Kevin Durant isn’t one to shy away from speaking his mind, and ahead of this year’s NBA All-Star Game, he didn’t hold back. The former MVP took direct aim at some of the league’s European stars-namely Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic-calling them out for what he sees as a lack of effort in the league’s annual showcase.
“But these two dudes out there, Luka and Jokic, they don't care about the game at all,” Durant said. “These dudes be lying on the floor, shooting from half-court, but you got to worry about the old heads playing hard.”
That’s a bold statement, especially considering the context. Durant’s frustration seems rooted in the growing perception that the All-Star Game has lost its competitive edge. But by pointing the finger at Jokic, Doncic, and the international contingent, KD may have just added fuel to a fire that’s been smoldering for years.
Let’s break this down.
The Decline of All-Star Game Competition
If Durant’s trying to argue that the newer generation-or specifically the European stars-are to blame for the All-Star Game’s lack of intensity, the numbers don’t exactly back him up. In fact, the trend toward less defense and more highlight-reel offense started long before Jokic or Doncic even made their All-Star debuts.
Take a look at the scores from the late '90s and early 2000s. In 1998, Michael Jordan’s final All-Star MVP performance came in a 135-114 game.
In 2002, Kobe Bryant’s first MVP nod at the event saw a final score of 135-120. Even in 2010, the game ended at 141-139-high-scoring, sure, but still within the realm of regular-season play.
Then came the shift.
By 2014, the All-Star Game had become a full-blown offensive showcase, with the score ballooning to 163-155. Three years later, in 2017, it was 192-182.
Defensive effort? Practically nonexistent.
The NBA took notice and made a move, scrapping the traditional East vs. West format in 2018 in favor of a draft-style setup featuring captains-usually LeBron James and whoever else was at the top of the fan vote.
That format stuck around until last season. But even with the return to East vs.
West, the score hit an eye-popping 211-186. If we’re talking about a lack of competition, it’s not a recent development-and it certainly didn’t start with Jokic and Doncic.
Jokic and Luka: Late to the Party
Let’s also consider the timeline. Nikola Jokic didn’t make his first All-Star appearance until 2019.
Luka Doncic followed in 2020. By then, the All-Star Game had already evolved-or devolved, depending on your perspective-into a glorified shootaround.
It wasn’t these two who ushered in the era of no defense and half-court heaves. They walked into it.
So when Durant bristles at the idea that the “old heads” are to blame, it’s worth remembering that the league didn’t overhaul the All-Star format because of the newcomers. It did so because the veterans-yes, the same ones now taking offense-had turned the game into a casual exhibition with little competitive fire.
A Fire Lit?
Now, to be fair, Durant’s comments may have an unintended consequence: motivation. Jokic and Doncic are proud competitors, and while they may not take the All-Star Game as seriously as a playoff series, being publicly called out-especially by a player of Durant’s stature-could spark a response.
If Team World comes out with a little more edge, a little more intent to prove something, don’t be surprised. And if they walk away with the win? That postgame podium is going to be interesting.
The Bigger Picture
The All-Star Game has always walked a fine line between entertainment and competition. Fans want the alley-oops, the deep threes, the no-look passes. But there’s also a yearning for the intensity of the old days-when players took pride in locking each other down, when a fourth quarter felt like something that mattered.
Durant’s comments, pointed as they are, tap into that frustration. But placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of Jokic and Doncic misses the mark.
The decline in competitiveness is a league-wide issue, one that’s been building for over a decade. And if the All-Star Game is going to reclaim its edge, it’ll take more than calling out a couple of international stars-it’ll take a collective decision by the league’s best to treat the game like it means something again.
Until then, the debate continues. But one thing’s for sure: this year’s All-Star Game just got a whole lot more interesting.