Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game had no shortage of theatrics. Between a pregame draft and poorly mic’d up players, content was plentiful. 

Vin Diesel, star of the ‘Fast and the Furious’ movie franchise, gave an interesting speech before the game concerning what he knows best—family. 

On Monday’s Toucher & Rich program, Joe Murray and Ted Johnson react to the audio.

• 

• Joe Murray: Nothing says NBA All-Star Weekend like Vin Diesel.  

  Let’s play the audio. We’ll stop and start as we go. Maybe this was because of the Fast and Furious movie that’s coming out.  

  Ted Johnson: Yeah, it has to be.  

  Joe Murray: I don’t know what the hell this guy was doing. So again, bear with us because I don’t know what the hell he was saying! 

  Vin Diesel: As a kid from New York, I used to dream about coming to an NBA game. And that’s why I’m so honored that the NBA asked me to present this year’s All-Star Game. We’re here to witness the best players in the world and to experience true competition in its purest form. These players— 

  Ted Johnson: —Oh, stop. You’ve lost me. The purest form of competition is in this All-Star Game? 

• "These players have made sacrifices, game after game, play after play, so families like mine could be inspired."
  
  Vin Diesel opening up the 2023 NBA All-Star Game ✨pic.twitter.com/V6ajom6mXc

  — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 20, 2023

• Joe Murray: I thought he was going to say that he lives life a quarter mile at a time. But let’s keep listening… 

  Vin Diesel: These players have made sacrifices. Game after game, play after play. So that families like mine could be inspired.  

  Joe Murray: All I heard there was the word ‘family.’ That’s the Fast and the Furious, you know, that’s—  

  Dan: —the theme. Is it not?  

  Joe Murray: The sacrifices, though? Do you mean not playing back-to back-games? Do you mean sitting out before the All-Star break? Do you mean collaborating and talking with other players to get them to join your team at the All-Star Game? Sacrifice? Let me tell you.  

• Introducing the players at the 2023 #NBAAllStar Game… @vindiesel!
  
  Watch the #NBAAllStar Game, Feb. 19 on TNT pic.twitter.com/6oeEnbzEop

  — #NBAAllStar (@NBAAllStar) February 15, 2023

• Ted Johnson: I know there’s more to this… 

  Vin Diesel: You all are the best fans in the world. Tonight, is a unique moment in time. Tonight, a star becomes a legend. So, enjoy the show!  

  Joe Murray: There you go. Jayson Tatum.  

  Ted Johnson: You talk about prophecies—he knew it.

• 

  SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – FEBRUARY 19: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the second half in the 2023 NBA All Star Game between Team Giannis and Team LeBron at Vivint Arena on February 19, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

• Joe Murray: Is that line supposed to be in the movie? I got to watch Fast and Furious.  

  Ted Johnson: I can’t watch them. I can’t do it.  

  My first thought when they showed Vin Diesel last night was that you don’t realize, in movies, how short these guys are.  

  Joe Murray: They make him look like he’s a big dude.  

  Ted Johnson: They make him look like he’s huge. He looks like he’s five-foot-six.  

  Dan: His Wikipedia doesn’t even have his height. It’s probably been scrubbed.  

  Vin Diesel: Tonight, a star becomes a legend.  

  Ted Johnson: That’s when I threw up my dinner. I’m out. 

• Full Segment

• Ryan Beaton is a producer for 985thesportshub.com. You can follow Ryan at @ry_beaton on Twitter.

  Follow @Toucherandrich on Twitter, @Toucherandrichofficial and @fredtoucher on Instagram to keep up with the show!

Sign me up for the 98.5 The Sports Hub email newsletter!

Get the latest Boston sports news and analysis, plus exclusive on-demand content and special giveaways from Boston's Home for Sports, 98.5 The Sports Hub.

First Name *

Last Name

Email *

Subscribe

By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.