Like many basketball fans, I was geared up to watch the All-Star Weekend. In a weird year, it seemed like the league attempted the best pandemic version of All-Star Weekend they could muster. Below I outline the good, the bad, and what they need to work on if we are still dealing with the pandemic next February (God I hope not…).
What I loved
The Clark Atlanta University Harmonics singing Lift Every Voice and Sing was a beautiful way to open the game. In the same artistic frame the anthems were great! Both were sung beautifully, with joy and a hint of personalization.
The focus on the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). I love hearing about players using their platform, influence and finances to support their communities. Robert Covington funded a training facility for his college, Tennessee State University. Chris Paul has hosted a master class about sports, entertainment and media with Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse at North Carolina A&T State University. He hopes to expand this program to other schools. The focus on HBCUs also highlights where the money from the games goes, who it supports, and how those students are impacted.
Ultra Front Row for Frontliners! What a great way for people who have given so much this year to enjoy the game. I thought this was a great way for the NBA to say thank you to frontline workers.
Mic’d up moments. I love hearing the players talk smack, make jokes, laugh, encourage each other, and call plays. I think it really enhances the fans’ understanding of the community mindset of the NBA.
Fourth quarter setup – Known as the Final Target score (Or Elam Ending). This just helps keep the game on target and we don’t need to stay up for overtime on a Sunday night. Fans have school or work in the morning so getting to bed at a reasonable time for what amounts to a star studded “open run” is always appreciated.
Areas that need tweaking
The shot tracker in the 3-Point Challenge. On paper it’s a great concept and I think it will be very helpful in future years. But, it needs to be executed better because about half of the contestants seemed to have issues. It often worked for the first two positions before glitching out, while not working at all for others. I really like the idea but it needs some more time with the IT department before making its next appearance.
The scheduling was a bit much. I originally thought I would like having all of the events in one day. Towards the end of the 3rd quarter however, I found myself scrolling through social media, grabbing a snack and not really paying attention to the game. There’s also a large contingent of purists out there who like the dunk competition, and skills challenges, but can’t stand the less than 100% effort that goes into the ASG itself. By combining everything, there were likely some grumbles about how drawn out everything seemed to be.
I also hate the date change. They moved it from Valentine’s Day weekend to the first weekend in March. I understand they wanted to keep it in the middle of the season and their season shifted a bit from the pandemic. But for 2022, bring it back to Valentine’s Day weekend.
I do miss the star power that courtside would bring for these events. Watching the celebrities on the sidelines was sometimes just as entertaining as the events themselves. I understand why this just wasn’t possible during a pandemic, but I will be excited when we can have them there again.
My biggest disappointment was the Dunk Contest. The dunks were fine, and I understand the restrictions that the pandemic gives, but there wasn’t enough. There were only 8 dunks and I can’t remember a time when that was the case. I understand why they did it, that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I look forward to the NBA making up for it with an extra long dunk contest next year (Zion no excuses in 2022!).
Overall the whole event was a success. It highlighted HBCUs, thanked frontline workers, and was able to host most events without major changes. It was a good event by pandemic standards, not the best All-Star experience for anyone involved, but I enjoyed it for what it was. That being said, I’m definitely looking forward to getting back to a normal NBA ASG vibe next year.
-Larrisa Barlow
Twitter: @barlowlarissad