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The face of the NBA, like many others, also believes that the entertainment factor for the league has dramatically fallen off this season.

LeBron James, star of the Lakers, commented on the state of the NBA’s gameplay amid questions about falling TV audiences and the general loss of interest in the sport.

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James comes down the court during the Memphis Grizzlies vs Los Angeles Lakers game on December 15, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Adam Silver, Commissioner of the National Basketball Association. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Fortune Media)

James returned with a vengeance after his mysterious disappearance last week, ready to unload on the NBA.

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James thinks something is really wrong with today’s NBA. LeBron also gave his two cents on the controversial changes to the All-Star format, which players like Phoenix’s Kevin Durant have already criticized.

“It’s not just the All-Star Game. It’s our game in general,” James said. “There’s a lot of f**king 3s being shot. So it’s a bigger conversation than just the All-Star Game.”

LeBron James. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The NBA’s brain trust wanted to shake up the All-Star Game after repeated years of low interest. 

It turns out that scoring more, mostly accomplished by excessive three-point shooting, isn’t all that exciting to watch.

“Something had to change,” James admitted. “We’ll see, we’ll see when we get there. It’s different. Obviously, anytime you make some type of change, it’s going to be some buck back. 

“You got to do something. Obviously, the last couple of years have not been a great All-Star Game that Sunday night.”

The NBA has been hemorrhaging fans, and the league’s brain trust keeps trying to put lipstick on a pig. 

People aren’t tuning in, and the fans aren’t showing up, as “load management” keeps stars sidelined.

As FS1’s Colin Cowherd said this week, the NBA’s interest in being relevant on social media rather than appealing to a television and streaming audience has been a clear denial of the league’s failing state. NBA players have learned not to rely on offensive schemes; instead, they gravitate toward the three-point game. 

This shift is often attributed to the Golden State Warriors dynasty of the 2010s, led by Steph Curry’s three-point brilliance. The Warriors’ success inspired teams to adopt a similar formula, emphasizing shooting from downtown.

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Nobody wants to watch Golden State’s strategy replicated by lesser teams. 

Even LeBron James knows that, as does Commissioner Silver.

“The answer is yes, [we are having] many discussions about the style of basketball [being played],” Silver said, addressing questions about the sharp uptick in three-point shooting in today’s NBA. 

The Boston Celtics lead the league in three-point attempts, averaging 51.1 attempts per game. 

“I would not reduce it to a so-called 3-point shooting issue,” Silver added. “I think we look more holistically at the skill level on the floor, the diversity of the offense, the fan reception to the game, all of the above.”

OutKick founder Clay Travis has lambasted the NBA for bending the knee to the progressive social movements of 2020, arguing that the league’s focus on activism alienated a portion of its fan base that is primarily interested in the game itself. 

The NBA also struggles with giving too much power to its players, which is seen as a factor in the unpopular ‘load management’ privilege that star players receive.

Interest across American sports is rising heading into 2025, but the NBA continues to trend in the wrong direction.

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