New LED court elicits mixed reviews during NBA All-Star Weekend

The league unveiled an interactive LED basketball court for NBA All-Star Saturday Night, and fans are expressing a mixed reaction towards it.

For the first time since 1985, the best of the best have made their way to Indianapolis, Indiana, to square off in NBA All-Star Weekend festivities. The celebrities kicked things off on Friday before giving way to the professionals on Saturday.

Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the Pacers, hosted the Celebrity Game and will also be where the actual All-Star Game takes place on Sunday. However, Lucas Oil Stadium, a mega-sized NFL venue, was the location for Saturday’s events.

The KIA Skills Challenge opened the night, eventually leading to the Starry 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk Contest soon after. A first-time special event also featured a shootout between Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu.

LED court elicits mixed reaction during NBA All-Star Weekend

While fans soaked up seeing so many stars under the same roof, the NBA’s latest innovation inevitably stole the show from the players. The court, which features countless LED lights embedded in it, became quite polarizing online.

Peep the #Starry3PT participants on the brand-new LED court 🤩#StateFarmSaturday on TNT pic.twitter.com/oo4C4YJs3F

— NBA (@NBA) February 18, 2024

The court glowed like a highlighter, constantly changing colors throughout the night. During the Skills Challenge, it showed directional cues to players while also flashing cash any time someone made a “money ball” in the 3-Point Contest.

Some viewers expressed their infatuation with the court on social media. One X user (@TheArtestEffect) went as far as saying that all NBA courts should contain LED lights.

Every nba court should be LED

— Daniel Artest (@TheArtestEffect) February 18, 2024

Another X user (@MillsTwitch) fell somewhere between the two extremes, calling it a clear win but mentioning that the NBA should be careful about overdoing it.

NBA All Star court is a W. I think they need to be mindful of 'too much', but I'd LOVE to see these types of courts become more predominant in the NBA.

— Mills (@MillsTwitch) February 18, 2024

Those who disliked the court made their voices heard, as well. That segment of fans thought the league was “doing too much” with the design, including one X user (@ByCASimmons) who outright hated it.

This may be one of my first “I’m getting old” opinions but I hate every single thing about this LED NBA court

— Christian Simmons (@ByCASimmons) February 18, 2024

The court has caused severe division amongst fans, with some claiming it’s the future of NBA courts while others hope never to see it again. With a rumored cost of over $1 million, this LED-style court is unlikely to become commonplace in the regular season.

But if enough fans enjoy it, the NBA could bring it back for future All-Star Weekends.