Chris Paul and Deron Williams battling in last year's All-Star Game

Today it was announced that the New York Mets will be hosting the MLB All-Star Game in 2013 at Citi Field, only five years after the cross-town Yankees hosted it in 2008 at the old Yankee Stadium. That brought me to wonder, when will the NBA All-Star Game return to New York City? It has been nearly 15 years since the game was last in the Big Apple when the Knicks hosted it in 1998 at Madison Square Garden. The Nets last hosted it in 1982 at the Izod Center, which was then known as Brendan Byrne Arena (I will always think of it as Continental Airlines Arena). That year was the first year of that arena, and, at the time, it was the nicest brand new arena in the NBA. Oh how things have changed.

But now the question is, when will the NBA decide to return to New York again, and will it choose to go to Brooklyn or Manhattan? Both teams are trying to improve their arenas, with the Nets obviously making the bigger improvements. The Nets are going to have a brand new arena in Brooklyn, while the Knicks are only going to refine MSG during the summers. One would think that the Nets would have the advantage in getting an all-star game in Brooklyn, but don’t be so sure. Madison Square Garden has hosted 4 all-star games in its history, but only one since 1970. It is also known as the “world’s most famous arena”, and many visiting opponents (including Deron Williams and the Nets) really enjoy playing there. But obviously the refinements at MSG won’t make it nearly as nice an arena as the Barclays Center is going to be. MSG is still very, very old, and quite frankly, it is very disgusting. Everybody knows there are rats running around in the walls and every single surface is sticky. Another advantage that the Nets have is that the Knicks already have enough fans and David Stern wants basketball to become popular in Brooklyn. One all-star game probably won’t change the culture in Brooklyn, but it will put the Nets on the map and bring some excitement to the franchise, similarly to how MLB commissioner Bud Selig is trying to bring some excitement back to the Mets.

Unfortunately, the NBA has already chosen Houston to host the game next year, and New Orleans the year after that, but 2015 is the year that I expect the NBA All-Star Game to return to New York. I have a feeling that it will be in Brooklyn, but the Knicks would definitely like to host as well.

Do you believe the Nets, Knicks, or another team will host the All-Star Game in 2015? Post your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Marquette's Jae Crowder

In the coming days, the Nets are planning on hosting, along with the Houston Rockets, 44 players who are mostly believed to be lottery picks. Among the players in attendance will be Iona point guard, Scott Machado, French guard Evan Fournier, Syracuse forward Kris Joseph, and Big East player of the year, Marquette’s Jae Crowder. Nets assistant coaches will be on hand getting an up-close look at the prospects, and they will be running many of the drills. The Nets have an advantage in hosting the event, because their coaches and front office will get the first chance at interviewing the players.

It’s nice that the Nets are doing this, but does it really matter? The Nets are only guaranteed the #57 pick in the draft right now, and they are also likely to get the Lakers #60 selection if they pay L.A. a sum of money. They have a small chance at landing a top-3 pick, but none of these players at the combine are even going to be lottery picks, let alone in the top 3. And will it really matter who the Nets select at #57 or #60? It is unlikely that it will matter, but it is possible. Kings rookie Isaiah Thomas finished 7th in the rookie of the year voting this year, and he was the 60th (and last) pick in last year’s draft. However, it is rare to find a quality starter with a pick that late. Teams often choose to use a late pick on a European player who may or may not ever come to America, and if he does, he is usually terrible. I hope the Nets use their 57th and possibly 60th picks on players who played college basketball in the states rather than take a risk on some unknown European.

Also, when you have a pick that late in the draft, most of the talent is already gone. I believe the key to making a good late pick is drafting a guy with a really good attitude and character and a guy who is willing to work hard. If you look at Thomas on Sacramento, the guy is 5’9, and yet he is still able to compete at an NBA level. He works very hard and gets the most he can out of his body and skill level. Another guy who I will look at is Denver’s Kenneth Faried, who finished 3rd in the rookie of the year voting. Faried was selected with the 22nd pick last year, but that was much higher than most people thought he would be selected. Most people believed he would be a second round pick because he went to a small school in Morehead State and because he is an undersized power forward at only 6’8. However, Faried worked very hard the entire season, he fought for every loose ball and gave 100% on defense, and now that is looking like a very good pick. I’m not sure if the Nets will be able to get a guy as good as Faried at the end of the second round, but I just hope they select a hard worker.