The NBA has always been pretty good at adapting and adjusting to the times.
Over the past few years, they’ve made several adjustments to All-Star weekend, including the All-Star game itself.
And while many of the changes have gotten mixed reviews from the fans, ESPN’s Michael Wilbon says it’s time to get rid of the game altogether and replace it with a “USA vs. World” match instead.
Here’s the quote, per the Dan Patrick Show:
“The NBA All-Star Game has become a complete and utter waste of time. I don’t want to see people choosing up sides and going shirts and skins. I don’t give a damn about that. The NBA for some reason is studiously avoiding having the US vs. the World. If we had that game even the last five years, just think if we had that game this coming All-Star game. Look at the bigs you’ve got, just the front line, Giannis of course, Embiid, Joker the MVP of the league.
If you just had the three of them, and you’ve got Doncic and you’ve got Jamal Murray. Is that a starting five you’d like to see play against an All-Star team of U.S. players? Of course it is! I don’t know if the league is embarrassed that the U.S. team might lose, even though it’s the NBA and all those guys belong to that fraternity.
Why won’t they do it? Why won’t they do something you could actually sink your teeth into All-Star Weekend, as opposed to the junk. It’s just junk. It’s just an exhibition of dunking. We already got a dunk contest. Let’s see the best in the world because you know there’s pride they’d want to do it. If you put those 10 guys out there, those 24 guys out there, they’re going to want to win and the All-Star Weekend becomes something valuable, instead of the junk that the game is.”
The 2021 basketball Olympics have really showcased the increasing talent coming from overseas. The fact is, the U.S. isn’t as far ahead of the curb as it used to be.
Talent is improving around the globe and watching the U.S. compete against that talent is becoming a really interesting thing to watch — certainly more than the current All-Star game, where the guy doesn’t really seem to care too much anyway.
But what do you think? Is Wilbon onto something, or has he gone a bit too far?
