The NBA All-Star Game Keeps Changing, But the Problem Remains

The NBA All-Star Game is approaching with all the promise of a five-layer cake and all the disappointment of a 5-cent raise.

Set for the Los Angeles area this time around, the Feb. 15 game is designed as a showcase of the NBA’s brightest stars and likely will revert to a homage of celebrities and acclaim for the NBA’s newest arena, which is home to the Los Angeles Clippers.

With little at stake for the players, and even less on the line for fans, the NBA All-Star Game just doesn’t seem to hit like it used to. Other sports can relate.

MLB’s All-Star Game has struggled to move the masses for some time now, while the NFL’s Pro Bowl isn’t even a prototypal game anymore.

The Pro Bowl Games, as it is known now, is a collection of skills competitions leading into a non-contact flag-football game. It’s “Battle of the Network Stars” back-slapping its way to tug-of-war.

Except the NHL did strike All-Star gold last year leading the NBA to its most recent change for its midseason celebration.

This year’s NBA All-Star Game will be a collection of two eight-man squads of American players with one eight-man group of international players.

It’s not exactly hockey’s 4 Nation’s Face-Off between teams of players from the United States, Finland, Sweden and the United States, but rather the latest gimmick for an event that is, well, a gimmick.

The three teams, of course, will have five starters each, but the NBA announced just 10 starters Monday -- five from each conference. The historical record shall not be inconvenienced.

The Eastern Conference starters are Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) and Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers).

The Western Conference starters are Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).

Antetokounmpo (Greece), Doncic (Slovenia), Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Jokic (Serbia) and Wembanyama (France) all will play on the world team.

Of note is who was not named Monday.

LeBron James has been a starter in each of the previous 21 All-Star Games, but that run will come to an end, although with five more starting spots left to fill, or with injuries possible, he could get a nod after all.

What this year’s NBA All-Star Game represents is a further shift to a new era.

Not only was James not named a starter, neither was Kevin Durant, despite his 26.1 points per game in his first season with the Houston Rockets.

Durant is a two-time All-Star Game MVP but will have to wait for Feb. 1 when 14 more players will be announced.

Wembanyama is at the forefront of a new wave of stars with his first starting nod in his second appearance. Cunningham will also make his first start in his second appearance.

But not all veteran stars are being pushed aside. Curry once again received a starting honor after not getting one last year.

Expect the NBC broadcast to revisit Curry’s heroics in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

On the world stage, Curry made nine shots from 3-point range in a comeback victory in the semifinals then made eight more in the gold-medal game against France. He made four consecutive of those in the final three minutes.

While the All-Star Game will be a celebration of basketball’s best, it will also serve as a promotional moment for NBC’s upcoming Winter Olympics coverage. Thus, the international aspect to the game.

There was a day when the All-Star Game serving as something other than a promotional tool for the NBA would have been absurd.

The reality is that it is easy to knock a game -- or a round-robin tournament -- that is played with a different energy. Will the international flavor get players to have a greater interest in playing defense? Probably not.

So come for the stars -- in sport and entertainment – and appreciate the show.

Adjust expectations.

There are far more important things that deserve your scorn.