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Last weekend was NBA all-star weekend, and I have to admit I wasn’t as excited for it as I usually am, which is alarming, but all-star Saturday night actually was good even with the bogus DQ for Team Spurs in the skills challenge 😅
However, the continuing issue regarding basketball showcase weekend events falls at the feet of their stars and their approach to the events that matter (Saturday Night and Sunday’s game itself). Here are my thoughts on last Sunday’s game and what needs to be done to save this game. I did write something similar a bit ago, but let’s fine-tune or add to what can be done. I did this straightforward stream of consciousness so that it may be a bit sporadic, but here it is.
Not much was wrong with it starting on Saturday night except for the lack of star power in the slam dunk contest. Ja Morant tweeted about the following year, but it’s lip service until we see genuine interest from the game’s high-flying stars. We have heard it from Zion and LeBron, so excuse my pessimism.
Ironically, the players’ competitive play was a bit refreshing, but all the extra stuff, aka useless filler, made last night’s All-Star game one of the worst to watch. The format can be improved because it took a different approach, but here is what needs to be cut out and some suggestions that could help save this weekend.
1) I understand Kevin Hart is a fan and celebrity name, but his having more TV time than the all-stars and dumping on the game itself was a colossal failure. Giving the inside the NBA crew the jersey and moment was fine, but the timing was horrible. That should have been done on Saturday night or before the game on Sunday. The formatting on Sunday was terrible, leaving all the commentators confused on air, which made watching the game worse. It could be a good sign that the NBA is leaving TNT to go somewhere better and more organized.
2) The side events and performances took the air out of the game for viewers at home and potentially the live crowd. I’m sure Mr. Beast has a big following, which was a fantastic moment for that fan, but I would condense it to halftime or halfway through the game, not multiple extended breaks on top of all the time for ads/commercials.
3) To no surprise, Draymond Green was his usual insufferable self on the panel, where he was right about the rising stars being involved in Sunday’s game. But it is because of Draymond and his fellow hoopers that we are in this predicament in the first place, being “too cool” and not taking the all-star game seriously all these years.
4) MAKE THE WEEKEND ABOUT BASKETBALL! If the NBA is determined to keep this tournament format, then make it a multi-day thing (Start on Friday night and close on Sunday night), replace the rising stars team with the all-star snubs to make it interesting, and have no long breaks, just quick trips to the panel and back to the games, akin to the Rucker Park style of games.
5) I know many fans want a 1v1 situation which is a potential nightmare because the messaging to the fans being it’s an iso game and not a team game would suck. Still, the guys will be severe, which would be ironic but would lead to injuries. Everyone would be upset, while a 1v1 King of the Hill event would be fun as a potential replacement for the skills challenge.
 6) Instead of a dunk contest, do a dunk battle. However, there are many 1v1 battles down the final 2, two attempts with a 1-minute time limit, and so many do-overs to spice it up possibly. Another way to spice it up is to invite some of these dunkers, like Jordan Kilganon, to the event and raise the stakes with a good cash prize of $500k, basically shaming some players to step up for those weekend events. What is there to lose at this point?
 7) Rising Stars’ game is on Friday night, in a rookie vs. Sophomore format, and you can experiment with new in-game concepts.  There’s not much to change about the 3-point shootout but incorporate a couple of WNBA stars in the competition. Cross-promotion would be great, especially with the current popularity of Women’s basketball.
8) GO BACK TO BASICS! Regarding the all-star game, here’s my simple approach: Still vote for East and West all-stars, but you do the USA vs. The World. Look at how this past NHL all-star game blew away the NBA’s all-star game. 13-man roster (12 and 1 commissioner or fan vote) with a target score and a simple explanation for that target score.
9) Decommercialize the whole weekend. All the sponsored events/parties and media obligations are a huge reason why guys don’t care anymore. Make the weekend focus on the product, creating the best version possible. Extend half-time a bit for performances, celebrations, etc, but the game is the overall focus.
10) Finally, the easiest fix is two-pronged; Adam Silver has to stop being the great enabler/friendly substitute teacher he’s been with the players and find his inner David Stern, where he holds the stars responsible for putting on a respectable game on a large stage. Then there are the players and the lack of care and commitment to the entire weekend, which was highlighted by Anthony Edwards and LeBron James’ second scratches from the all-star game, which only added fuel to the strong dislike casual viewers already have towards the weekend itself.
Regardless of either player’s circumstances, the last-second DNP comes off as a total slap in the face to us fans who voted for them to see them play, as it felt a tad selfish denying one of the many all-stars who have been not selected the opportunity to be a replacement. While I am a fan of LeBron James and Anthony Edwards, this past weekend was a massive loss image-wise for them, fair or unfair, because of the perception that they simply don’t a fuck about this weekend, which is an enormous issue when it comes to the all-star conversation. Still, Giannis knew he wouldn’t be able to play and found a replacement, so it’s hard to believe that James and Edwards couldn’t have done the same; once again, the optics and perception surrounding this were horrible.
The bottom line, and probably for the thousandth time I have said this, is that the players, specifically the stars, have to have some pride in this growing issue that may kill the game and weekend altogether. Yes, I sound like a grumpy old uncle, but this is such a sad state of affairs for the sport I love dearly. The last all-star game that felt like a game and not just a joke was the 2020 all-star game after the death of Kobe Bryant where the Basketball tournament’s Elam ending was a great success and had a great response.
The NBA is far removed from the 2001 all-star game, which was probably the last memorable all-star game before 2020 (I will double check if I missed any, but I doubt it), but that doesn’t mean it can’t get back to that because it very well can. It’s possible that if the players themselves find a competitive nature and pride, they have to be the stars and faces of the NBA, but if that doesn’t happen, then perhaps this is another sports tradition that dies for no good reason and I hope that is not the case.