Anthony Edwards boldly declared his goal years ago: to be the best basketball player in the world. He took a major step toward that ambition on Sunday, Feb. 15, leading the Stars past the World team and capturing MVP honors at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

The Minnesota Timberwolves guard guided his squad to a 47-21 win over a Stripes team featuring LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard in the final of a mini-tournament that formed the centerpiece of All-Star weekend at the Intuit Dome.

The NBA’s fourth All-Star format in four years pitched two American teams against a team representing the rest of the world, adding intensity and national pride to an Olympic year showcase. The round-robin tournament delivered excitement, with three buzzer-beating games leading to the Stars’ dominating finale.

Edwards shines in new All-Star format

“I like this format,” Edwards said. “I think it makes us compete because it’s only 12 minutes, and the three different teams separate the guys. I think it was really good.”

Edwards forced overtime with a clutch 3-pointer in the opening mini-game, setting up Scottie Barnes for the game-winning shot. De’Aaron Fox then hit a buzzer-beater in the second game to win for the Stripes, while Leonard’s 31-point performance, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer, thrilled the home crowd in the final round-robin game.

The Stars overpowered the fatigued Stripes in the finale, giving Edwards the most satisfying moment of his weekend. “Probably beating the World team,” he said. “Because they say they’re the best players in the world. So beating them is the best feeling in the world.”

Edwards, already a four-time All-Star at 24, added his first All-Star MVP trophy, named after Kobe Bryant, with scoring totals of 13, 11, and 8 points across the three mini-games. His Olympic gold medal experience and Western Conference Finals appearances with the Timberwolves have prepared him for the spotlight.

All-Stars deliver competitive weekend

The Inglewood crowd included former President Barack Obama, who received a standing ovation pregame. Edwards said the encounter motivated his performance. “He’s my favorite person in the world. We were kicking it. Me and him had a great time. I told him I was going to put on a show for him.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver presented the championship trophy to the Stars, praising the players’ competitiveness. Victor Wembanyama led the World team in scoring in both of their games despite going 0-2. Kevin Durant noted the overall intensity of play, hoping it continues to rise in future All-Star weekends.

The World team was missing Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the final game, affecting their results. Still, the showcase highlighted rising stars and veteran talent alike, with Edwards emerging as the centerpiece of the weekend.