Draymond Green sounds off on the NBA All-Star Game, while Charles Barkley claps back; and I couldn’t agree with Chuck more

Adam Silver shook things up with a major overhaul of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, but let’s be real—that’s not what had fans losing their minds.

The All-Star Game is supposed to be about, you know, basketball. But instead of letting the best hoopers on the planet put on a show, the night was loaded with so many random side events that the actual game felt like an afterthought.

The NBA turned the All-Star Game into a full-on tribute for Inside the NBA as the legendary show enters its final year on TNT. Not only did they have Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaq coaching the teams and talking their talk during the game, but they also threw in a bunch of mid-game tributes to the crew—including Draymond Green, who somehow found himself part of the mix. At times, it felt less like an All-Star Game and more like an Inside the NBA farewell tour.

Which is besides the fact here, obviously Draymond being who he is, took the opportunity to express his thoughts on the format for this year’s “All-Star Game”

Draymond Green sounds off on the NBA All-Star Game

“Now we get the treat of watching the Olympic team vs a u19 team”

Draymond openly trashing the new format on live TV is the most entertaining part of the All-Star Game tonight

pic.twitter.com/aaxNWAB2qw

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 17, 2025

Look, Draymond’s not completely off base—but let’s be real, we can’t let this distract us from the fact that his generation of players, including LeBron James, is responsible for this current predicament.

Charles Barkley puts Draymond Green in his place

Charles Barkley: "I'm going to disagree with Draymond A LOT… They messed the game up!.. His generation messed the game up!… We're doing every type of trick to make this weekend exciting." #NBA https://t.co/v7CYFf3kFG pic.twitter.com/QiltQVt0RZ

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 17, 2025

The Format is only part of the problem

I don’t even care about the format—it could work. But why the hell are we letting Rising Stars play in an NBA All-Star Game? It’s called the All-Star Game for a reason. Just let the actual All-Stars play. This is exactly the kind of thing that Draymond’s generation has gotten used to, and it’s part of why the whole thing is a joke now.

I thought we were done with everyone getting a trophy? respectfully to all the young, rising stars in this league, they should be competing either on Saturday Night in the various skills challenges, or I don’t know, maybe the “Rising Star’s Game” on Friday night? Does that still even exist? Who knows.

Where’s the Competitiveness?

All we’re asking for is some level of competitiveness. Go ahead, mess around in the first half—throw down some dunks, put on a show. But when the fourth quarter hits, it should be time to lock in and actually play. Instead? We’ve got LeBron showing up an hour before tipoff saying he’s not playing. Anthony Edwards sitting out with either an injury or a mild case of the sniffles. Awful halftime breaks and cringe-worthy “contests” scattered throughout the night. Just play basketball.

The All-Star Game Used to Matter

Draymond had a point, but at some point, you have to acknowledge why it’s so bad that we’re dragging Rising Stars into this. There was a time when the All-Star Game was must-watch for any basketball fan. A time when the highlights were unreal, the games were competitive, and the moments actually meant something.

Now? It’s dead. And all we’re asking for is some real, competitive, normal basketball. Shouldn’t be that hard.

Don’t even get me started on how pathetic the NBA Dunk Contest’s have been aside from the legend himself, Mac McClung, the only players participating have been G League players that no one has ever heard of.

Mac McClung Keeps the Dunk Contest Alive With Two of the Craziest Jams Ever >>

Shoutout to Lebron James who think he’s the greatest of all time, but somehow managed to go 20+ years without competing in the Dunk contest. Can’t call yourself the GOAT when you don’t take every opportunity to compete and prove it. Sorry Bron, I don’t make the rules.

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