"Force the All-Stars to f**king play" - Cam Newton pitches bold fixes to revive NBA ASG amid declining viewership
Former NFL quarterback Cam Newton shared his plan to fix and revive the NBA All-Star Game (ASG). This comes after reports indicated a decline in viewership and widespread criticism from fans and players.
On Thursday's "4th&1 with Cam Newton," uploaded on YouTube, the former NFL MVP shared that the NBA should compel its All-Stars to play. Newton said that the fans need to see stars like LA Lakers' LeBron James, Phoenix Suns' Kevin Durant and Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry play.
"Can I be honest? Force the All-Stars to f**king play," Newton said (Timestamp: 19:34). "If LeBron James ain't playing when USA is playing and Kevin Durant ain't playing when the USA is playing and f**king Steph Curry ain't playing when the US is f**king playing, and we need them to play, I don't see us beating too many teams."
Durant and Curry did play in the ASG, but James was a late scratch. James, a record 21-time NBA All-Star, announced that he will miss the game around two hours before tip-off.
The trio led Shaquille O'Neal's OGs team, eventually winning the ASG mini-tournament. Other players on the team were James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown.
The NBA introduced a new format in the 2025 edition of the ASG. It featured a mini-tournament composed of three teams, with the fourth team coming from the Rising Stars game. However, the ASG and other All-Star events drew dismal ratings.
Read more: Adam Silver's bold vision fails as NBA All-Star Weekend records massive fall in viewership
Cam Newton advocates for a 1-on-1 tournament in NBA All-Star Weekend
In the same "4th&1 with Cam Newton" episode uploaded on Thursday, Cam Newton suggested that the NBA and other professional sports leagues initiate a 1-on-1 tournament.
The former NFL quarterback said this generation of fans want to see competition among professional athletes.
"We want to see good on good... 1-on-1," Newton said (Timestamp: 10:23). "Bro, line that sh*t the f**k up. If not 1-on-1, 3-on-3 basketball. ... That's what people want to see. This is what this generation wants. Competition."
A 1-on-1 tournament has been done recently — part of the inaugural Unrivaled league. Unrivaled is a 3-on-3 professional women's basketball league co-founded by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.
With the decline in viewership, rumors have already spread that a 1-on-1 tournament could make its way to the NBA. It remains to be seen what changes the league will make to solve its problem.