Adam Silver All But Admits The NBA Has Given Up On Getting Players To Care About The All-Star Game

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The NBA has rolled out a number of changes in an attempt to give its players some incentive to genuinely compete in the All-Star Game, but it sounds like Adam Silver is waving the white flag based on what he had to say before Game 3 of the Finals.

The first NBA All-Star Game was held all the way back in 1951, and while I can’t say I’m intimately familiar with what unfolded during the contest, it’s safe to assume the players who participated were a bit more invested in the outcome than their modern counterparts based on the virtually nonexistent stakes that define the current showcase.

The NBA stuck to an East vs. West format for over 65 years before deciding to switch things up in 2018 by naming a couple of captains who were allowed to select their roster in the hopes it would up the level of intrigue. We were treated to some amusing moments as a result, but that switch—along with the fairly convoluted”Elam Ending” scoring system that was introduced in 2020—was abandoned this season.

Under the terms of the current CBA, players who win the All-Star Game take home $100,000 (members of the losing team have to settle for $25,000), but that’s a drop in the bucket for virtually every guy who gets invited to compete in the first place.

On Wednesday night, Adam Silver—who didn’t even attempt to hide his disdain following this season’s tilt —got the chance to address the issue while chatting with Mike Wilbon ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and it would appear he’s resigned himself to defeat on that particular front based on his response to a question about fixing the All-Star Game.

Here’s what he had to say while discussing the possibility of a U.SA. vs. International format:

“We may be just past the point where guys—and teams—are incentivized to play a competitive All-Star game in the middle of the season. It’s the nature of the league.

I look back at last year. Honestly, Larry Bird, Julius Irving, others spoke to the players before the game, and I don’t think any of them set out thinking ‘We’re just not gonna play hard.’ It’s just this group dynamic that takes over…

I think about the Steph [Curry] vs. Sabrina [Ionescu] shootout last year, which was a highlight of All-Star Weekend…You have to do something that’s a little bit different, frankly; that recognizes this is about entertainment. 

People want to see the players put their best foot forward, but it has to be something more than just the game.” 

It sure seems like the last nail has been pounded into the coffin.