Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton explains his side, as former US president Barack Obama addresses the issue with the NBA All-Star Game.
This might just be what the All-Stars need--former US president Barack Obama dropping bars and dissing their game.
Obama certainly didn't pull any punches as he ripped the quality of the NBA All-Star Game in recent years.
"That All-Star Game's gotten... it's broke man," he told Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton during the The Young Man and the Three podcast. "Y'all got to have a little more pride in that All-Star Game."
"People just like, not running," he added as he brought up what it was like during the time of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Isaiah Thomas. "Those guys were playing. They weren't playing the way they did [during the] regular season, but they wanted to win."
Haliburton, a reserve during the 2023 All-Star Game and a starter in the 2024 edition, had to chuckle, "This sounds like a conversation with my Pops right now."
"It insults the game," Obama chimed in.
Fans have been vocal on social media regarding the sliding quality of the NBA All-Star Game. The league has tried to experiment with the format--from introducing drafts as well as the Elam Ending.
The ASG found success in the 2020 edition, when the Elam Ending revitalized teams especially in the memory of Kobe Bryant.
However, the quality dropped from there as players were not as enthusiastic to play defense--especially when the All-Star Weekend was scheduled so near the playoffs.
But Obama countered with an observation how NBA players play competitive pickup games.
The former US president even shared how he got his lip split open during one pickup game and had to get 12 stitches for it. A photographer apparently took a sequence of photos how Obama was on the floor with "blood all over."
"I had it printed out and I sent it to the guy--who was just some staffer on Capitol Hill. I had it framed and I signed it to him, 'To the only guy whoever got away with assaulting the president,'" he recounted.
Obama then pointed out to Haliburton how NBA players compete in the Drew League.
"You know how to play in a way that, 'all right, I'm not going to hurt anybody. I'm not going to take anybody out,'" he pointed out.
Haliburton tried to explain himself, as he shared the atmosphere when he was an All-Star.
"My first All-Star Game, I came off the bench so I'm just reading the room of what's going on. And I'm just going to adjust to whatever," he recounted.
"This is your business. This is your product. You don't want people thinking you're all there just half ass," Obama countered.
Haliburton recalled in last year's All-Star Game how the league even had legend Larry Bird talk to the players beforehand.
"Larry Bird came in there and gave us a speech about taking it more serious," he shared.
"The problem is y'all get paid so much now," Obama noted. "Although the In-Season Tournament [now called the Emirates NBA Cup] turned out better than I expected. The incentive was there but partly because the game counted towards the season."
"But y'all need to do something to figure it out 'cause I ain't watchng that thing no more," he said.
The [former] president has spoken.
Thanks, Obama.