Why NBA All-Star Game has lost its edge: Insights from Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan

Forward Jeremy Sochan and the San Antonio Spurs are currently looking for the best ways to maximize the talents around their franchise cornerstone, rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, who has already established himself as one of the most unique players the game has ever seen. Sochan seems to have garnered a bit more chemistry with Wembanyama in recent weeks, which has resulted in the Spurs staying a little more competitive than they were to open up the season.

There’s almost no doubt that Wembanyama will be a frequent All-Star game participant later on in his career, and recently, the 2024 version of the All-Star game was criticized when it became quite evident that none of the players on either squad could be bothered to give even an ounce of effort.

Sochan, for his part, has thoughts on why the game has devolved into such an embarrassment for the league.

“To be honest, I think it’s a mixture of things. Some players don’t want to get hurt. We got 32 games left, they want to stay as healthy as possible. That’s one variable. I think another aspect of it is that our first half of the season is so long,” said Socha, per Chris Rosvoglou of The Spun. “You may think you have time to rest and take your mind off the game, but you don’t get to if you’re there for All-Star weekend. So maybe some players are trying to catch up on rest. Another factor could be players’ egos. They may not want to be under the spotlight for an exhibition.”

Whatever the reason, the product displayed last Sunday evening was an insult to NBA fans everywhere.