Cleveland recently put in a bid to host the 2018 All-Star game, which is actually a weekend’s worth of activities where the NBA world descends on a town and pumps significant dollars into the local economy.
LeBron James, famously from nearby Akron, says it’s something he could do without.
Star players are subject to even more demands than usual over the busy three-day period when the festivities are held in their home towns, which is why James jokingly said he doesn’t want Cleveland playing host.
From Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com:“It would be too much for me,” James said following shootaround Tuesday in advance of the Cavaliers’ game against the Bucks. “It would be too much for me. I think it would be great for us to host it, but hopefully I’m no good in that year if we get it.
“I don’t want it. My family, friends -- I don’t want it. Too much.”
James was smiling and speaking in a sarcastic, exasperated tone when considering the rash of appearances and ticket requests the game would inevitably put on his plate.
James may have been joking, but there’s some truth to this, at least to a certain extent.
For the game’s biggest stars, All-Star weekend represents and endless list of responsibilities -- and that only intensifies if family and friends are added to the mix. It’s a major reason why the league extended the All-Star break to last a full week, beginning this season.
James wishes nothing but the best for the city of Cleveland. But at some point, he’s allowed to be a little bit selfish.