league to the next level.”

That’s not speculation, but an inevitability, given James and Kevin Durant‘s advanced ages. As of this year, James is the only player to reach their 23rd season in the league at the age of 41, whereas Durant is in his 18th season at age 37. The NBA has quietly been searching for signs that the next generation of stars is ready to carry not just the highlights, but the responsibility. This weekend served as evidence.

The All-Star game didn’t suddenly turn into Game 7 of the Finals, but for the first time in a long time, it had effort, pride, and young stars unwilling to let the night be lost to indifference. If that’s the standard going forward, then the league looks like it’s being left in good hands.