Make the NBA All-Star Game Great Again: A Challenge to President Trump

​As a Black man in America, the phrase "Make America Great Again" has always felt like a punchline to a cruel joke. It oozes nostalgia for an era that was only "great" for those who didn’t have to fear Jim Crow, racial terrorism, or the so-called "gentile South" that was anything but gentle to people who looked like me. The ghosts of a past where Klan hoods and burning crosses were the norm still linger in the air. There isn’t much before 2003 that I’d personally care to revisit, yet here we are in 2025, dealing with the same struggles my ancestors endured—struggles that have only been exacerbated by President Donald Trump, a man whose only mission seems to be padding his wallet while ensuring DEI is dead on arrival.

I know where you stand, Mr. Trump, on people like me. I am a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) professional—yes, one of those people you and your allies decry as ruining the country, as though the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable America is somehow an existential threat. I get it. You and your inner circle view DEI as an unnecessary burden, a concession to those who should, in your eyes, simply toughen up and accept their place. Fine. We can let bygones be bygones on that front because, frankly, there is a bigger issue at hand.

While I will never be a Trumper, I am willing to extend a challenge. If you, the self-professed genius and business mogul, truly believe you can make America great again, start with something that should be within your wheelhouse—an area where you claim to have expertise: entertainment and business. If you’re truly about restoring greatness, let’s begin by fixing something that is actually worth making great again. Fix the NBA All-Star Game. Or as we’ll call it, for branding purposes—Make NBA All-Star Game Great Again (MNBAAGGA). Sure, it doesn’t roll off the tongue, but hey, it might look good on a hat.

I grew up watching the NBA at its peak, when the league felt alive with intensity, competition, and showmanship. I remember the gravity-defying artistry of Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins in the dunk contest. I remember when the All-Star Game wasn’t just a glorified scrimmage but a battle of the league’s best, playing with pride, representing their conferences, and competing as if it mattered. That game is gone now, replaced with a dull, uninspired exhibition where defense is nonexistent, dunks are routine, and nobody seems to care. The Dunk Contest, once the highlight of All-Star Weekend, has become a cringe-worthy affair, populated by role players because true superstars refuse to participate.

Back in 2012, Dwyane Wade broke Kobe Bryant's nose during the NBA All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida. The incident remains the only flagrant foul in All-Star Game history. Bring back the broken noses. That’s competition. That’s fire. I know you’ll love this, Mr. Trump—bring back the intensity, the will to win at all costs, the true competitive spirit of the game. Bring back the kind of edge that Larry Bird displayed while winning the 1988 three-point shooting contest. Now, according to famed sports commentator Skip Bayless, Bird allegedly used the "n-word" when addressing his Black competitors before the contest. That’s not the kind of edge we need.  What we do need is the hunger, the grit, the fire that makes sports compelling—minus the racism. This should be an easy call for you, a no-brainer, a layup in the name of "competition."

And while we're at it, bring back Marvin Gaye putting some oomph into 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Make the Anthem Sexy Again (MASA). If we’re talking about showmanship, this is it—because nothing screams patriotism like sultry vocals and a groove that could make even the most stoic flag-waver tap their foot. Ah yes, the NBA’s most unintentional DEI hire—Jason Williams—gracing us with the 'White Chocolate' elbow pass during the Rookie Game. Bring back that flair, that showmanship, that pure basketball artistry that made us all drop our jaws in amazement. The all-star game desperately needs that energy today.

If you are truly the business mastermind you claim to be, you should recognize that the NBA All-Star Game is a brand in crisis. Viewership has plummeted, and fans like myself—who once reveled in the spectacle—now watch with indifference. The game lacks stakes, lacks heart, and most importantly, lacks the competitive fire that once defined it. You want to show America what true leadership looks like? Fix this.

Here’s how:

1. Make the Dunk Contest Matter Again – Force the biggest stars to participate. Nobody wants to see G-League-level contestants performing dunks we’ve already seen in YouTube mixtapes. Bring back the marquee names, incentivize them properly, and return the contest to its former glory.
2. Revamp the All-Star Game Format Again – Enough with the meaningless point-fests where the first three quarters are nothing but half-hearted layups and lazy three-pointers. Institute real stakes. The winning conference should get home-court advantage in the Finals. Or, go full retro and restore the classic East vs. West format instead of these gimmicky “captain” selections.
3. Instill Pride in the Game Again – Make players care. When Jordan and Magic played, they wanted to win. Now? It's just another vacation stop before heading to Cabo. Imagine a world where the best players actually had the guts to compete like their legacies depended on it—where pride, not paycheck size, determined effort level. That used to be the All-Star Game.
4. Create a Real Rivalry Again – Rivalries drive competition. The NBA needs to embrace and manufacture rivalries around the game to generate actual interest. Imagine East vs. West being fueled by offseason trash talk, team-building narratives, and personal stakes. Get the players emotionally invested, and the fans will follow. And for the love of the game, can we finally put an end to this glorified "friend fest" that happens during the All-Star Game? Who cares about endless high-fives and fake camaraderie when the game itself has all the intensity of a Sunday brunch? We want edge, we want fire, we want real competition.
5. Fix the Three-Point Circus...Again? – You like tariffs, right, Mr. President? Throw some of those on the three-point shot. Make players think twice before chucking up a 30-footer with 18 seconds on the shot clock. The NBA has become an arms race of deep threes at the expense of the mid-range game and post play. Encourage the almost abandoned mid-range game and layup repertoire. Imagine a world where players have to actually develop a skill set beyond logo shots and fast-break triples. Let’s bring back balance to the game.

I know you pride yourself on being a disruptor, Mr. Trump. You claim to take broken systems and restore them to greatness. Here’s your chance. If you can truly make America great again, start with something simple yet significant—bring back the magic of the NBA All-Star Game. If you can’t even do that, then how could anyone expect you to lead a country?

The All-Star Game, at its best, embodied the spirit of competition, the thrill of athletic excellence, and the beauty of a well-played game. It was a spectacle that inspired kids to dream, that showed the world basketball at its highest level. Fixing it may not solve America’s deepest problems, but it would be a small testament to your ability to restore greatness where it has been lost.

So, Mr. Trump, if you really want to prove yourself as the business tycoon you claim to be, take this challenge. Show us that you can at least make the NBA All-Star Game great again. Because if you can’t even accomplish that, your claims of making America great again will remain just another empty promise.
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MNBAAGGA. Put it on a hat, slap it on a T-shirt, and see if you can bring back something that actually deserves to be great again. I’m waiting.