Fighting, Tanking & The NBA’s All-Star Problem
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This episode covers everything shaping the NBA right now: All-Star controversy, tanking, league expansion, buyout chaos, and the culture divide between old school intensity and the modern product.
Mo Mooncey and Coach Brendan Suhr open with an all-time All-Star draft featuring legends like Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal - then use it as a launch point to examine a bigger question:
Has the NBA All-Star Game lost its edge?
From declining competitiveness to load management, influencer marketing, and Gen Z viewing habits, the discussion digs into why All-Star Weekend feels different - and what could realistically fix it.
The episode also breaks down:
- The Pistons vs Hornets fight and what it says about NBA culture
- Why tanking is damaging competitive integrity
- Early season load management and its impact on fans
- The buyout market and the career risk for young players
- Expansion to Seattle and Las Vegas
- Whether World vs USA is the only format that can restore All-Star intensity
- Why the modern NBA product is struggling to hold younger audiences
Coach Suhr brings perspective from nearly five decades inside the league, including coaching All-Star Games and competing against the 90s era legends. The contrast between past and present is clear — and uncomfortable.
If you care about the future of the NBA, this is the conversation.
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