British Basketball League All-Star Game 2024

[dexter]

The whole point of an All Star game is over my head. We don't have it in other sports. I guess it's the same reason the Harlem Globetrotters exists. It is the circus tricks side of basketball. That isn't something I have any interest in. I don't think we can compare it to any other team sports. It's more like a rhythmic gymnastics display team.

[SamH]

It's an American thing, all the big US sports leagues have it. Apparently the NFL one is a joke too. I think when the idea was first thought of it was probably great, and guys certainly used to play harder decades ago. But as Jerry West will tell you, in his day it was normal to play 3 nights in a row, play through nagging injuries and fly commercially - no luxury private planes back then. So maybe they just weren't soft like nowadays and had more pride in it. But when I think back to the channel 4 nba days, I used to love the ASG and I'm sure it was still reasonably competitive. There was less 3 point jacking in the 90s so perhaps that had something to do with it, as guys were trying to score inside more, which is easier to defend.

[Stephen Abootman]

Is it actually true that the BBL Cup was scrapped to make way for this game? Or did someone just jump to that conclusion and everyone else accepted it as fact? It doesn't really make sense to me that a competition which previously ran from October to January would need to be binned for a one day event in March. I've always imagined that the Cup was scrapped partly to clear a bit of space for the expanded playoff format and partly to lighten the domestic schedule for Lions and any other teams participating in Europe.

Taped the event and skim watched it last night. For about three quarters I thought the women's game was a pretty good advert for the WBBL. It was certainly a better watch than the men's game which played out pretty much exactly as I expected. The South won easily, Ted won MVP and it wasn't a real game. Pretty dull stuff in my view but if others enjoy it then fine. I don't feel the same animosity towards the whole thing that some seem to.

Matt Morgan produced a performance that wouldn't have looked out of place in the NBA three point contest and Aaron Rai wasn't far off matching it. Megan Gustafson didn't disgrace herself either. This has the makings of a good competition in my view and I really like the idea of including a few WBBL players. I think the enormous popularity of Fallon Sherrock in darts has shown quite emphatically that people like watching women compete with men in sport. And a three point contest is an arena where women can not only compete with men but potentially beat them. Four players and only one round was a woefully inadequate format though. If we're going to do this all again let's ditch what was a predictably naff dunk contest and have a proper, two round, NBA style three point contest. With say, eight of the best shooters in the BBL and a couple from the WBBL.

[spacejammer]

I'm not sure if was last year or 2 years ago but I believe Pat Whelan once suggested on X (Twitter) that they should have an All Star game between the best US imports and best British BBL players which got people talking.

And I believe the NBA are flirting with a similar idea for their game.
I wonder if that would make the game a little more competitive possibly?

[dexter]

Mar 20, 2024 8:22:57 GMT spacejammer said:

I'm not sure if was last year or 2 years ago but I believe Pat Whelan once suggested on X (Twitter) that they should have an All Star game between the best US imports and best British BBL players which got people talking.

And I believe the NBA are flirting with a similar idea for their game.
I wonder if that would make the game a little more competitive possibly?

I don't see why it would. The players have it in their heads that they're not supposed to defend. It would make it more competitive if the winning team and coach got a big win bonus and the losing team only got their expenses covered. The women managed to put on an entertaining and competitive game with blocks and steals so why not the men?

[LTfan]

One thing I've not seen mentioned yet... the British Basketball All Stars Championship.

I was at the All Star game this weekend, and I thought it was a fun day out for what it was worth. It was nice seeing lots of familiar faces of British basketball together - both on court and off the court around the arena. And while the game was nothing more than a showcase, I did enjoy seeing Sam Dekker and Teddy Allen playing together. And I actually really enjoyed the 3-point competition. So overall, yes, it was 'fun'.

However, if we're doing this kind of showcase 'circus' basketball once a season I'd still prefer the format of the old British Basketball All Stars Championship from a few years back. 
Having 8 of the BBL teams (could be extended to all of them I guess) playing mini games, or maybe 3x3, would be far more competitive - especially if there was still £100K in prize money up for grabs (I appreciate that might be an issue as they was put up by the organisers - Matchroom Sport, whereas the organisers of this new event is obviously the league themselves).

What do you think? What's better, the new All-Star Game format or the old All Stars Championship format?

[dexter]

Mar 20, 2024 11:31:56 GMT LTfan said:

One thing I've not seen mentioned yet... the British Basketball All Stars Championship.

I was at the All Star game this weekend, and I thought it was a fun day out for what it was worth. It was nice seeing lots of familiar faces of British basketball together - both on court and off the court around the arena. And while the game was nothing more than a showcase, I did enjoy seeing Sam Dekker and Teddy Allen playing together. And I actually really enjoyed the 3-point competition. So overall, yes, it was 'fun'.

However, if we're doing this kind of showcase 'circus' basketball once a season I'd still prefer the format of the old British Basketball All Stars Championship from a few years back. 
Having 8 of the BBL teams (could be extended to all of them I guess) playing mini games, or maybe 3x3, would be far more competitive - especially if there was still £100K in prize money up for grabs (I appreciate that might be an issue as they was put up by the organisers - Matchroom Sport, whereas the organisers of this new event is obviously the league themselves).

What do you think? What's better, the new All-Star Game format or the old All Stars Championship format?

I hadn't heard of that before but it sounds good. It could actually be very beneficial. It would be a way to get people into 3x3 basketball. I must admit I've never got into 3x3 but with familiar players and team rivalries it sounds appealing.

I would definitely keep the women's ASG and the 3 point competition.

[cosbyrider]

Mar 20, 2024 8:22:57 GMT spacejammer said:

I'm not sure if was last year or 2 years ago but I believe Pat Whelan once suggested on X (Twitter) that they should have an All Star game between the best US imports and best British BBL players which got people talking.

And I believe the NBA are flirting with a similar idea for their game.
I wonder if that would make the game a little more competitive possibly?

I like that idea.

[dexter]

If the All Star Championship proved to be a success it is the sort of thing that could be played a few times a year at different locations. Having 8 teams represented it could sell out the biggest arenas.