Multiple NBA All-Stars have spoken out about NBA All-Star Weekend and have called for changes to the All-Star Game next season.
Expectations were high for the weekend after the NBA announced a new tournament format in which four teams competed in games to 40 points, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
However, the league struggled to make these changes while also keeping the focus on basketball during the final night of the weekend.
Critics pointed to the lack of actual game time during the three-hour All-Star Game broadcast, with the vast majority of this broadcast being taken up by commercials, commentary, and random challenges.
The NBA All-Star Championship Game included multiple lengthy breaks during play, with the most significant break featuring a ceremony for TNT’s “Inside the NBA” when the score was just 11-1.
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said these breaks “took the gas” out of the players, and many were unaware that the break would occur during the game.
“So that kind of like, yeah, took the gas out of everything for a little bit. I know we’re just trying to be great professionals and do different things and explore how to keep generating viewership. Tonight was just us trying to do something different,” he added, per Boston.com.
The NBA has spoken about the need for changes in previous years due to players not competing at a high level, prompting multiple format changes and different events that the league has implemented.
Brown explained that the All-Stars were prepared to take the game seriously, but the break caused many of them to become disinterested due to injury concerns with quickly ramping back up after a roughly 10-minute break.
“I would say that’s not ideal to stop like that if you want guys to play and be physical and play harder. I think all the guys were still out there having fun. All the OG’s, team old knees and old backs, we came out on top so I don’t think anybody else should have had any excuses. But, it’s definitely not ideal,” he said, per Boston.com.
Now, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has proposed another change that he believes would help.
Antetokounmpo pointed to the success of the NHL Four Nations Face Off, saying that the league should consider a Team USA vs. Team World All-Star Game, according to Arash markazi of The Sporting Tribune.
The eight-time All-Star said the event could rotate between the U.S. and other venues around the world, explaining that players might take the game seriously if it was meant to represent their countries.
NBA executives have not addressed the potential for a Team USA vs. Team World format; instead, they are choosing to focus on another change that could bring more attention to the events leading into the weekend’s final game.
The NBA is currently doing research into a potential one-on-one tournament during the weekend in the future and the logistics of how that tournament could take place, as reported by Front Office Sports.
Fans have requested this type of tournament for years because it would give a glimpse into the various skills of players while also providing another event to tune in to watch throughout the weekend.
Additionally, players would be incentivized to participate with a prize of $1 million, which is likely enough to convince the biggest names in the league to compete in the tournament.
Antetokounmpo said he is open to any idea that helps improve the weekend and would play in a potential one-on-one tournament if the league opted to implement the change.
“If I had the chance to play one-on-one with anybody, I’d love to do it. Anything that can make the weekend more exciting, more fun, for the viewers and for the fans and for the players, I would love to participate,” he said, per Front Office Sports.
Although the NBA is discussing changes to the next All-Star Weekend, it is unlikely that any significant moves will be made before the beginning of next season.