Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James harshly criticized the NBA’s plans to host an All-Star Game amid the coronavirus pandemic Thursday, calling it a “slap in the face” for players. .
“I have zero energy and zero excitement for an All-Star Game this year,” James told reporters after the Lakers 114-93 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Late last year, the NBA canceled the All-Star Game scheduled for this February in Indianapolis due to the risks of the pandemic and included a five-day break for players from March 5 to 10.
The League, however, has resumed talks with the Players Association (NBPA) in recent weeks to organize an All-Star with a smaller scale than usual and adapted to the health context.
This Thursday, the renowned journalist Shams Charania (The Athletic) said on Twitter that the League and the NBPA have already agreed to hold the event in Atlanta on March 7.
At night LeBron James, who conquered the ring with the Lakers last October in the playoffs held behind closed doors at Disney World (Orlando), regretted that the players who are chosen to play the All-Star are going to lose the rest days planned.
“We come from a short ‘offseason’ (period between seasons) of 71 days and when we returned they told us that we were not going to have an All Star so that we could have a little rest. And then they throw us an All-Star Game like that,” he said. “It’s like a slap in the face. We are still dealing with the pandemic and we are going to bring the entire league to a city that is open.”
“I am not happy with this. If I am chosen I will be there physically but not mentally,” advanced James who, along with Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets), has been the player most voted by fans in the first count of nominations for the Game of the stars.
The 36-year-old Lakers star with 18 NBA seasons was not the only figure to oppose the event.
Young Sacramento Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox said Wednesday that in the context in which the competition takes place, with some twenty games suspended due to the pandemic, hosting the All-Star is “stupid.”
“If we have to wear a mask and do all this for a regular game, then what is the point of bringing the All-Star Game back?” Fox asked. “Obviously, money makes the world go round, so it is what it is. “.
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