If NBA Fans Want A.I, Give Them A.I

The NBA All-Star game, much like any other all-star matchup other than baseball, is as serious as a Harlem Globetrotter's game.

It is a game for fans to gawk over how cool an "And 1" game with professional players is.

It is a game where the fans and only the fans vote in their favorite player.

It is, in essence, a fan’s game.

Some are in uproar about Allen Iverson making the All-star team over guys who should have made it, like Joe Johnson. But what has Joe Johnson done for basketball?

Did Joe Johnson create the infamous ankle-breaking crossover that so many are still trying to perfect? Did he give us one of the most notorious speeches using the word “practice” over 20 times? And when his career is over, will he leave a lasting impression on the way you play the game?

No. But Allen Iverson did.

The fans are the ones filling the seats, buying the jerseys and attire, and the ones keeping the game alive.

Fans rarely complain about what they want from the NBA because the professional leagues and associations intelligently don’t listen, so why not give them a choice in something that seems important?

Let’s face it, the NBA All-Star game is a joke; there’s nothing given to the winner and the biggest desire is to razzle-dazzle and see how many dunks and alley-oops can be thrown down.

The fans chose Allen Iverson to represent the East as a starter in his Hall of Fame Philadelphia 76er jersey—which couldn’t have been a better compliment to what Iverson the player has done for kids and the NBA.

What a way to go out. To be back with the team you created your legacy with and to know that you have impacted so many lives because of what you love to do.

His crossovers, interviews, shoes, and the way he played the game, after all is said and done with his career, will leave lasting footprints on the court and in the play of those who watched him.

With Iverson’s career likely to end at the close of the season, why shouldn’t it end on a high road?

The fans want him, Iverson wants it, and that’s all that needs to be said.