OverDrive - Kestecher on the NBA All-Star Game, the format of the game and USA and World concept

Episode Date: February 15, 2025

ESPN NBA Commentator Marc Kestecher joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NBA All-Star Game, the festivities of events in the Slam Dunk Contest and Three Point Contest, the USA and World concept in the game, Brandon Ingram's addition with the Raptors and more.

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Switch to Bell PureFiber, Canada's fastest internet, awarded by UCCLA. Starting from $60 a month. Visit bell.ca for more kind enough to join us. He is Mark Kessisher from ESPN radio, one of the best in the business. Mark, give us the hype up for the DUN contest this year. I would love to. Hey, all I could say is, you know, Mac McClung jumped over Shaq and grabbed a ball and dunked and he's 6'2". So I don't know what he's got left.

He says he has more left. All the guys I love, Stephon Castle. He's kind of my rookie of the year candidate, but that seems to be where we are now is young, athletic, maybe something you've never seen before. I just hope, like last year, and I think the year before, we had a lot of guys who nailed it,

like on the first try, because when it's like attempt number 17 and you've lost the crowd, it's like, why don't we just finish with the three-point contest? So at least, you know, guys hit their marks last year. So I know it's not as sexy. I think the three-point contest is the sexiest event tomorrow night and then I'm sure you'll get to it. But I hope that the format change for Sunday might

inspire some guys to maybe play some defense for a few minutes, maybe. Where's the NBA at with this whole all-star weekend? Because in years past and probably last year the most, they've been flat out embarrassed by the product on the court. Where are they at with this? Is this a last try to make sure things are different, or is it going to be more of the same?

I don't know where the NBA would be at with all of this. Yeah, I think I give them credit for trying something different. Obviously, we didn't have East-West for a few years when we went to guys picking teams and we went to an ELAM ending a target score, if you will, and I thought a couple of years that brought a little bit of left and then you know, 211 points for the winning team last year. I had the scoreboard and once I didn't even have a two, like they had to put a drape over it cause it wasn't going to change from one

99. So I'm hoping they're, they're taking the format we're going to see tonight in the rising stars game, the short burst games to 40. Um, and you know, those go rather quickly. And so I'm hoping that, you know, guys like LeBron and Steph and KD and maybe, you know, some of the younger guys like a Shea Gilgis, Alexander and others, um, you know, we'll put a little pride out there and just say, yeah, you know, I know nobody wants to get hurt and it's not cool

To play, you know legit defense in an all-star game unless it's close with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter You know now we won't have a clock. We'll have a target score and we have a mini tournament So I think they're just hoping they're just hoping we can get something out of it Mark not sure how big a hockey fan you are But the four nations faceoff is going on right now and there's a lot of national pride at stake and you wonder maybe the NBA could look to pivot to that. I know Chuck Barkley has drafted his global stars team that includes Jokic and Gildjic Alexander, Wend Benyama amongst others but could there be one day some kind of

USA versus the world thing that actually the players would buy into and care about? I think so. I mean, we kind of saw it in the summertime, you know, in the Olympics. And I do think, you know, all the leagues kind of look at each other and see what's successful. And I will say, you know, down here, there's a lot of excitement about what's going on in Montreal, you know, with here, there's a lot of excitement about what's going on in Montreal, you know,

with the NHL. And so with the NBA now, I don't know the percentage proportions of the NHL, which seems to be, you know, overwhelmingly diverse and international. And the NBA is getting there, you know, you could argue. We haven't had an American MVP in quite some time, in a few years. So maybe that is a direction to take it in. It's a cyclical league. I know eventually we're gonna get back to East West and teams wearing their traditional jerseys, but in the meantime, let's see what works.

And it's a showcase. You know, it's not what you and I grew up watching where the best all-stars of whatever sport was your favorite sport would go and kind of lay it on the line for some pride. We're just not there with this generation. So let's just keep cycling until we can get something. Hopefully that will be entertaining

because there's a lot of fun going on in San Francisco this weekend and it always feels like that very last piece the game has been the least of the fun the last few years. Mark Kestasher our guest from ESPN radio covers the National Basketball Association. Shocking Mark that there's no Toronto Raptors in this all-star game I just can't figure out why. Oh yeah they're 14 wins or 15 wins whatever it is. It's been a very tough year for the Raps but they make them deal for Brandon Ingram before the trade deadline and you I'm sure have

seen Brandon Ingram so many times calling games the last couple of years. What did you make of the acquisition and the direction the Toronto Raptors are going in? Yeah, really I think a really good acquisition because you know I don't know what's going on in New Orleans and I'm a big David Griffin fan, but it just seems like nothing's working down there. When guys leave there, there seems to be a little bit of a breath of fresh air of late, so maybe change of scenery, he's got a lot of talent. So hopefully it can be unlocked in Toronto and they can continue to rebuild. You just look at Oklahoma City from four or five years ago. You look at Detroit from last year and the change they've made.

Both those teams have in common common they completely bottomed out so i'm sure the raptors fan base doesn't wanna you know hear that uh... you know that's how those teams have made those turnarounds and you know sometimes uh... you know thing that guys don't work out in other markets look at a little good going from dallas to the lakers and uh... you know i'm not comparing luca and brandon ingraham but just uh... a change and an opportunity that maybe, you know, fortunes will be changed.

I think we do have one Raptor tonight, right? Grady Dick is going to be in the Rising Stars and a former Raptor I think is going to be my choice tomorrow night. I'm going to sleep on it. Norman Powell in the three-point contest. We love Norman Powell. Legend. Champion Norman Powell.

Big fans. I'm so happy, I mean, I'm so disappointed for him and Damanus Sabonis, who I thought should be here at the All-Star Game. I hope he shows out tomorrow night, because he's had a terrific two-thirds of a season so far for the Clippers. Mark, one guy who will definitely be a big part of the All-Star Game is Shea Gilgis Alexander, the pride of Hamilton, Ontario, represented Canada at the Olympics last year. We love him.

And betting favorite pretty prohibitively to win the NBA MVP. Do you think SGA and the Thunder are real legit threats to win the NBA title this year? Man, I think they are. And I don't pay attention to pop culture shocker, I'm sure you guys, from the times you've talked to me before, but I did see that his first ever shoe line, the first shade, whatever ones are coming out, that's a big deal.

For a guy who's very soft spoken from, if not the smallest, the next smallest market, maybe to New Orleans in the NBA, and his game does the smallest, the next smallest market, maybe to New Orleans in the NBA and his game does the talking and his team has been built by Sam Presti like he's built other teams before. They're legit, I mean we've had them I think on radio three times already this year. They play the defense that can win a championship and they just got their whole team together. So You know the big impediment obviously is the West is going to be

not easy In once the playoffs come around and then for as good as Oklahoma City and Cleveland have been this year And I know the Celtics have been somewhat Underwhelming quote-unquote based on what they did a year ago but you gotta assume boston's gonna get healthy and to me that's the big stumbling block for okc you know if they get out of the west and if they have to face boston would be to get past that team which you know if they flip that switch you know appears to be at least to me just a little bit better but i think okc they've got all the ingredients that they

need except you know they haven't been past the second round. So that's going to be one of the big tests for them. Mark, you talk about Shea and Canadian basketball fans are so proud, so excited for him. And if the NBA were to go to a USA versus the world type game to replace the All-Star game, first the world type game to replace the all-star game. You know, you think about it, Shea would be playing Don Cich, Jokic, uh, Johnis. It's like, um, Wemby as well. Wemby. How you beating that team? Like, how, like, are, are we saying that the world are the favorites?

You know, uh, yes, yes indeed. I mean, I know the U S still has LeBron and KD and Steph but there's a lot of tread missing on those tires as great as they are and Jason Tatum and on and on. But you just named, you know, leading candidates for most valuable player. I mean just Janis, Jokic and Shea Gildiz Alexander right there, those three guys. I mean, yes, I think they would be favored. I don't think there's any doubt. And consider the American contingent, Mark, you have LeBron, you have Steph, you have

Durant, all of whom are getting older, right? And we saw at the Olympics, those were the three best players. And who knows how long, how much longer that'll last for, but it's pretty clear that there is a changing of the guard at the top the American basketball community coming in the not-too-distant future mark You're the best enjoy the time in San Francisco will be listening on ESPN radio and we appreciate you doing this for us. I Appreciate you guys doing a little hoops this afternoon And I hope we could bring some entertainment this weekend as we get set for the stretch run appreciate it guys Thank you. That's Mark Kestasher from

ESPN Radio down in San Francisco ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend.