This past weekend, the NBA partook in All-Star weekend with fun events and games. This year, Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, decided to change things up to hopefully bring back the competitive spirit to the game. Over the past years, the game has turned into a shootout with no effort being shown. This year they attempted to have four total teams play in a tournament style and the two winners meet in a championship game. This year the four NBA on TNT hosts were the GMs of the teams. After they were drafted, the teams turned out to be Team Shaq and the “OG’s”, Team Kenny and the “Youngans” and Team Chuck and the “International” players. The fourth team was the winner of the Rising Stars games. Rising stars are players who aren’t good enough to be “All-Stars” but are the best young players in the NBA.
Shaq’s OGs: LeBron James*, Jaylen Brown, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving*, Damian Lillard, and Jayson Tatum.
Chuck’s Global Stars: Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell, Pascal Siakam, Karl-Anthony Towns, Alperen Sengun, Victor Wembanyama, and Trae Young*.
Kenny’s Young Stars: Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, Jaren Jackson Jr., Evan Mobley and Jalen Williams.
The winner of the Rising Stars was coahced by Kandace Parker and consisted of Stephon Castle, Ryan Dunn, Zach Edey, Keyonte George, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Dalton Knecht, Amen Thompson, Jaylen Well
Each of the games was a race to 40 points and the winner moved on. In the first game, Chuck and the International team beat Kenny’s young stars 41-32, with the International team controlling the whole game from the start. The second came took place with Shaq’s OG’s beating the rising stars 42-35. The rising stars took it to the OGs and kept it competitive but were ultimately out-talented. In the championship, Shaq’s Team completely dominated the international team, controlling the whole game, and won 42-25. Steph Curry won his 2nd All-Star MVP, joining elite company of only five others to do so.
With the hopes of bringing a new competitive vibe to the weekend, it was a very unsuccessful new format for the weekend. Overall, most of the NBA community was very disappointed in the competition because it was a shorter game and had the same amount of effort ads the regular game with far fewer highlights.
