Stephen A. Smith was thoroughly displeased with the 2024 All-Star Weekend, to the extent that he felt most of the events should be scrapped altogether. On the flip side, he gave Damian Lillard his due for winning back-to-back three-point titles. But for him, the headliner was the three-point showdown between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ioesncu which made the weekend worthwhile.
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The ESPN analyst liked how the sharpshooters approached the contest and gave them their props. He also expressed his adulation for the shootout between Curry and Ionescu on his ‘The Stephen Smith Show’, claiming that it was the highlight of the weekend,
“The highlight of the entire weekend was Sabrina Ionescu vs Stephen Curry. Now Steph Curry might be considered the greatest shooter in basketball history, but Sabrina certainly made him prove that Saturday night as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend.”
Then, the analyst pointed out how Ionescu made seven straight shots to begin the proceedings. He remarked that her score of 26 was similar to the top score of the NBA Three-Point Shooting Contest, achieved by Lillard. Calling Stephen Curry ‘the greatest shooter God has ever created’, he observed the earnestness of the Warriors’ guard’s approach and recognized that he was going up against a top-notch player. He applauded Ionescu for showing up against the greatest shooter ever and holding her own.
In the light of this enthralling showdown, he desired that the trend of a WNBA vs NBA three-point contest should continue. While he had huge praise for the two incredible shooters, the analyst wasn’t kind to one of the greatest of all time.
Stephen A. Smith blames LBJ for Slam Dunk’s decreasing popularity
In the aftermath of the 2024 All-Star Dunk Contest, Smith was disgusted with the product. He blamed LeBron James for lowering the contest’s standards since he has never participated in one. On ‘First Take’, he opined, “LeBron James is directly responsible for ruining the slam dunk contest.”
For Stephen A. Smith, top-ranked above-the-rim players refused to participate in the event because James sent a disheartening precedent. Therefore, now the league has to resort to consecutive champion Mac Mclung, who plays in the G-League.
“LeBron James is directly responsible for ruining the slam dunk contest… LeBron James refusing to participate… was the beginning and the spark plug of its demise. Period! There is no one who can dispute that.”
– Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/zrmazKBqO5
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 19, 2024
Because of the lack of popular NBA stars, the analyst urged that things need to change. Apart from that, like many, he also felt underwhelmed by the All-Star Game. He expectedly called out the lack of defense. The analyst stated, “What transpired last night was an absolute travesty. Nearly 400 points on defense, no effort whatsoever.”
Apart from the All-Star Game and Slam Dunk Contest, the First Take host thought that the All-Star Skills challenge was of no use either. Stephen A. Smith isn’t the only one to feel betrayed by the All-Star Weekend. Even modern-day basketball advocate JJ Redick felt that the All-Star Game was not a fun watch.
Apart from that, Paul Pierce advocated for scrapping the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, comparing it to an ex-girlfriend whom one should let go instead of trying to get back with her. It will be interesting to see what measures Commissioner Adam Silver takes to allay the endless stream of criticism.
