Every year the National Basketball Association selects 24 of the best basketball players, 12 from the Eastern Conference and 12 from the Western Conference. Receiving a spot on the All-Star team is a prestigious honor, but as safety concerns have been higher than ever, many players have protested the idea of a 2021 All-Star Game. However, this contradicts their contracts therefore, they will receive a large fine for missing the game and would ruin a tradition since the first All-Star Game in 1951.
The selection for the players result from a combined vote, half which consist of the fans and then a quarter players and a quarter sports media. This large influence by fans means that not having an All-Star Game would be a big let down for all the supporters of the NBA. According to USA Today, LeBron James and other stars such as De’Aaron Fox have led the movement calling the All-Star Game “stupid” and saying they have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star Game this year.
Players always seem to have an excitement about the All-Star weekend and lots of hype surrounding the dunk contest, three point contest and the All-Star Game.
“That would suck if we could not watch the dunk contest,” sophomore Emiliano Zamudio said. “The dunk contest was always my favorite and I think it is a lot of peoples favorites because of the hype surrounding it. My favorite was definitely the 2016 one with Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon.”
In the past, the rest and recovery time were essential as it gives the players a week break from the season. This has been useful for the players and viewers as many get way more excited for these games than regular season games. The NBA might instead do what the National Football League did for the pro bowl, as the NFL streamed a game using Madden 21 between the National Football Conference and the American Football conference, but instead use the game NBA 2K21. It would come as a shame to many, including freshman Colby Priller if they did not compete this year.
“It is a lot of fun to watch all the best players in the league all playing and competing with each other,” Priller said. “It would be a disappointment if I could not watch my favorite players play in real life and instead had to watch it on 2k.”
Nevertheless, the NBA will do what is best for the players and their safety whether that is having an All-Star Game or not.
