The 12 players who can save the NBA All-Star game by playing way too hard, from Giannis Antetkounmpo to Jose Alvarado

Just call the squad First Team All-Try Hard

I hate to admit it, but the All-Star game needs saving, man. Again. This year’s game just didn’t have the vibe that is required to make the game, well, good.

Instead, the players just hot-dogged it up and down the court. They were just out there getting cardio. It’s cool to see all the star power on the court, but it’s not as fun when they’re not actually trying. The fans notice that — that’s why they tuned the game out.

So, with that being said, the For The Win NBA team here is dedicated to fixing it. We’re going to solve the problem that is the All-Star game.

How does one fix this game? By getting the players to play a bit harder. We figured out the perfect way to do it — by only picking players who are going to play hard.

It’s genius, y’all.

Myself, Bryan Kalbrosky, Prince Grimes and Cory Woodroof put together a serpentine draft to select 12 players total with 3 going to each of us. The only goal for each person’s 3-man squad was to put together a team that would not only win, but also give the maximum effort on the court for our star-studded exhibition.

Below, you’ll see all of our individual picks and why we picked them. The crux of it all is this: We know these dudes are bringing it. And they’ll have a bit of fun, too. Because that’s just how they are.

With that being said, here let’s get into the results.