The All-Star Game, the NBA’s all-star weekend game that in bygone times attracted the attention of the sporting world, with the best basketball players in the world competing head-to-head in an event with millions of viewers, has been in decline for years. More and more circus, more points, less competitiveness, formats that did not reach the spectator and underground audiences.
But that is over, at least that is what NBA commissioner Adam Silver has just revealed during his appearance on Fox Sports’ Breakfast program: “Next year, as part of the new TV contracts, the All-Star Game returns to NBC and it turns out that next year it will be in the middle of the Winter Olympics: what better time to present a format of the United States against the world,” announced the top head of the league to the surprise of the presenters.
Next year, as part of the new TV contracts, the All-Star Game returns to NBC… and what better time to introduce a USA vs. the World format?
The idea of facing the NBA’s American stars against the best players from the rest of the world who play in the league had been floating around for years, but the first to speak out proposing it as an alternative to the bore into which the once-mythical game had degenerated was Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks star.
The example of the Olympic Games
The Greek’s proposal will now be carried out by the NBA after the league’s leaders, led by Adam Silver, were impressed by the enormous expectation generated by the matches of the United States Dream Team against the most powerful teams from the rest of the world at the recent Olympic Games in Paris.
That seems to have been the click that made the NBA commissioner react, who admitted that they are still thinking about what format the game will be played in: “I don’t know exactly what format it will be, we paid attention to the great success of the NHL. Last summer was a great success for the Olympic tournament, with games like the United States against Serbia, is another example.”
I don’t know exactly what format it will be… Last summer the Olympic tournament was a great success, with matches like the United States against Serbia, it’s another example
Basketball fans are already rubbing their hands together. They had been dreaming of such a game for years. The Americans to prove their supremacy and the foreigners to make it clear that their players are capable of standing up to and beating the once untouchable American superstars.
Dream quintets
Can you imagine a starting five from the United States consisting of Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Donovan Mitchell, LeBron James and Anthony Davis against another from the rest of the world formed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic? Just putting these 10 superstars on the same court in competition would generate worldwide interest. Nobody would want to miss it.
And on the bench for the Americans could be players such as Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Tyrese Haliburton, Paolo Banchero, Jayson Tatum or Evan Mobley. Of course, the rest of the world could have a roster as ostentatious as that with the likes of Jamal Murray, Kristaps Porzingis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Pascal Siakam, Josh Giddey or Franz Wagner.
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