Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green launched a scathing critique of the NBA All-Star weekend format during a live broadcast on TNT. This came as LeBron James withdrew from what could have been his final All-Star game due to foot discomfort, leaving fans disappointed.
The Los Angeles Lakers star was the biggest name participating this weekend, and his withdrawal cast a shadow over the event. This year’s All-Star game adopted a new format, featuring four teams in a single-elimination tournament with two semi-finals and a final.
The format was intended to mirror that of the NHL All-Star games but failed to impress. The NBA on TNT hosts – Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Candace Parker and Shaquille O’Neal – picked the four teams, with O’Neal’s team emerging victorious.
The new rules stipulated that a game ended when a team scored 40 points, preventing players from attempting to break the All-Star game scoring record, currently held by Jayson Tatum who scored 55 in 2023. Despite the innovative approach, not everyone was pleased, with Green expressing his views on TNT before the game.
Warriors star Green said live on TNT: “You work all year to be an All-Star and then you get to play up to 40 and then you’re done? Thinks is so unfair to Victor Wemnbanyama who just took this game really seriously, this is so unfair to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who just took this game really seriously.
“When you talk about chasing after the points record, Melo, Kobe, all these guys who have had great scoring nights. They don’t get the opportunity to do that with this game. Now we get the treat of watching the Olympics team… playing against a U-19 team? Come on now, what are we doing? This is ridiculous.”
When asked to rate the new format, Green responded, “Zero. Sucks. This ain’t basketball.”
This article originally appeared on Mirror US
