It was a viral scene on the set of TNT tonight as everyone’s favorite basketball analysts (Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal) picked their teams for the upcoming NBA All-Star weekend. Instead of the traditional format, the league turned the game into a fully-fledged tournament event which includes three teams of eight players.
Shaq, who picked first, selected LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, James Harden, and Jaylen Brown.
Team Kenny ended up with Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Cade Cunningham, and Tyler Herro.
Barkley’s team meanwhile, includes Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Alperen Sengun, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Donovan Mitchell.
With so many interesting stars and potential storylines, the draft created a flurry of conversations as fans discussed what it could mean for All-Star weekend. The first thing fans noticed was LeBron James, who was once again the No. 1 pick.
“40-YEAR-OLD BEING PICKED FIRST FOR ALLSTAR GAME,” wrote one fan in all caps.
Another X user argued that LeBron should not have been picked over some of the other superstars.
“How the hell do you pick Bron before Jokic,” asked one NBA fan.
The upcoming All-Star event will mark the first time since the trade that Anthony Davis and LeBron James will share the court as teammates once again and that fact was not lost among the fans.
“LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the same team one last time,” wrote an emotional Lakers fan.
LeBron and Curry are also set to reunite as teammates for the first time since the Paris Olympic Games this summer. It could be the last time we see them on the same team before the end of their careers.
“LeBron Curry AD and KD,” one fan posted, “are you sh*tting me?”
On the teams themselves, most fans can agree that it’s going to come down between Team Shaq and Team Chuck. Shaq went with all of the OGs while Chuck went with the more modern-day superstars. Kenny, meanwhile, seemingly picked from the scars as his team is undoubtedly the weakest of the bunch.
“Shaq drafted the big names, Chuck drafted the best players, Kenny was blackout drunk,” wrote one fan on the All-Star teams.
Of course, anything can happen on the court and the final judgments must not be made until we see the teams in action. But no matter what happens, the tournament is sure to be one for the ages as it includes a mix of veteran legends and young rising stars who are looking to take up the mantle.
Most importantly, what the fans want to see is effort. As bad as Kenny’s team appears to be, he picked young guys on purpose believing that they’ll be more committed to playing hard and putting on a show for the fans. Of course, all the teams will need to be playing with some level of urgency for the game to carry any weight.
This year’s All-Star weekend is just a few weeks away, from Friday, February 14, 2025, to that Sunday when the main event is scheduled to take place. The league desperately needs a win here and while some are unsure of the new format, the All-Star draft was certainly entertaining to watch as our favorite NBA media members assembled their dream rosters.
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