It’s NBA All-Star Weekend! A time when all the basketball legends mingle with the current NBA stars and the NBA fans. Celebrity sightings are constant in Salt Lake City this weekend and the NBA has a massive slate of events. Charity events to get active in the community, Hall-of-Fame induction finalists announced (featuring legends Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, and Greg Popovich, among others), and capping with the All-Star Game on Sunday. The slate of events surrounding NBA All-Star Saturday Night draws much attention. Here are my predictions for who will win each event.
Kia Skills Challenge
The NBA Skills Challenge is a fun basketball obstacle course that players run through as they showcase their shooting, passing, and dribbling skills. Historically an individual event, this year is a team challenge.
Team Antetokounmpo features two-time MVP and perennial All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as his brothers Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Alex Antetokounmpo. Giannis and Thanasis are both with the Milwaukee Bucks. Alex is currently with the G-League’s Wisconsin Herd. Alex will be looking to add a Skill Challenge trophy to his mantle. The award will sit next to his brothers’ championship trophies (Giannis, Thanasis, and former NBA player Kostas are all champions).
Team Jazz is represented by Jazz members Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, and Collin Sexton. They will have the home crowd behind them as they try to win for the Jazz faithful.
Team Rookies consist of Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic, Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons, and Jabari Smith Jr. of the Houston Rockets. These energetic and highly-touted athletes represent three of the first five picks of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Prediction
I generally lean towards experience as the brothers Antetokounmpo have each participated in All-Star festivities of years past. However, I’m going to go with Team Rookies. They are a wonderful blend of talent that should pair well with the challenging obstacles and the time limit.
Starry Three-Point Contest
The NBA Three-Point Contest has routinely drawn star power to the participation pool as three-point shooting is the highlighted skill set. Many Hall-of-Fame shooters, such as the great Larry Bird and current superstar Steph Curry, have added the Three-Point contest trophy to their storied resumes. The 2023 participants are as follows:
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
Buddy Hield, Indiana Pacers
Kevin Huerter, Sacramento Kings
Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Julius Randall, New York Knicks
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Prediction
After failing in a make-or-break January (nine losses against six wins and currently 12th in the Western Conference standings), Damian Lillard will seek a February trophy in the Three-Point Contest final. However, Lillard will fall victim to talented shooter Buddy Hield who recently broke the all-time Pacers record for three-pointers in a season (229 by Hall-of-Famer Reggie Miller). Hield is leading the entire league in threes this year.
AT&T Slam Dunk Contest
Many of the NBA legends have participated in this iconic contest dating back to the ABA days, with Julius Irving dunking from the free throw line. Dunk contest glory used to be reserved for the high-flying legends of the game, such as Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. More recently, the player pool for this event has skewed younger. The 2023 participants are as follows:
Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets
Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers
Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
Jericho Sims, New York Knicks
Dunk Contest Judges
The judges for this year’s contest are former three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, former Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone, two-time former dunk champ Harold Miner, and Hall-of-Famer Dominique Wilkins. The judges will score several dunks with a score of one through 10, with 10 as the highest score. The best overall score wins.
Prediction
Trey Murphy is a long, rangy shooter who will be creating mesmerizing long jump dunks all the way to the final. That said, Jericho Sims registered a 44.5-inch max vertical, the third-highest ever recorded at the NBA Draft Combine! Jumping is a significant part of dunking, so I will lean toward Sims.
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