"It insults the game": Barack Obama throws harsh criticism at uncompetitive NBA All-Star Game

Barack Obama is an avid basketball fan who's supported the NBA for decades. The former US president invited a few of the league’s biggest names for pick-up games in the White House. Obama, in one of his trips to Kuwait to be with his country’s troops, earned the soldiers’ basketball respect by casually draining a 3-pointer on his first attempt.

The 44th President of the United States appeared on the first episode of “The Young Man and the Three” hosted by Tyrese Haliburton and Tommy Alter on Wednesday. Barack Obama, without being prompted in the interview, had this to say about the NBA All-Star game:

(32:00 mark)

“Y’all got a little more pride in the All-Star game. … You know how to play in a way like, ‘Alright, I’m not gonna hurt anybody, I’m not gonna take anybody out.’ But, that All-Star game’s broke, man.

“When Kobe [Bryant] and Michael [Jordan] and Isiah [Thomas], those guys were playing, man? They weren’t playing the way they did during the regular season, but they wanted to win. It insults the game.”

The NBA All-Star game has been getting a ton of flak over the decade or so for its lack of competitiveness. The league has been trying to address the issue; it implemented the Elam Ending in 2020, which led to a thrilling 157-155 game.

But the game again reverted into a non-competitive affair in the 2024 event in Indiana, as the East won 211-186.

The Eastern Conference All-Stars dropped 104 points in the first half alone to break the record of 196 points in one game. Both teams combined to score nearly 300 points, another record fans didn’t appreciate. Many basketball fans on social media called for the cancellation of the event if the players couldn’t show up to compete.

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Barack Obama claims NBA players are paid so much now that they don’t play hard in All-Star games

Tyrese Haliburton opened up in the interview that Larry Bird, who was honored in the 2024 edition of the event, spoke to the players. According to Haliburton, the NBA legend asked and urged them to play with more effort and to compete. Bird’s speech didn’t matter in the end.

Barack Obama had this to say about why the All-Star game isn’t what it used to be:

(33:25 mark)

“This is your business. This is your product. You don’t want people out there thinking, ‘Y’all out there just half-a**ed. Take it more seriously! The problem is, y’all getting paid so much now. … Y’all need to do something ‘cause I ain’t watching that thing no more.”

Barack Obama’s comments were a refrain of what basketball fans have been saying for years. Many will be watching if next year’s All-Star game will be different after the former president just called out the players.