While the NBA and its Players Association continue to debate the particulars about an add-on NBA All-Star Game in March Atlanta, we can officially count one star footing against it even happening: LeBron James.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday night after the Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets, 114-93, at home, James made it clear: he’s not interested in participating in the game, which was not part of the original schedule for the 2020-21 NBA Season.
correcting this: He said “zero energy and zero EXCITEMENT.” Carry on.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) February 5, 2021
LeBron James just delivered an extremely strong pushback to the idea of an All-Star Game in Atlanta next month in his post-game interview session … although he did add that he would be there “physically but not mentally” if the game indeed takes place
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 5, 2021
James’ lack of “energy” is certainly understandable, as he’s routinely played deep into the postseason the majority of his career and endured a long haul in the NBA’s Disney bubble before the regular season resumed at home courts in December. But the strong rebuke sent a strong wave through the league on a night where word trickled out about the particulars of what an Atlanta All-Star Game could be amid a pandemic that’s canceled dozens of NBA regular season games. If the league decides to hold an All-Star Game, it will undoubtedly look very different than previous All-Star Weekends in all the obvious ways we’ve seen in the sports world in recent months.
LeBron: “I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star game this season.” He said he was looking to a five-day break in March after the shortened offseason and believes it is not a wise decision during the pandemic, either. “I’ll be there physically but not mentally”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 5, 2021
It’s important to note that, despite his opposition to an All-Star Game in 2021, James implied that he would go to Atlanta and participate in the festivities. But his statements were an honest assessment of his view of the game, and apparently the frivolity of trying to make it happen in the first place. All things considered, it sounds like he would appreciate the break rather than the obligation of playing.
Other players have spoken out against the All-Star Game amid the ongoing talks about logistics over where players not attending could travel and how they reenter the NBA season. But the Association now sits at an extremely interesting crossroads where its most influential player — and one of its biggest All-Star draws — has flatly stated he’s not a fan of the league planning the event in the first place.