The 2021 NBA All-Star game has become a contentious issue among players. Last Thursday, the NBA announced that the game will now be held in Atlanta on March 7. This news comes as a surprise to players and fans alike, as the All-Star game was originally omitted from the 2020-2021 schedule. Prior to the start of this season, the league had decided to cancel the game because of complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The All-Star game’s recent resurrection has enraged players, including Lebron James, who responded to the announcement with a poignant statement. 

“I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star game this season,” Lebron said. 

“[There was] a short offseason for myself and my teammates — 71 days,” he continues. “And then coming into the season, we were told we were not having an All-Star game, so we had a nice little break. Five days from March 5 to 10, an opportunity for me to kind of recalibrate for the second half of the season, my teammates as well, some of the other guys in the league.”

His words evoked an eruption of similar responses from other players. James Harden explained that:

“Especially with a condensed schedule, it feels like everything was forced upon players. It’s already draining, we’re playing a lot of games in a week”. Harden was looking forward to resting and spending time with family during the All-Star break.

The All-Star game could be a catalyst for more COVID-19 cases. Anybody playing in the game will have to travel to Atlanta. The media attention will attract fans, news networks, and press too. Not only is it dangerous to bring so many people together in the midst of a pandemic, but above all it’s irresponsible. Basketball fans recognize this. Sixty one percent of polled fans think that the game should be canceled. So, if both fans and players don’t want to see an All-Star game this year, why are we having one?

NBA executives are excited about the game. They see it as an opportunity to fund COVID-19 relief efforts and donate to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). As an added bonus, any additional revenue will help the league recoup money that they lost by playing in front of a fractional number of fans. Clippers shooting forward, Kawhi Leonard, believes that money is the motivating factor behind the NBA’s decision to have the All-Star game this year.

“We all know why we’re playing,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to make more money. [The league is] just putting money over health right now.” 

The NBA should respect the players and fans and cancel the All-Star game.