Many people have different views on the NBA All Star Game. Some people see it as a fun event to watch to showcase the talents of the season's most valuable players. Some see it as a useless activity as it creates a break in the season some debate is too long in terms of the players' well being to begin with. Some count down the days to the dunk contest and others roll their eyes at the complete showcase of it all.
However, that is what makes the NBA All Star Game something special. The notable events of the weekend consist of the The Celebrity Game, The Rising Stars Challenge, The Skills Challenge, The Three-Point Contest, The Slam Dunk Contest and the actual NBA All Star Game. There are many views that this weekend just poses a threat to valuable players as the possibility to get hurt is always there. Other arguments consist of how teams can lose whatever drive they had before the all star break which makes it actually detrimental to the season. However, I would argue that the All Star Game is valuable in that it reminds players of a time when the game of basketball was a purely fun activity, one without contracts and championships, but just a game with a score, net, and ball.
No event, including the All Star Game, of the All Star Weekend has any merit or consequence for the current season commencing. However, the fact that the most valuable players of every team still come out to the game shows that the All Star Game is something for enjoyment, on behalf of the players and the fans. The voting nomination of players to the events gets fans engaged in the activities of the weekend. The dynamic of players from other teams coming together to play the game they all love so much, without the added pressure of the score at the end of the day, makes it a special and fun event all itself.
Just look at the instance of Kevin Durant throwing up the basketball to Russell Westbrook for an alley-oop in this past year's 2017 NBA All Star Game. Sports fans live for the drama of the game they love to watch because it is their version of reality TV. The Durant and Westbrook dynamic of whether there had been any hard feelings after Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder and Westbrook to go play with the Golden State Warriors has consistently been a topic of conversation. Leading up to the All Star Game, fans were questioning whether Westbrook and Durant would even play on the court at the same time. However, with one swift toss up and dunk, suddenly the world is silenced and people believe that perhaps, the fight was created in everyone's heads except for the actual players involved.
The All Star Game gave the fans the stage to see this dynamic and drama come to life. An event as entertaining as any reality show on TV. There's no underlying purpose of the All Star Weekend except merely as a way to enjoy the sport we all love. A way to see the many players we all enjoy come together on one court, an instance that would not exist without the All Star Game.
That's it. The All Star Weekend is for pure good and fun enjoyment. No if's, and's or but's. Anyone can debate about the usefulness of the weekend, but all in all, it is something that will continue to stay and improve for the sheer enjoyment for the NBA fans and players.
