Barack Obama demands NBA All-Star Game change: 'It insults the game'
Yesterday at 05:26 PM
Barack Obama certainly knows basketball and dropped a sentiment that fans can understand on the Young Man & The Three podcast regarding the competitiveness of the NBA all-star game.
“Y’all got to have a little more pride in that All-Star game,” Obama said. “It’s not as if y’all don’t play pickup during the summer. You know how to play in a way that ‘I’m not going to hurt anybody, I’m not going take anybody out.’ But that (2024) All-Star game, it’s broke man.”
Obama makes a valid point on the competitiveness in the all-star game. There’s no real incentive if a team wins. Although members of the winning team leave with $100,000 and the losing team gets $25,000, that’s not much for millionaire players. Even Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green also explained why the all-star game lacks effort. While some players treat the all-star game like a break, the former president has prior examples of a competitive game that the players can follow.
“People just like not running,” Obama said. “Everybody just trying all kinds of things. It used to be when Kobe (Bryant) and Michael (Jordan) and Isiah (Thomas), and those guys were playing man, I mean they weren’t playing the way they did regular season but they wanted to win.”
How does Barack Obama want to fix the NBA all-star game?
The league tried a similar format in 2020 that honored Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. They aimed for a set score and it had shades of the all-star games with the three stars. People loved the competitive spirit, even with players using the time to rest. Despite that successful all-star game, it hasn’t had the same competitive spirit. While players are shooting from half-court, doing dunk-contest style moves, and other things, Obama isn’t too much of a fan.
(Everybody needs to) lock in better, because you're showing out,” Obama said. “You know this is your business, this is your product, you don't want people thinking y'all out there just half-assed.”
While many people have proposed ideas, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson brought up one that had fans thinking. Brunson wanted an MLB-inspired incentive for the all-star game. This would mean that the winning conference would receive home-court advantage, regardless of the record.
The idea drew some intrigue but the NBA ultimately refused. With numerous solutions being presented, it might be a matter of time before one gets approved. Who knows, Obama might be the catalyst to make the all-star game competitive.
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