LeBron James Rips NBA's All-Star Game Plans: 'A Slap In The Face'
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Lakers superstar LeBron James did not mince words when asked his thoughts about the NBA's purported decision to cobble together an All-Star Game next month.
"I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star Game this year," James told reporters after putting up a triple-double in a blowout win over the Denver Nuggets at Staples Thursday night. "I don't even understand why we're having an All-Star Game."
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday that the league is finalizing an All-Star Game for March 7 in Atlanta. The entire event would take place over one day only.
After winning the NBA title in October, the Lakers had the shortest offseason in NBA history when the league kicked off the new season just prior to Christmas in December.
There are no games scheduled from March 5 to March 10, a time James said he was hoping to use to revitalize himself for the second half of the season.
"Short offseason for myself and my teammates, 71 days. And then coming into this season, we were told that we were not having an All-Star Game, so we'd have a nice little break…An opportunity for me to kind of recalibrate for the second half of the season. My teammates as well. Some of the guys in the league. And then they throw an All-Star Game on us like this and just breaks that all the way up. So, um, pretty much kind of a slap in the face."
The 36-year-old James questioned the reasoning behind scheduling a game when the coronavirus pandemic is still raging, implying that it was a decision based on money, not health.
"We're also still dealing with a pandemic, still dealing with everything that's going on, and we're gonna bring the whole league into one city that's open," he said. "So obviously, the pandemic has nothing to do with it at that point when it comes to that weekend. Obviously, you guys can see I'm not very happy about it, it's out of my hands."
However, James said that he'll still take part if chosen for what would be his 17th straight All-Star game.
"I'll be there if I'm selected. I'll be there physically, but not mentally."
The NBA hasn't formally announced that the All-Star game will take place. The league is still negotiating the terms with the players union.
