Adam Silver knew that he had to spice up All-Star weekend after the disaster that was 2024. To draw in viewers, the NBA Commissioner announced that the 2026 ASG would feature a USA versus the World format, stating that he was inspired by the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament from earlier this year.
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Of course, the NBA media teams have sunk their teeth into the story, including Stephen A. Smith. SAS addressed the news on the latest edition of his First Take program.
“If this doesn’t work, I think you’re going to see the NBA do away with All-Star weekend,” claimed Smith. “And this era of players will forever be stained for the rest of their lives because All-Star weekend was banished because of a lack of effort.” It was a threatening tone from Smith. One that some players in the NBA didn’t appreciate, specifically Kevin Durant.
“Dramatic,” wrote Durant on X regarding SAS’s thoughts on the 2026 ASG. KD didn’t get to relish in his response for too long, as a ton of basketball “experts” quickly took aim at the two-time NBA Champion.
“Is it (dramatic)? Sure, but when the ratings are down and people stop watching it and starts to affect paychecks, idk if thats the right word you want to use,” wrote one person on X. They actually have a solid point. The ratings for All-Star Weekend have been abysmal, especially with the lack of star players participating.
Unfortunately for this person, though, KD is not one to ever back down from a social media spat. “I think I seen a guy is about to sign for like 70 million Dollars a year, a record high. How are paychecks being effected,” the 15-time All-Star wrote back.
I think I seen a guy is about to sign for like 70 million
Dollars a year, a record high. How are paychecks being effected.— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 5, 2025
The thing is that Durant has already been quite vocal about how dissatisfied NBA fans tend to get around All-Star weekend. He doesn’t really seem to care very much about whatever the league decides to do for that time, because in the end it won’t go over well.
“I think it’s more fun to complain about the nba than to actually watch it. Crazy, cancel all star weekend and let’s just give everybody a break since we’re so miserable around this time,” he wrote online back in February.
When KD got push back from many people who made some justifiable arguments about how boring All-Star weekend had become, he fired right back. “My point is, fans complain about EVERYTHING. Like nothing is good enough for the fans right now. Only thing they enjoy is playoffs, trade deadline, free agency and when players beef with each other lol.”
And in that sense, Durant is right. The “entertain me now” section of NBA fans is truly the worst, as are any sports fans of that nature. Some of this same sect of people complained about two small-market teams being in the NBA Finals, so the proof is in the pudding.
But at the end of the day, fans want to watch basketball for enjoyment. All-Star weekend used to be a tradition that brought everyone together. It’s a shame that it has become a time that does nothing but push people apart.
Silver should be applauded for at least trying to resolve the disconnect. Whether Team USA versus The World works out is unknown.
