The 2023 All-Star weekend culminated on Sunday with the All-Star game, featuring the teams of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the All-Star weekend certainly didn’t end on a high note, as many called the game ‘boring’ and devoid of any defense. The All-Star game didn’t have any sort of competitiveness as superstars locked horns with each other and let each other score without any struggle. In light of this, the three-time Sixth Man of the Year recently expressed how to make the game which has the MVP award named after Kobe Bryant, more competitive.

The three-time Sixth Man of the Year, Jamal Crawford, formerly of the Los Angeles Clippers player, stated the answer to make the game more competitive. Further ensuring that it ultimately honors the Black Mamba.

Jamal Crawford revealed how to make the All-Star more competitive

In one of the recent episodes of ‘What’s Burning’, Crawford sat down for a chat with ex-NBA veterans Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson and noted journalist Rachel Nichols. During the chat session, Barness and Jackson said that upcoming superstars like Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, and Jayson could play hard and make the All-Star more competitive.

Subsequently, Crawford said while concurring with them, “When the very very best players set the tone like yo we’re not coming in bullshitting like we’re going to get it right from the start and come with that mentality.” The now 42-year-old continued, “Like it’s [MVP award] named after Kobe [Bryant]. What’s the best way to honor Kobe but to compete.”

The former Clippers player’s statements implied that it would only become more competitive when the superstars would take the All-Star game seriously and compete like a regular game. And according to him, that would be the perfect way to honor the Los Angeles Lakers legend.

Why was the All-Star MVP award named after Kobe Bryant?

In January 2020, the world of basketball lost Bryant in a helicopter crash. A couple of days later, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that the All-Star MVP award would be permanently named after the four-time champion to commemorate him.

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Silver said in an official statement, “Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game. He always relished the opportunity to compete with the best of the best and perform at the highest level for millions of fans around the world.” 

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What are your thoughts on Jamal Crawford’s statements? Let us know in the comments below.