Draymond Green was on the broadcasting team for the All-Star Games and the Warriors veteran decided to go off on the Rising Stars playing the All-Star Game due to the new format. Green believes that the league is doing a disservice to those who have gotten here through hard work throughout the regular season.
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Green isn’t the only one who is unhappy with the new format. Stephen A. Smith took to X to support the Warriors veteran’s take.
The media veteran said that he appreciates the efforts being made by the league to bring excitement to the ASG. However, he doesn’t like how this is overshadowing someone like Victor Wembanyama, who is playing his first All-Star Game.
He wrote, “I’m pleased with the elevated effort we’ve seen but Dray’s points are all valid. Can’t deny it.”
Damn! @Money23Green is giving it to us tonight. Great points about the All-Stars like @wemby getting hosed because they want us to see RISING STARS! I’m pleased with the elevated effort we’ve seen but Dray’s points are all valid. Can’t deny it. Lots to talk about on @FirstTake…
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 17, 2025
Green compared the All-Star players going against the Rising Stars to an Olympic team playing against a U-19 team. He believes that this isn’t going to generate more interest as the level of competition both teams are used to isn’t even comparable. The 34-year-old also has a problem with the point ceiling in this new format.
Draymond: "Now we get the treat of watching the Olympic play against a U19 team. Come on what are we doing? This is ridiculous" pic.twitter.com/33LMYS9CHf
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 17, 2025
Instead of having a time limit, the new ASG format comes with a point ceiling. Whichever team reaches the 40-point mark first wins the game and proceeds to the next round. Green believes that the format is unfair for someone who has been waiting to be an All-Star all year.
He said, “You work all year to be an All-Star, and you get to play up to 40, and you’re done. This is so unfair.”
Draymond Green says the new All-Star format is unfair to first time All-Stars
“You work all year to be an All-Star, and you get to play up to 40, and you’re done. This is so unfair.” pic.twitter.com/xRf3XUutic
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 17, 2025
While Green has his issues with the new format, Charles Barkley thinks that veterans of the game shouldn’t be the ones complaining about this. Sir Charles said that Green’s generation is the reason why fans started losing interest in the ASG as they never put any real effort into games in the past.
Charles Barkley is 100% right about Draymond Green’s comments: His generation messed the game up. That’s why the NBA has to try so much stuff to make All-Star Sunday entertaining again.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) February 17, 2025
Chuck isn’t wrong in his assessment. Green’s era of players have refused to play any defense and take the ASG seriously year after year. As a result, this new format had to be introduced as an experiment where young players would also join on the floor. The expectation from this was that the fear of losing to the Rising Stars might push older players to do better.
Looking at how the three games were played and the response it has generated from fans online, it seems like the NBA didn’t quite succeed with their new plan.
