Anthony Edwards wins first All-Star MVP as Team USA Stars dominate

The NBA All-Star Game has always been about flair. This year, it was about a changing of the guard.

On Sunday night, 24-year-old Anthony Edwards didn’t just play in the league’s annual showcase — he stamped his arrival as one of its new faces. The Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard was named the 2026 All-Star Game MVP, becoming just the second player in franchise history after Kevin Garnett (2003) to earn the honor.

And he did it in a format built for speed, chaos, and star power.

The league unveiled a new three-team, round-robin setup: one squad composed of international standouts and two made up of American players — Team Stars (younger USA players) and Team Stripes (veteran USA players). Games were trimmed to 12 minutes each, creating a sprint-style showcase rather than the traditional marathon.

Edwards thrived in it.

Across three contests, he poured in a combined 32 points, including a team-high 13 in a dramatic 37-35 overtime win over Team World to open the event. That first game required late-game heroics — the kind that have quickly become part of Edwards’ reputation.

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ANT DID HIS THING IN LA

Edwards wins the Kobe Bryant trophy as the All-Star Game MVP pic.twitter.com/aOZOW4s39j

— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2026

Team Stars stumbled in the second matchup, falling 42-40 to Team Stripes after a buzzer-beating three from De’Aaron Fox. Meanwhile, Team World briefly kept things interesting when Kawhi Leonard erupted for 31 points in a 48-45 win over Team Stripes, setting up an all-USA championship clash.

By the time the final tipped off, the pace had taken its toll.

Team Stripes, playing their third straight game, looked a step slow. Team Stars, energized and relentless, seized control early and never looked back. Edwards scored eight points in the championship game, while Tyrese Maxey added nine, fueling a lopsided 47-21 victory.

It wasn’t just about the numbers — though 32 total points across the event led the way. It was about presence. Edwards played with the swagger of someone fully aware the spotlight is shifting in his direction.

The All-Star MVP trophy may symbolize one weekend, but for Edwards, it felt like something bigger: confirmation.

At just 24, he’s no longer simply the Timberwolves’ high-flying scorer. He’s becoming one of the league’s defining personalities — the bridge between today’s stars and tomorrow’s era.

And in a format designed to spotlight the future, Anthony Edwards made sure it revolved around him. 

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