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As the NBA’s All-Star Weekend comes to a close, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith took some time on his show First Take to reflect on the festivities.
All told, the longtime NBA reporter and sports-debate show host was less than impressed with the showing from the players.
Last night’s main event ended as a 184-175 shootout that saw little defense and nothing but scoring – highlighted by Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s record-shattering 55 points.
Beyond that, G-League point guard Mac McClung shocked the NBA by winning the slam dunk contest – and Damian Lillard won the 3-Point contest in what may have been the field that best represented the talent the exhibition demanded.
But in the end, Smith was disappointed in the whole weekend, saying it ‘reeks of a level of arrogance’.
“First Take” host Stephen A. Smith criticized the players’ effort in the NBA All-Star Game
‘Hell no, I didn’t enjoy it,’ Smith began on his show before continuing: ‘Here’s what’s inexcusable… as pathetic as the All-Pro Game was in football, it’s kind of understandable, guys, because football is a violent sport and we get all of that.
‘And I’m not trying to say that you need to go all out as basketball players for All-Star Weekend because you got the second half of the season to consider…
‘What I’m trying to say about the sport of basketball is that we don’t need to see an All-Star Game taking place where you play harder in summer competition when you’re working out than you do at the All-Star Weekend.
‘If you can go and play in summer league competition, I don’t mean summer league as in an organized league. I’m talking about go to the gym and watch these guys work out in the summertime, in the off season.
‘They’re working out in the off season and we all know they’re not going all out, but they play harder than what you saw last night. There was no effort whatsoever.
‘What we should be able to see, other than dunks, we should not be able to look at a basketball game and know that anybody could be on the court with you based on the effort you’re putting on display.
‘It just reeks of a level of arrogance and taking fans for granted that we continue to lament.
‘So again, you know what, I just look at it from that perspective and I applaud Coach [Michael] Malone for highlighting the flagrant lack of effort.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum won the MVP Award after putting up 55 points in the All-Star Game
Tatum reached that milestone thanks to the lack of defensive effort from his opponents
Smith then turned some of his attention to the slam dunk contest and its winner McClung.
‘No pun intended, but I guess white men can jump because McClung put on the show and he did a damn good job and I applaud him,’ Smith said.
But I also was listening… to what Vince Carter pointed out – who, I mean, [is] the ultimate slam dunker, for crying out loud…He talked about the “Want it” factor, how badly McClung wanted to be there.’
‘So if you’re an NBA player out there, particularly NBA All Stars, I want you to take this into perspective: A G League player won the slam dunk contest.
‘He showed up at All Star Weekend, wanted it badly and out dunked supposedly the greatest basketball players on the planet.’
Smith praised Mac McClung dunk contest performance – saying that he ‘wanted it’ more
Praise also came for Damian Lillard – one of the league’s best shooters – for his 3-point victory
Smith then turned his attention to the 3-point exhibition, beginning by praising some of the most lethal deep shooters in the game for actually wanting to participate.
‘Thank God for Damian Lillard, because when we thought about the three point contest, I’m like, what the hell is Julius Randle doing in the three point contest?,’ Smith wondered.
‘I’m a Knicks fan. What the hell is Julius Randle doing in that contest? … He doesn’t belong in that three point shooting contest. Okay?
‘But thank God Damian Lillard showed up and reminded everybody of “Dame Time” and “Dame Dolla” and what that brother represents, because we know he belonged in the three point shooting contest, which obviously he won.’
