NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at Forum lacks star power despite CORTIS performance

The ghosts still live in the rafters of the Forum.

You can feel them the moment you walk through those circular corridors in Inglewood — the echoes of Magic’s no-look passes, Kareem’s skyhook carving air like a sculptor’s blade, the bass line of the Showtime Lakers pulsing through a building that once felt like the center of the basketball universe.

With most of NBA All-Star Weekend migrating down the street to the glistening new Intuit Dome, it felt right — almost rebellious — that the Ruffles Celebrity All-Star Game planted its flag back inside the old cathedral: the Fabulous Forum.

The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game planted its flag back inside the old cathedral: the Fabulous Forum NBAE via Getty Images

Before a single ball was tipped, the afternoon delivered its most authentic moment. Former NBA forward Richard Jefferson strolled his kids through the legendary Forum Club entrance, where Lakers icon James Worthy greeted them like a velvet-rope guardian of basketball history. Worthy playfully demanded a password before letting them in, smiling as he reminisced about the good old days. It was nostalgia with a wink — a reminder that this building once demanded excellence.

Then the game started.

And excellence quietly slipped out the side door.

Let’s call it what it was: a glorified YMCA pick-up game with better lighting and worse defense. I’ve had runs at 24-hour fitness with more urgency and effort. The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game has always been an exhibition, but this version often felt like an influencer’s content shoot masquerading as competition.

The Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game has always been an exhibition with celebs like GloRilla (above). Getty Images

There were more air balls than baskets made. Strange gimmicky bonuses floated through each quarter like carnival prizes. NBA Mascots playing defense? Eight-point shots? Sure. Why not. When Chinese actor-singer Dylan Wang received the loudest ovation of all during the roster introductions — you understood immediately what Friday afternoon was really about: spectacle over substance.

There were moments worth the price of admission. Watching Victor Wembanyama conduct the opening tip while looking up — actually looking up — at 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall was a visual glitch in the basketball matrix. Since when does Wemby crane his neck for anyone? Fall, predictably, dominated stretches of the game, turning the paint into his personal backyard court. It would be the equivalent of a normal person lowering the hoop down to 6 feet and playing against kindergartners.

The surprise performance of the afternoon came from former Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, who flashed real athleticism, slicing through the lane with purpose. Finishing at the rim, draining jump shots and blocking shots. Allen seemed to be the only player on the court who upped the competitive level of play.

“I had a lot of fun,” Allen said afterward. “I wish we could have gotten the W.”

Fun, yes. Competitive, no.

And that’s where the NBA has to take a long look in the mirror.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts hits the hardwood at the Celebrity All-Star Game. NBAE via Getty Images

The highlight of the day wasn’t a crossover or a dunk. It was halftime. K-pop sensation CORTIS turned the Forum into a glowing constellation. Thousands of fans, many clearly there just for them, lifted their phones as the arena lights dimmed into a full-blown Showtime fever dream. Built-in seat lighting shimmered. Rappers including 2 Chainz and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo bounced along courtside. For a moment, it felt like the old Lakers glory days — lights down, spotlight bright, the building alive.

Source link

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Leave a Reply Cancel reply