The NBA has a media problem with the invasion of influencers at the All-Star Game. Here is the solution

in 2026 NBA All-Star Game was a general success for Adam Silverplayers and their fans. The The NBA also invited over 200 content creators for what he described as “the broadest creator footprint ever,” welcoming a whole new set of problems into his world.

There was precedent for the participation of global creators. This year’s annual Super Bowl week content has just rolled around. Comedians love it Jimmy Kimmel Live‘s Guillermo Rodriguez were merger of superstars for a national audience at the NBA Finals media availability for years. However, when it comes to media coverage in today’s digital age, the NBA needs to stop reacting to streamers and return to its roots as one of the most influential cultural forces in society.

The answer is to recognize journalism and content creation as separate. Players will fear the additional availability of content creation media in the same way they probably feared the introduction of in-game interviews on television. Historically, leagues have found ways to force players to make sacrifices to help increase attendance.

As print culture continues to die in favor of video or online platforms with character limits, discourse on anything from sports to politics becomes increasingly irrational. The convenience of instant messaging is undeniable. But it cannot be separated from the context that is often lost in online posts. This is especially relevant for platforms like X, which both limit characters and fuel controversy.

Equating journalism with content creation, whether entertaining or not, is dangerous for fans. The NBA led the world with its handling of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although sports coverage is not as pressing as a public health issue, the league can once again lead globally by setting an important standard. The NBA owes its fans an example of how to operate and thrive in this unprecedented era of content and information.

The NBA pits creators against journalists, making fans the real losers

Creators were “deeply integrated” into All-Star weekend, according to the league, playing “active roles in All-Star events through on-field participation, on-air roles and behind-the-scenes access.” They are real factors in terms of developing the sport and generating income to strengthen the teams and boost the sports economy. But they don’t have the responsibility to the audience that journalists do.

TikTokers are held to a standard of accuracy or fairness, but not in the way the NBA reporter won. Content creators entertain the audience, which is the basic principle of the sport itself. But they don’t research and share information with the public the way journalists must.

Detroit Pistons reporter Omari Sankofa II was unable to field questions all three All-Star representatives of the Motor City. This is simply due to an easily preventable scheduling error that simultaneously scheduled the availability of Jalen Duren, Cade Cunningham and JB Bickerstaff. When so many players and coaches have to field questions from so many members of the media, the overlap is understandable. But it’s crucial to recognize that the fans suffer the most from that setup.

The league scheduled JB, Duren and Cade during the same 10-minute availability window. Cade was in the interview room down the hall, he couldn’t get to him in time. I guess they didn’t think the local Pistons beta writer would want to talk to all three lol

— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) February 14, 2026

Reporters, especially local ones, have long been the best way for fans to follow their team during the season. Influencers and content creators are more than welcome to join the conversation, providing both current and potential fans with entertaining perspectives on their favorite – or new favorite – athletes. But that cannot come at the price of silencing journalists.

Creators should be welcome in the NBA world, but not at the cost of journalism

In some rare cases, those reporters have been silenced: literally. When the NBA announced its impact plans, New York Knicks reporter James L. Edwards III shared his anecdote from the NBA Cup. Reporters missed an opportunity to ask a legitimate closing question because one content creator made a jersey for a Knicks players and asked them to sign.

While at the NBA Cup, we (the media) were trying to do an interview with a player for our business and a content creator interrupted, pulled a Knicks player’s jersey out of his pocket and asked him to sign it. He got the last question. https://t.co/16ZkmIvvne

— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) February 10, 2026

While the urge to call these scribes nerdy and move on may be strong, the fact is that their job is to serve fans by researching and sharing the truth. The league’s growing number of partnerships with sportsbooks and prediction markets underscores the need for that kind of journalism.

While the cultural half-life of information continues to shorten, some data points are still far more meaningful than others. But The NBA doesn’t have to choose between any of them. They should show creators how important they are by giving them their own media options. Some of the hilarious content created on All-Star weekend showed that NBA stars tend to do all kinds of weird things. But making TikToks during a job interview doesn’t have to be one of them.