Adam Silver: We May Be ‘Past the Point’ of Having a Competitive NBA All-Star Game

It’s fair to wonder whether we’ll ever see the NBA All-Star Game become a competitive matchup ever again, and commissioner Adam Silver hinted that it may not on the NBA Countdown desk before Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday (3:30 mark).

“My concern about U.S. vs. International is that we may be just past the point where guys and teams are incentivized to play a competitive All-Star game in the middle of the season,” Silver said in part. “It’s the nature of the league.”

SIlver then noted how some NBA legends, including Larry Bird, spoke to All-Stars before the game and then added:

“I don’t think any of [the players] set out thinking we’re just not going to play hard. It’s just this sort of this group dynamic that takes over.

“And yet I think about for example the Steph vs. Sabrina shootout last year which was a highlight of All-Star weekend. And so my reaction is that maybe we need to play basketball but we have to do something that’s a little bit different frankly, that this is about entertainment. That people want to see the players put their best foot forward, but it has to be something more than just a game.

“And even if it were US vs. International, because there’s just some governor on them from playing all out just given how long the season is and the risk potentially of injuring themselves.”

Silver’s remarks were in response to ESPN’s Michael Wilbon asking about the possibility of a US vs. International All-Star Game to potentially make the midseason matchup a more competitive venture. He then asked what could be done if US vs. International wasn’t feasible.

This season’s All-Star Game featured a return to the East vs. West format, which took a backseat to the East and West’s top vote leaders choosing their teams via a draft for six years. That drummed up some interest and a little more competition, but the games were still defense optional much of the time.

But the 2024 All-Star Game was a glorified dunk and three-point show that did not receive good reviews. The defense was so porous that the East dropped 211 points in a 25-point victory over the West.

The main highlight of the weekend was the Steph vs. Sabrina shootout, a refreshing and exciting event in a weekend that has gone a bit stale in some ways. As Silver noted, capturing that energy and thinking of similar ideas could certainly drum up more interest and competition during the weekend.

Next year’s All-Star weekend is headed to San Francisco’s Chase Center, from Friday, Feb. 14 to Sunday, Feb. 16.