Wild All-Star Idea That Could Save NBA All-Star Weekend

Have you watched Olympic basketball? Sure you have. Everyone has.

Do you really think Giannis Antetokounmpo gets a special thrill going head-to-head with Kevin Durant? Of course not.

Been there, done that.

Yes, nationalism matters in Olympic basketball. But it’s a fight best waged by the wannabes.

Be honest: Before Stephen Curry did night-night on the French in the finals, the most memorable performances in Paris were all Davids vs. Goliaths – from South Sudan’s Carlik Jones to Japan’s Kawamura Yuki to the four-point play by some guy named Marko Guduric that shockingly gave Serbia a 15-point lead over Team USA in the final seconds of the third quarter in the semifinals.

You invite some of these hometown-only heroes to Los Angeles in February to regenerate the type of emotion foreign players bring to the international floor when they get their once-in-a-lifetime up-close-and-personal with LeBron James or Stephen Curry, and maybe you get a game worth watching.

But Giannis, Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama? Rest assured, a J.R. Rider Cup isn’t about to break out.

The question is: How can NBA/NBC design a format that would basically assure the top players – regardless of where they were born – would be inspired to compete?

I’ve got a crazy idea: How about letting the players design something themselves?

Imagine selecting the most deserving 24 players – they earn the distinction of being All-Stars – and allowing each to create a competition in which he could crown himself as The Best in the World.

Think “Superstars,” if you’re old enough. Only without Joe Frazier jumping into a pool.

Take Zion Williamson, for example. He might not be able to beat Giannis one-on-one, or outshoot Curry, or outrun Anthony Edwards. But you know what? He just might be able to KICK a basketball farther than his fellow All-Stars.

Wouldn’t that be fun to watch?

Give me this: It would be different. And, most importantly, competitive in a “Skins Game” kind of way.

How about Curry challenging the field to 60-foot shots? Jokic to full-court target practice? Lonzo Ball to an obstacle-course dribbling race congested by USC cheerleaders?

Do you think anybody could BOUNCE a basketball – carnival “Strongman”-style – higher than Karl-Anthony Towns?

Everyone scripts one event. The goal is not just to be creative – like having points-valued cardboard cutouts of Angel Reese, Barkley, Bill Belichick and Magic Johnson in a Dodgers cap as the long-toss targets – but also to pick something where you think you’d be the best.

Points awarded: 10 to first place, 9 to second, etc. You think you’re better than me at MY creation, bring it on.

Each player gets to choose five events other than his own in which to compete. So no embarrassment. No half-hearted efforts. No snooze-a-thons.

You get 12 high-energy, fast-moving Saturday night events, leading into 12 even-more-important Sunday night challenges. Guy with the most points at the end wins.

NBC could flex its muscles and enrichen each event with a celebrity contestant whose points go toward the All-Star of his/her choice. Imagine Shaq in the ball-bouncing event. Barkley in the ball-kicking competition. Peyton Manning in the target throw. Caitlin Clark in the long-distance shootout.

Heck, even Taylor Swift in a free throw competition (you gotta know Jayson Tatum would pick something lame like that).

Or maybe Ms. Swift would be the celebrity broadcaster for an event. Each competition could have a Peacock.

Even the fans could be interactive. I mean, someone is going to have to catch the basketball kicked into the upper deck, right?

No dunk competition or 3-point shootout or skills competition … although all are welcome as part of someone’s design. This would combine the three, only with real All-Stars competing for a nice pot of gold at the end, not Mac McClung.

Think long-distance dunk contest. No do-overs. One try. The guy who throws down from the starting point farthest from the hoop wins. Or maybe Elly De La Cruz beats them all and gives the points to the guy who just got booed for hitting Reese with his 94-foot heave.

Imagine the clips of NBA players helping teammates brainstorm and polish up their acts before and after team workouts. Even fans could jump aboard, running down the local playground to try out their own specialties and claiming – at least in the mirror – that they could beat the All-Stars at a basketball home run derby.

(Warning: All events would have to be NBA-approved. Wouldn’t want an unsuspecting fan to get hit by splintered aluminum.)

Or you could have the new NBC-uninspired Lauri Markkanen-James Harden reunion, which would pack about as much pop as Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao.

C’mon, NBC.

Think Seinfeld, Cheers … inspired and prideful mic’d-up fan-favorites who would move seamlessly from one entertaining episode to another, rarely disappointing.

Heck, even Jerry and Sam could take center stage. Again.