As the month of January nears its final stages, fans across the world are looking ahead to NBA All-Star weekend, which is only just a few weeks away.
This year, the festivities don’t seem to be too much different than the NBA’s typical formula, but they did make a notable change to the schedule that is drawing mixed reactions.
As reported by Chris Haynes on Tuesday, the NBA will air the 2023 All-Star draft as a pre-game event on the same day as the actual game, making for a pickup style of team selections.
NBA announces that TNT will air the 2023 NBA All-Star Draft as a live pregame segment at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 19 from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
NBA announces that TNT will air the 2023 NBA All-Star Draft as a live pregame segment at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 19 from Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 25, 2023
It’s an interesting choice by the NBA, for sure, and one that has ultimately become controversial among the community. Some couldn’t help but raise some questions about how it will even work…
The last player picked is gonna be standing there like this pic.twitter.com/YaAWVLnKUP
— 𝓐𝓶𝓻 (@amrsfeed) January 25, 2023
How will they have jerseys ready?
Will each player have two jerseys made?
Will they be reversible?!?
— Dr. D.W. Alexander III (@Coach_Alexander) January 25, 2023
Idk how to feel ab this
— ✯ (@AyMaxi3) January 25, 2023
WAY BETTER. straight pickup/playground game. uncertainty leading up to the game itself.
— _ (@andres21vergara) January 25, 2023
If it’s not Playground Style while everybody is standing in the sideline being picked by captains…what’s the point?
— TheOBCeo (@theobc_official) January 25, 2023
That's alot of different Jerseys to have on deck. Guess they don't care about all star player gear being sold before the game
— Rome (@Rome_Snug) January 25, 2023
Nba twitter coming together to clown the person who gets picked last pic.twitter.com/xiOBBblHus
— Jaime Jaquez Stan (@OwnedbyJimmy) January 25, 2023
NBA stop changing things challenge
— 𝒪𝒷𝒾-𝒲𝒶𝓃🥷🏼 #MJInnocent ♚ (@bTrainMVP) January 25, 2023
Damn so that makes betting on the game damn near impossible because you won’t know the team until right before they play 🤦🏿♂️
— Globalsportsbetting702 (@Globalsportsbe1) January 25, 2023
(My only dog in this fight is the AS draft is a pretty good content opportunity. Now it’s just another part of All-Star Sunday, which is already kind of a slog after three nights of… events)
— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) January 25, 2023
The NBA is always experimenting with its systems, so it’s no surprise that they are testing out a new schedule for the All-Star game. While changes such as these will always draw some criticism, the change seems like a good idea overall that could make the All-Star draft (and the game that follows) much more intriguing to viewers.
This year, in particular, however, might be even more different than usual if LeBron James breaks the All-Time scoring record.
LeBron James Expected To Be The Focus For All-Star Weekend
LeBron is currently on track to break Kareem’s scoring record right in time for the break, and the NBA plans to honor him with festivities and tributes all throughout the weekend.
Silver assured reporters the league will not whiff when LeBron James passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading points champion. The game in which it happens will get not only a national but a global TV audience with ceremonies during and after.
With a gap of 283 points and at James’ 29.8 scoring average, it is likely James (38,104) will catch and pass Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) in the first half of February. That would enable the league to use All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City as “the perfect opportunity to honor him.”
Between LeBron’s celebration and the new draft time, this year’s All-Star event might be unlike anything we’ve seen in recent memory.
Whether or not fans will like it is one thing, but you have to give the NBA credit for not being afraid to experiment and try new things when they see an opportunity to improve.
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