The NBA All-Star Game stinks. I know it. You know it. Everybody and their mother knows it.
The game was so boring, and the players put in so little effort, that the highlights of the weekend were a girl shooting threes and Charles Barkley trashing San Francisco.
The 211-186 final score broke the record for all-time points in a game, and not because these guys are just that much better than in previous years, but because they just blatantly didn’t try playing defense.
The game got near all-time low numbers, with their 5.5 million viewership number trailing only 2023 for least viewed in history.
The 2024 NBA All-Star Game averaged 5.5 million viewers—the 2nd-lowest figure on record, trailing only 2023.
Across TNT, TBS, truTV, and Max, the game did see a 20% increase from last season.https://t.co/IliEcP9pk6 pic.twitter.com/CkdYRWSyom
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 20, 2024
While some have argued that they should incentivize the players with more money like they did in the recent inaugural playoff tournament (players from the winning team each received $500,0000) I don’t think that would make a huge difference here. The game’s main drivers like LeBron James and Stephen Curry make upwards of $50 million per year. That $500,000 ain’t really gonna move the needle.
So should we just scrap the game altogether? What to do, what to do … Well, one Twitter sportswriter has a brilliant idea: A one-on-one tournament. (RELATED: ‘Saved Your Career’: Bucks’ Pat Beverley Blasts Former Sharpshooter JJ Redick Over Doc Rivers Criticism)
Sportswriter and YouTuber Frank Michael Smith put together a proposal for a one-night, 32-man, winner-take-all all bracket that sounds absolutely electric.
“Put the NBA’s top 32 scorers in a bracket and seed them based on points/game,” he tweeted Tuesday afternoon.
Put the NBA’s top 32 scorers in a bracket and seed them based on points/game
This would all be 1 night and the rules are “Make It Take It”, maximum 3 dribbles
It moves fast. The first two rounds are to 3, the next two to 5, and the Finals are to 11 pic.twitter.com/PCedJSsu3N
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) February 20, 2024
Smith also added a sweet little wrinkle that the previous year’s winner could crown the next year’s winner like the Masters does with green jackets.
The champ from the previous year crowns the new champ in similar fashion to the green jacket presentation at the Masters
Instead of a Green Jacket, the winner is presented with a Championship Belt that reads “1V1 World Champ” pic.twitter.com/FpIC4r7u5U
— Frank Michael Smith (@frankmikesmith) February 20, 2024
Rather than appeal to their wallets, this proposal makes a play to the NBA stars’ documented vanity.
“You can’t tell me these guys won’t care about being crowned ‘1V1 World Champ,'” Smith aptly notes.
I know LeBron is probably retiring soon, but I guarantee you he would throw his hat into the ring for a chance to show off solo like this.
I’m so totally in favor of this format it’s not even funny. Imagine getting to see Steph Curry match up one-on-one with Kevin Durant. Or how about Wemby vs. Embiid? The possible matchups are tantalizing to think about.