Minnesota Lynx Star Napheesa Collier Shows How 1-on-1 Can Fix the NBA All-Star Game

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Unrivaled, Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier
Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

I tried to watch the NBA All-Star Game, Sunday. I really did. But after the first semifinal game to 40 points, I switched over to highlights of the 1-on-1 Unrivaled Tournament (available on Max). I was pleased to see Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier win the tournament, and doing so with defensive effort was delightful.

The $200,000 Collier won by beating Washington Mystics forward Aaliyah Edwards in 1-on-1 was the single biggest prize money in women’s basketball history. Each of Collier’s Lunar Owls got $10,000, too. The money wasn’t what made the tournament fun to watch, though. It was pride that made it quality entertainment.

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NBA fans have longed for defensive effort to return to the NBA All-Star Game for decades. Hell, they’ve been waiting decades for it to be entertaining. Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier might have solved both problems with her 1-on-1 Unrivaled Tournament. You could tell the players were giving it their all. They were dripping sweat and gassed, and for good reason. The pace was grueling.

The format was very smart. They played make it, take it to a specified point total: 12 through the semis and 8 in the best-of-three finals. There was a seven-second shot clock, and players had the option to clear defensive rebounds to an outlet passer on each wing. That gave them time to catch their breath before getting open to receive the ball back for another seven-second run.

Each player had a timeout per game. Shooting fouls were awarded one free throw worth two points. Players drawing non-shooting fouls were awarded possession. Napheesa Collier was even smart about the situations in which she fouled, usually on the ground and usually to get a breather. It was a brilliant approach and an unrivaled effort.

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Imagining an NBA All-Star 1-on-1 tournament

Imagine Anthony Edwards and Kevin Durant playing 1-on-1 for money. The admirer versus the admired. The student versus the master. You could even throw some money at the winner’s teammates, because I do think the NBA’s new format of a four-team, single-elimination tournament works better than any other format they’ve tried to breathe life into a dead event.

If someone gets hurt playing 1-on-1 basketball at the NBA All-Star Game, it would be a bummer, sure. But it’s highly unlikely. It’d be one of those non-contact injuries that could happen in practice anyway. The NBA All-Star Game just needs the level of effort to approach that of NBA practices instead of pregame shoot-around.

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Collier and her Unrivaled 1-on-1 competitors were obviously pushed, but not beyond the point of in-game competition. They controlled their effort, which was somewhere between practice and game play. Physical post play was on display. There were blocks and very few threes. The skills shown went far beyond shooting, from which the NBA would also benefit. That silly skills challenge is ridiculous and could go away.

The first day of NBA All-Star Weekend could still include the celebrity game and rising stars game. The three-point shooting contest could follow that, which should always include a WNBA shooter versus an NBA shooter, according to 5.4 million viewers. Then the first night culminates in the NBA Dunk Contest followed by the first round of 1-on-1 games.

Day two should be 1-on-1 semifinals and finals followed by the four-team tournament, or vice versa. Hell, the 1-on-1 tournament is more entertaining anyway. LeBron versus Steph. Luka versus AD. Can you imagine?

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