In an appearance with Gayle King and Charles Barkley on CNN (video link), Commissioner Adam Silver said the NBA will consider a U.S. vs. international format to revamp the All-Star Game. It’s one of several ideas that were brought up after last month’s All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, which concluded with the East defeating the West 211-186 in a contest that was low on competitiveness and defensive effort.
Silver called it “a great weekend, but it was not a basketball game,” and said changes to the format are being studied.
“I think maybe as opposed to trying to create a super competitive basketball game, which I am not sure the teams or the players really want, we should do different things and make it a celebration of basketball,” Silver said. “… “We are going to look at U.S. vs. international. I just think maybe we are past that point where we are going to play a truly competitive game.”
There’s more news from around the basketball world:
- Joel Embiid opted to join Team USA in the Summer Olympics, assuming he’s healthy enough, but French basketball officials say they had serious discussions with the Sixers center before the decision was made, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Jean-Pierre Siutat, president of French basketball, and former NBA player Boris Diaw, general manager of the French men’s team, contend they had two meetings with Embiid regarding the possibility that he might play for France. “He said, yes, I want to (play), make the (passport),” Siutat said. “So I make the job, with the help of the government, to get a passport for him and for his son. And all the time, he said, ‘I want to play for the national team of France.’” Embiid disputes that version of events through a spokesman, claiming he never asked for a passport, Vardon adds.
- Victor Wembanyama is setting the bar high as he tries to win a gold medal while playing at home in Paris, according to a Eurohoops story. “Any other result than the first place would be a failure since we could have done better,” the Spurs rookie said. “You shouldn’t have any regrets, but it’s a very achievable goal”.
- Canadian coach Jordi Fernandez is looking to fill out his Olympic roster around a core group consisting of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luguentz Dort, RJ Barrett, Kelly Olynyk, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dwight Powell and Dillon Brooks, notes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Jamal Murray is expected to join them if health permits, and international star Melvin Ejim could get a spot as well. Koreen expects Canada to search around the NBA for the remainder of its 12-man roster.
It won’t matter, stop wasting your time and resources trying to fix the AS game. It really is a low effort task. Is reffing being addressed? Rules changes to make defense appear like letting them be more physical?
Silver reminds me of the supervisor at work that nobody listens to.
Whether they can get Wiggins & Murray to play could be the difference bw gold & tears for Canada… but would you rather take Edey or Boucher? Dalano Banton or Cory Joseph? Mathurin or Shaedon? Trey Lyles or Leonard Miller?
If you want a look in the near future of what the nba looks like under Silver…..watch the all star game.
The only time an All star game matters is when players have something to prove…
We get those rare moments of rivalry, like Kobe vs MJ, mixed in with a heavy helping of your turn my turn style defence…
I don’t know if nationalism is a really good thing to for a family product to promote, but will it work better than east vs west…? I don’t know…
MLB’s brief foray with winner of ASG gets home field advantage in the World Series motivated players big time. Those games were meaningful to players and we enjoyed watching. But, ultimately, individual teams got annoyed that the higher-win team didn’t get home field advantage and it’s back to meaningless game.
Agreed that our household isn’t excited about nationalism.
All the baseball fields have different dimensions. Homefield matters more in that sport. Rating were still low though.
I’ll take Boucher, Joseph, Mathurin, and Lyles for $10 Alex….