5 Changes to All-Star Weekend

1. Improve the dunk contest

The dunk contest is still the marquee event of NBA All-Star weekend, but it needs a huge renovation.  It needs star power, and everyone knows it.  Calling it the “Rising Stars” dunk contest was a nice way to avoid conflict for a few years, but without stars, the dunk contest is boring.  Imagine a dunk contest with LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose, and Dwight Howard.  That would be incredible, and it would bring excitement back to All-Star Weekend.  

2.  Make the All-Star game worth something


I’ve blogged about this previously, but the game needs to be the deciding factor for home court advantage in the NBA Finals.  I get more excited about a game that is close throughout the entire 48 minutes.  The alley-oops and breakaway dunks should be saved for the dunk contest.  There are more aspects of the game that need to be showcased when all the best players are on the floor together.

3.  More Inside the NBA commentary

 These guys are hilarious.  Ernie, Kenny, Charles, and Shaq are the reason that I can tolerate All-Star Weekend at times.  Even if, at times, their insights aren’t basketball observations whatsoever, they provide great comic relief.  I can’t imagine the NBA without these guys.  Frankly, we need more of them.

4.  Let the players wear their regular season jerseys

I’m not sure why everyone has to wear the same jersey.  It may be just another way to sell more merchandise to the fans, but the league could still produce some sort of variant to the regular season jersey as an All-Star jersey.  I just think it would be nice to see each player be able to represent his team with their jersey.  Not only does this represent the team, but it represents the city, as well.

5. If you can’t have fun in warm-ups, you’re not allowed 

Did anyone else see Tom Thibodeau and Derrick Rose during the Eastern Conference lineups?  These guys were coming straight out of a Civil War era photograph.  If I didn’t know better, it looked like they both didn’t want to be there.  At least Luol Deng hinted at a little smile while he held out his Africa shirt.  If all you can do is awkwardly sway back and forth with your hands behind your back during the introductions, then stay at home.