Stephen A. Smith was joined by Michael Wilbon on ESPN’s First Take this morning to discuss the hot topic of the week—how to fix the NBA All-Star Game. One proposal that has been gaining traction is a format where American-born players face off against international-born players.

There hasn’t been an American-born MVP since James Harden in 2017, and this year’s race appears to be a two-man competition between two foreign players—Nikola Jokić, widely regarded as the NBA’s best player, and rising Canadian star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The idea of an international vs. American showdown could make the All-Star Weekend a global event, attracting basketball fans worldwide. However, this morning on First Take, Stephen A. Smith claimed that American-born players would reject the idea because they would get their ‘butts whooped.’

Wilbon noted that the NBA would struggle to sell the idea to American players, but Smith was more blunt in his response.

“You can’t sell [the idea] because Americans are afraid they’ll get their as@&$ kicked by those international players,” Smith said. “Molly, I’m going to say it on national television—the international players will bust their behinds.”

A bold statement from an American analyst, but one that raises a valid point that many American-born NBA players might disagree with. One could argue that among the NBA’s top 10 players, more than half are international-born stars.

Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think American players would want to face international players in an All-Star Game

“Team USA fears they’d get their ass kicked by those international players.”

(h/t @awfulannouncing )
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 21, 2025