Boston’s TD Garden witnessed an electric NHL 4-Nations Face-Off Final. Chants rang around the stadium as Canada and the USA engaged in a thrilling battle. It ended with a defeating roar from the Maples, who won with an overtime goal from Connor McDavid to win the inaugural tournament. A switch from the traditional All-Star game, the NHL’s experiment yielded flattering success. And it makes the NBA fans wonder, why doesn’t Adam Silver implement it too?
The 2025 NBA All-Star game surely displayed some betterment from its previous years. However, the shortened format made basketball the secondary focus. Marred by adverts, fans, and even players lost their grip on the game. That’s when Giannis Antetokounmpo suggested putting national pride on the line once and for all.
“I would love that. I think that would be the most interesting, exciting format. That would give me extra juice to compete,” the Greek Freak said about such a format.
[US, Mexico, & Canada customers only] Jan 23, 2025; Paris, FRANCE; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks before the Paris Games 2025 NBA basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and Indiana Pacers at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters via Imagn ImagesIn terms of intensity, maybe it may not match the NHL. You witnessed players diving around trying to prevent goals and putting it all on the line to defend their country. Moreover, it was also a longer tournament which hit some missing sentiments for the players. However, for USA basketball, when threatened, players have shown the capacity to raise the bar of their performance into a whole new stratosphere.
That’s exactly what the fans are after. And the infatuating success of the 4 Nation’s tournament is their way of imploring Adam Silver to bring change.
NBA fans urge Adam Silver to adapt the NHL’s newest format
Watching the NHL’s 4 Nations tournament, NBA fans only had one thought in their mind. “NBA. Adam Silver. Scrap that stupid all star weekend you just had and take notes on the 4 Nations Face Off,” one fan wrote. And the writing was in bold on the walls. The NHL managed to inspire the players.
For the NBA, at this time, it’s necessary to not only do that but also win back the fans. Silver is reportedly looking for something new. The NAB Commissioner is looking to add a 1 vs 1 tournament to have the players compete by putting their egos and self-respect on the line. However, that can only be an event.
The main attraction as has been for decades is the All-Star game. And fans don’t want to see more gimmicks. They just want to witness action and passion as the NHL exuded. “Adam Silver did you see the success of the #4Nations? We are begging you & the NBA to switch the All-Star game format to US vs The World,” another fan mentioned.
The model delivers on a common storyline in the NBA. Many analysts believe the best players reside outside the USA. The last 6 MVPs being from foreign soil stands as proof. And so what better way to put it to the best? The international talent pool is big. And as a powerhouse, USA basketball stands uncontested. What better way to truly put it to the test?
However, it won’t be so easy. Fans have concerns that NBA players might not buy in despite such a change. “Basketball players have zero pride. They still wouldn’t play hard,” one comment read. Another fan feels “It would not work with basketball dude,”. And there are reasons to prove them right.
Players will most likely be prideful about playing for their nation. However, for NHL players it was a rare opportunity. In the last two Olympic games, they weren’t allowed to compete for their country. Hence, for them, this was the one way they could represent their nation for the first time in eight years.
On the other hand, since 1992 that hasn’t been the case for NBA players. Although not as often, there are international tournaments where NBA players can have the honor of playing for their country. But still, the All-Star game is an annual affair. And with the next Olympics being in Los Angeles, maybe a USA vs The World format could add to the basketball excitement for the competition.
Fans have made it clear to Adam Silver. “NBA needs to do this shot too” they wrote. With there being large room to experiment, trying such a format to compel players into playing the hard-nosed style of international basketball just seems worth a try.
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