Kevin Durant recently went on a tirade over fans’ overbearing criticisms of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend. Lou Williams doesn’t believe fans are asking for too much, though, and called Durant out for not trying to see the point they are trying to make.
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Williams understands fans’ gripe with the current state of the All-Star Game. Considering the immense cost of attending the midseason event, the 17-year veteran doesn’t believe fans are getting their money’s worth.
The 38-year-old knows his peers are capable of putting on a much better show for the people willing to sacrifice their hard-earned cash to watch them play.
“At this point, the fans are not getting enough bang for our buck,” Williams said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. He underlined how fans just want to see their favorite players try harder, as it’s the one opportunity of the season for many to witness the world’s premier talents all on the same court.
“They wanna see the best of the best play the best that they can,” Williams continued.
"What Kevin Durant has to realize is that the people that are complaining…on shows are just projecting. We're just projecting the message the people without a microphone can't express. At this point, the fans are not getting a bang for our buck."@TeamLou23 on NBA ASG opinions pic.twitter.com/hzERRYffMe
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 18, 2025
The three-time Sixth Man of the Year doesn’t think fans are asking too much from professional athletes making eight-figure salaries. Williams knows fans simply want to see more effort and intensity throughout the festivities.
They aren’t expecting the level of competitiveness expected for the NBA Finals, but much of the weekend’s failure comes down to the players’ apathy.
Charles Barkley and Draymond Green argued over the failure of ASG too
Many players relayed their concerns regarding this year’s All-Star format before the event ever took place, but it’s clear the experimental format failed to capture any new fans. Draymond Green had strong criticisms for the format, underlining his belief that it wasn’t worth it for the players who had worked so hard to get there in the first place.
“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,” Green said.
Charles Barkley fired back at the Warriors big man for his complaints, blaming basketball’s modern crop of stars for ruining the competitiveness of the All-Star Game. “Your generation messed the game up, so we have to experiment with the Rising Stars,” Chuck responded.
Another year has passed, and the NBA is still searching for a way to bring back the excitement surrounding their midseason festivities. Unless the players selected for the game are willing to give fans a reason to watch, though, the issues with the All-Star Weekend will persist for the foreseeable future.
