Last year’s NBA All-Star Game was disappointing, and this year wasn’t much better.
The 2024 NBA All-Star game has received substantial criticism from its fans, with many calling it one of the worst ever. It has received 5.5 million views across television and various streaming platforms, the second lowest in the last three decades, trailing only last year’s 4.6 million. The game, held Sunday, Feb. 18 in Indiana, featured players such as Lebron James, Jason Tatum, Stephen Curry, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard, who clinched the All-Star MVP title.
The All-Star Game has been a staple for the NBA and its fans and has provided quality entertainment for basketball fans worldwide. However, viewership has dwindled over the years, a stark contrast to the viewership throughout the majority of the 2000s, throughout which the all-star game averaged nearly eight million viewers on TV, with the 2003~2004 season’s game reaching a staggering 10.8 views, according to Statista.com.
With the return of the classic East vs. West format which was absent last year, this year’s game featured 36 all-stars, who competed for a cash prize that would be donated to charity. The East won, with the score of 211-186, the highest scoring output ever in an all-star game. Many blame the players’ lack of defensive intensity and the resulting scoring output for the decrease in views.
Critics, such as ESPN’s prominent sports analyst Stephen. A. Smith, disapproved of the lack of effort and defense.
What transpired last night was an absolute travesty,” Smith said in his Feb.19 show ‘First Take’. “No defense, no effort whatsoever. This is the ultimate indictment against the NBA stars who show up on NBA All-Star Weekend: You play harder in the Summer League when you’re training. That’s all anybody’s asking … You can give the fans at least that.”
However, many players, such as Warriors star forward Draymond Green, believe there is a justification for the lack of effort in the All-Star Game. In a recent Twitter post, Green said that being overly invested in the All-Star game will prevent players from performing at their best during regular season games.
“It’s called game day for a reason,” said Green. Everything you do that day is to prepare for the game. In the All-Star Game, you do a million other things before the game, and then you’re asking the highest level of athletes to exert extreme energy. So if you want the game to be a game, you need to make sure that guys can prepare for what? A game.”
Jaejoon Park, an avid NBA fan, was “flabbergasted” after watching the All-Star game.
“ It was just … disappointing. [ In the game], players were almost letting the other team score,” he said. “I mean, they were just standing as the opposing team shot a three as if they didn’t care at all. I didn’t have high expectations after watching last year’s game, but this one, I wouldn’t consider a basketball game, more like a three-point contest.”
Lucien Yin, also a fan of the NBA, believes there should be an incentive for players who win the All-Star game, like playoff advantage.
“This should get players to try at the games and make it entertaining,” Lucien said. “After all, the All-Star Game is meant to showcase the capabilities of the players; they won’t be able to show their best if they don’t try their best.”
