NBA All-Star Game 2012: Ways to Improve All-Star Weekend

While NBA All-Star Weekend is about letting the players come together, showcase their skills and recuperate before the second-half of the season—it's also about the fans.

The NBA is filled with some of the best athletes in the world, and the fans love nothing more than sitting back and watching these people do what they do best.

So shouldn't All-Star Weekend be a unanimous hit year after year? 

To some it is—but to others the event has become a celebrity-filled weekend of watered down competitions and subpar performances.

NBA All-Star Weekend has the potential to draw in every basketball fan there is, and while some people don't believe it has much to offer anymore, a few changes here and there could convince them otherwise for seasons to come.

All-Star Game: Home-Court Advantage

Although the NBA All-Star Games are traditionally full of exciting highlights, true basketball fans can't help but notice an obvious lack of defense from year to year.

While not many people will claim to watch an NBA All-Star Game for its defensive presence, there's no denying that a grind-it-out basketball game can win over the fans who get tired of seeing wide open dunks and three-pointers.

A nice block is nice every once in a while, too.

The MLB has it right by giving the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series.

If the NBA can incorporate a potential home-court advantage in the Finals, we just might see a real basketball game played between the best that each conference has to offer instead of simply watching a fast break contest until the final few minutes of the game.

Dunk Contest: Amateur Dunkers

I know, I know; the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest is already full of names that the casual fan has never heard of, so why dilute the talent level even further?

Because the NBA doesn't always have the best dunkers—that's why.

The NBA has arguably the best basketball players in the world, but the truth is, there are dunkers out there who would put some NBA players to shame in a dunk contest.

Last year, the NBA held an amateur dunk contest of its own, and that's fine; but how do you get the fans more interested?

Let the winner compete in the NBA's version.

We as a society love an underdog story—just ask Linsanity.

Placing an unknown in the dunk contest would give the crowd somebody to cheer for. Nobody's claiming that you're going to find Dr. J or MJ out in the parks—but by reaching out and finding undiscovered talent, we just might see some of the best dunks we've ever seen added to All-Star Weekend.

Dunk Contest: Fan Voting

Speaking of the Dunk Contest, stop letting the fans vote.

It was announced this season that the fans are going to be entirely responsible for the outcome of this year's Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

That's right; there are no judges.

If the event wasn't a popularity contest in years past with the fans voting in the final round, it certainly has become one now.

The only upside to there being no hands-down superstar in this year's contest is that we don't already know who the fans are going to vote for.

We all knew that Blake Griffin was going to be crowned last year's champion. But did he really deserve it?

Okay, yes, he dunked over a Kia, and he had a choir singing in the background while he did it. 

But from a fundamental dunking perspective, Griffin added more flair and popularity than actual efficiency and creativity. Javale McGee used two basketball hoops, DeMar DeRozan finished strong without props and Serge Ibaka may have had the greatest free-throw line dunk of all time. 

In a contest that has already switched to a one-round format with only three dunks per contestant, it's only a matter of time before we see the Dunk Contest, in all of its glory, removed from All-Star weekend entirely—again.

Additional Events: One-on-One

We've seen events added to the All-Star Weekend lineup before, and usually they are received with a bit of a yawn.

The NBA All-Star H-O-R-S-E Competition (or G-E-I-C-O as the NBA referred to it), lasted all but two seasons, and the most intriguing way to mix up the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge was with a fantasy draft conducted by Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley.

But while these events tire after a while, the question of who would win in a one-on-one battle between stars is an everlasting topic.

The answers to these questions are nothing but speculation, but a tournament of one-on-one games would bring the players to the forefront of the debates.

As with most All-Star competitions, the issue once again comes down to participation. You're not likely to see LeBron James or Kobe Bryant jumping at the opportunity to play one-on-one basketball.

So what would it take to get them in the game? A cash prize? A new sponsorship?

Whatever it takes, a competition amongst individuals could spark new life in the NBA's All-Star Weekend.

Additional Events: Two-on-Two

If the league doesn't buy into a one-on-one competition, there is always the next best thing.

Two-on-two.

In true NBA Jam style, All-Star Weekend could feature a tournament of team's using two players of their choice and going face-to-face in a tournament of tandems.

If you're adventurous, you could even make it a two-day event.

In an eight-team tournament, begin on Friday and play the first two rounds before the BBVA Rising Star Challenge. Come Saturday night, play the championship game to 11 in front of the entire stadium of All-Star fans. 

Okay, so it might be less entertaining without the 20-foot leaps through the air, players literally catching on fire and the blatant disregard for nearly all basketball rules—but a tournament of the top teams could help rejuvenate some of the interest in the Friday and Saturday portions of All-Star Weekend.

Uniforms: Team Jerseys

This one might sound petty—and it probably is—but having the players represent their teams by wearing their own uniforms is a fun way for fans to feel good about their team being present at All-Star Weekend.

The last time the NBA had its players wear their own uniforms during the All-Star Game was in 2002.

While I get that the the league probably makes a ton of money off of Jersey sales, if they want to truly make fans feel that they are a part of the event, stop letting them decide the outcomes and allow them to once again feel pride in seeing their team's colors shown off during NBA All-Star Weekend.