On the same day teams learned of an expected agreement between the NBA and its players’ association to hold the 2021 NBA All-Star game in Atlanta on March 7, Lakers star LeBron James trashed the idea, calling it a “slap in the face.”
“I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star game this year,” James said. “I don’t even understand why we’re having an All-Star game.”
If selected, he said, he’d reluctantly participate.
James cited the compressed offseason between his Lakers winning the title on Oct. 10 and opening their defense of it on Dec. 22 along with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic as the reasons why he was unhappy with the decision.
“And then coming into this season, you know, we were told that we were not having an All-Star game, so we’d have a nice little break,” James said. “Five days from the 5th through the 10th, an opportunity for me to kind of recalibrate for the second half of the season. My teammates as well. Some of the guys in the league. And then they throw an All-Star Game on us like this and just breaks that all the way up. So, pretty much kind of a slap in the face. And we’re also still dealing with a pandemic. We’re still dealing everything that’s been going on, and we’re going to bring the whole league into one city that’s open?
“Obviously, the pandemic has absolutely nothing to do with it at this point when it comes to that weekend.”
According to the Georgia Department of Health, the state reported 4,011 confirmed cases and 141 deaths on Thursday.
The game was originally scheduled to be played in Indianapolis, but All-Star weekend was cancelled because of the pandemic before the season began. Indianapolis will now host the event in 2024.
There’s been no formal announcement about a 2021 game from the league or the NBPA, the union that represents the league’s players.
A driving force in having the game, according to people familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly about it, has been pockets of prominent players. There’s been discussions about using the game as a platform to raise money and awareness for a number of causes, including support for historically Black colleges and universities — an issue heavily supported by NBPA president Chris Paul.
It’s unknown whether having or not having the game would be a significant change in the league’s television revenues because of how the contracts are constructed.
James has appeared in 16 All-Star games and is currently leading the Western Conference with more than 2.28 million votes in the first release of results.
“I’ll be there physically but not mentally,” James said of a potential 17th appearance.
Before his team’s win against Denver, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he’d have a hard time getting excited about coaching in a pandemic-season All-Star game. Since Vogel and his staff coached in last year’s game in Chicago, he’s not eligible to coach this year.
“It would have been difficult to have to go in this climate. But we’re all of the mind-set to do whatever is good for the health of the league,” Vogel said. “We took a big hit to our business with this pandemic, and everybody’s just trying to play their part and do the best they can. So it’s something that the league feels is in the best interest of our league.
“We would all be willing to do it, but it certainly would be harder to commit to something like that given the current climate.”
Denver coach Michael Malone was asked the same question, saying he’s never excited about that kind of opportunity because he prefers his off time to be spent with family. Still, he said, the NBA has earned his trust when it comes to health and safety.
“The NBA last year did something that no one thought was possible — they created a bubble in Orlando, Fla., and somehow got through the NBA season where we were able to crown a champion. And they did it in a safe manner,” Malone said. “… If they do have that All-Star game, whether you agree with it or not, the league is going to make sure it’s done in a very responsible and safe manner, and that’s been proven time and time again.”
