Comedian Gary Owen Jokes That NBA All-Star Game Needs All-White vs. All-Black Format To Boost Interest

Comedian Gary Owen has a quick fix for the NBA’s ailing All-Star Game. Rather than have captains choose teams, split the rosters by East and West, or pit the United States against the world, Owen suggests the league face its Black stars versus its White stars in a would-be ratings bonanza. 

Who says no?

"That would draw numbers. Cooper Flagg!" Owen told Road Trippin’ podcast cohosts Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins, both former NBA players. After Jefferson playfully attempted to skip over Owen’s thought and suggested Luka Doncic and other European players compete against American-born All-Stars, Owen doubled down: "White and Black. That would draw more numbers than Europe versus America."

Be honest, you’d watch this rather than torturing your eyes with a late-February snoozer of Pascal Siakam and Jaren Jackson Jr. hoisting threes, right?

Owen’s been a successful comedian for decades and is clearly having fun with a topic that people tend to get way too sensitive about. Listen, I’m a white guy. Sure, we’ve got Luka and Jokic near the top of the NBA mountain and T.J. McConnell coming off the bench - hell, Larry Bird’s 68-years-old and I’d still roster him among the game’s best white dudes - but you don’t need ChatGPT to tell you that black guys dominate the sport. 

So, settle down. There’s no reason to write your congressman or give the witches from The View something to bark about when they return from their summer hiatus.

And don’t you dare think anyone’s getting left out. Owen and Jefferson propose that players of mixed race could suit up for either team. "Jason Kidd gets to coach one (team)," Owen joked, before the podcasters and guest agreed that each hypothetical team would be coached by someone of mixed race.

When Jefferson briefly proposed the thought that Black versus White "separates us," Owen quickly chimed in to double down on his All-Star Game fix. "No! Black and White would bring everyone together," Owen insisted with a smile. "We get too caught up in (people saying) ‘We can’t do it’, I go ‘Motherf----r, the numbers it would do!’

"…in the first half we play nothing but Jelly Roll. In the second half we play nothing but Kendrick."

Someone get Adam Silver on the phone.

Follow along on X @OhioAF or email me: anthony.farris@outkick.com