The last All-Star without Victor Wembanyama

I wasn’t at the 2004 NBA All-Star weekend, but anyone could feel its oddity.

Anyone who recalls watching from Friday onward felt strange LeBron James (and to a lesser extent Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, each in successful playoff bids) only worked on Friday night with the rookies and sophomores, not on Sunday evening with the rest of the All-Stars.

Slightly odd due to the assumption James and Carmelo and Wade wouldn’t view the game in street clothes again for at least another decade, or so. Mostly strange LeBron and Carmelo missed Sunday in the first place.

We weren’t crediting James and Melo with legacy each hadn’t earned yet: Michael Redd and Andrei Kirilenko could ball, true All-Stars, but between the four if we needed one game to win in February 2004, one player to do it with, we pick LeBron, then Carmelo. Even if they ask us to buy them beer.