Topline
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, highly regarded against the NBA, has been criticized by the league for their reported plans to host an All-Star Game amid a deadly pandemic , says he has “zero energy and zero energy about playing in a relatively absurd show game this year.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers before the first quarter against Denver Nuggets … [+]
Post Denver through Getty Images
Key facts
Speaking to reporters after the Lakers won 114-93 over the Denver Nuggets Thursday, James said: “I don’t even understand why we have an All-Star Game.”
James explained that players were told before the start of the season that the annual showdown would not be played in 2021 and, as a result, he and his team were looking forward to a “nice little break . “
The Lakers star pointed out that “we are still dealing with a pandemic” and questioned the rationale behind bringing the “entire league into one city” despite “all that has been going on.”
James was irritable that he was “obviously” “not very happy” about the planned All-Star festivals and went so far as to call it “almost like a slap on the face.”
Key background information:
At the end of November, the NBA announced that they had canceled their 2021 All-Star record weekend in Indianapolis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which was due in mid-February . However, ESPN announced late Thursday that it had received a league memo shared with teams that said the NBA and Players Association were working toward an agreement to play an All-Star Game on March 7. in Atlanta. According to the memo, the agreement is expected to be completed by next week. An ESPN report noted that the NBA and the union are “increasingly confident that many of the league’s top players are willing to participate.” However, selection clauses were believed to be part of the talks on event planning. . James isn’t the only famous NBA player to have criticized the league’s proposed plan. Kings’ point guard, De’Aaron Fox, said it was “stupid” to consider playing an All-Star game at a time of pandemic. “Of course, money makes the world go round, so it is,” Fox said. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, widely regarded as the MVP award-winning favorite this season, indicated earlier this week that he would rather rest than not playing in the game.
What to look for:
James confirmed he would travel to Atlanta and play the game if an agreement was reached between the union and the league. However, he said, “I will be there physically, but not mentally.” Fox also said he would play if you vote in, saying “if you have a right to be there, and you haven’t been hurt, and you decide not to play, yes that’s very sad. ”
Quote Cruise:
“If I’m going to be honestly brutal, I think it’s silly. If we have to wear masks and do this for a regular game, what’s the point of taking the All-Star game back? ” said Fox.
Tangent:
According to the memo obtained by ESPN, players who do not make the All-Star game will be banned from traveling internationally at the time of the break but will be allowed to travel in the US. , including Hawaii, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Players will continue to be tested on a daily basis.
Further reading:
LeBron James ‘Los Angeles Lakers’ All-Star Game (ESPN) has ‘zero energy, zero excitement’
Memo: NBA, NBPA concludes agreement on All-Star Game in Atlanta, break-even protocols (ESPN)
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