Kevin Durant isn’t buying the nostalgia-fueled criticism of the NBA All-Star Game-and he’s done his homework to back it up.
Ahead of his 16th All-Star appearance this Sunday in Los Angeles, the 37-year-old forward made it clear: the idea that All-Star Games used to be more competitive is, in his eyes, a myth. And he didn’t just say it-he went back and watched the tape.
“I’ve been watching All-Star Games and the intensity the older generation been talking about,” Durant said Saturday, before trailing off and shaking his head. “I don’t know if I’ve seen it.”
According to Durant, he dug into the archives, watching at least the first quarter of every All-Star Game from the 1970s through the late 1990s. What he found didn’t match the narrative that’s often pushed-one that paints today’s stars as disengaged compared to the so-called golden era of the game.
That narrative has gained steam in recent years as All-Star viewership has dipped. Last year’s game drew 4.7 million viewers-a 13% drop from the year before-and marked the second-lowest total since 2000.
For context, the 2000 game brought in 10.5 million viewers. The last three editions are the only ones to dip below the 6 million mark, with 2023’s game barely edging out 4.6 million.
With the NBA experimenting with different formats-Team LeBron vs. Team Steph, Elam endings, World vs.
USA concepts-the league has clearly been looking for ways to reignite interest. But Durant doesn’t believe the issue lies with effort or format.
He thinks the criticism is more about perception than reality.
“I just feel like fans and media need something to complain about,” Durant said. “The All-Star Game don’t make them feel like it made them feel back when they were kids, so they need something to complain about.”
For Durant, the All-Star Weekend is about celebration, not competition. It’s about the game, the culture, and the community it brings together-not necessarily about who’s diving for loose balls in February.
Still, he didn’t shy away from pointing out what he sees as a double standard in the conversation. When asked about the shift in effort, Durant pushed back on the idea that American veterans like himself, LeBron James, or Stephen Curry are solely responsible for the game’s more relaxed pace.
“You should ask the Europeans and the World team if they’re going to compete,” Durant said. “If you look at Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić now, let’s go back and look at what they do in the All-Star Game. Is that competition?”
He didn’t mince words when calling out what he sees on the court from some of the league’s biggest international stars.
“These dudes be laying on the floor. They’re shooting from half court.
But you’ve got to worry about the old heads playing hard? I can read between the lines, bro,” Durant said.
“It’s just an overall topic that everybody’s been talking about.”
Durant’s message? Let’s not pretend the All-Star Game was once a playoff-level battle and is now a glorified shootaround. From his view, it’s always been more about the moment than the matchup.
And for someone who’s spent nearly two decades in the league, it’s clear he values the All-Star experience for what it is: a gathering of the game’s best, past and present, in one city, on one stage.
Whether it’s seeing former teammates like DeMarcus Cousins pop up at media sessions or soaking in the energy of the weekend, Durant sees this time as something bigger than just the box score.
“People at home complaining about the game and the intensity of it, I don’t think we’ll ever get past that,” he said. “I just think it’s way bigger than that this weekend.
We can talk about who plays harder, the U.S. team vs. the World team, all that stuff doesn’t matter. I just really feel like this is a great weekend, and it brings so many people together and helps push the game forward.”
Durant’s not asking for the All-Star Game to be something it’s not. He’s just asking for a little perspective. And maybe, a little less revisionist history.