2020 was the last time the NBA’s biggest stars showed some vigor during the All-Star game. It fit the theme to honor Kobe Bryant, and the ending had all the right ingredients: drama and thrill. However, since then, new ideas have been scrapped and players have become nonchalant. Offense has thrived, with last year’s game posting the most points ever in an All-Star game. With that though, the fan experience has declined.

Viewership plummet is the most prominent indicator of the same. In the last two years, the game has failed to cross over 6 million viewers, the lowest since 2003. Former POTUS Barack Obama shared his thoughts over the decreasing interest in the NBA’s annual. “Y’all gotta have a little more pride in that All-Star Game,” he told Tyrese Haliburton. Y’all need to do something because I ain’t watching that thing no more,” he said in conclusion.

His words resembled the wishes of millions of fans across the globe. But what is the solution that Adam Silver can implement? Maybe it’s conjuring the 12 ‘Avengers’, with behemoths like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Durant on one side against the world. That’s what famous rapper Cam’ron feels will help spike engagement once again.

“The way you spruce up the All-Star game Adam Silver is you put the best Americans against the best people who is not from America cause they going to go hard. And n****s will watch that,” he said on Come and Talk 2 Me. “Whether you say Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Canada or you Giannis from Grece or your Jokic from Serbia, you’ll be like yeah let’s get these n****s,”. In recent years, the trend of international players sweeping accolades has become common.

The last time a USA player won MVP was in 2018 when James Harden went on a scoring tear for the Houston Rockets. Furthermore, a large consensus also believes that the current best players in the world all reside from outside the NBA’s home nation. With pride on the line for many, it can surely bring some life to the game.

A new concept would pique excitement within fans, driving audiences to watch the product. However, will it remain sustainable?

Adam Silver needs to convince the players rather than the fans

The Paris Olympics, where the mightiest of USA’s basketball players found synergy together provided fans with some of the best basketball action. Their wills propelled them to make an unimaginable comeback against Serbia and Nikola Jokic. At 39 years old, LeBron James felt “meaningful” basketball helped him realize he could still compete with the best.

As far as breathing inspiration goes, it can surely revive players. However, the All-Star game and the Olympics are two different worlds altogether. Even though pride will remain at stake, with an NBA postseason months away, the priority for players is to avoid overexertion or worse injuries.

It’s not that they don’t want to improve the product. Celtics’ Jaylen Brown openly slammed the game to be a “layup line”. Moreover, last year All-Stars even had internal discussions to find anecdotes to make the game appealing. However, they came at a crossroads. “I guess guys are trying to figure out how to do that at the same time as having fun, being safe, being injury-free. More solutions need to be had to figure that out,” Brown further commented.

The unanswered riddle is to find a neat balance between risk and competitiveness. Anthony Davis felt players only know one gear of competing, and that could augment the chances of ailments during the game. Obama though feels “You know how to play in a way that, ‘Alright, I’m not going to hurt anybody, I’m not going to take anybody out’,”

If there’s anything Adam Silver can do, it is maybe having conversations with the players and making them aware of the waning interest in the game. Even though it’s already known, a message from the top brass could instill the urgency to act. Do you think NBA fans will get the intensity of the 2020 game ever again and can it be done with Ma$e’s suggestion? Let us know your views in the comments below.