The NBA All-Star weekend is one of the greatest spectacles in sports. Every year, NBA fans from all over the world gather to watch the most talented basketball players showcase their skills. From the three-point contest, dunk contest, skills challenge, all-star game, and more,1` here are the events that All-Star weekend has to offer.
New Format
For the longest time, top players from the Eastern Conference and the top players from the Western Conference faced off in the all-star game. Then, in 2018, the NBA announced that the format would change. From now on the team captains from the eastern and western conference would draft starters and reserves to make their team. Now, the NBA has announced that it will go back to its old format for this year’s all-star game.
Three-Point Contest
The three-point contest has been around since 1986. Ever since then, it has become a fan favorite. In this contest, players have one minute to shoot 25 three-pointers with two deep threes. Larry Bird has won the most with three wins under his belt. In second place is arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history, Stephen Curry with two wins. This year, the contestants will be Malik Beasley, Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Trae Young. As a bonus, NBA star Stephen Curry will battle WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu in a three-point contest of their own. Sabrina said that she would shoot from the NBA three-point line and would use a women’s ball.
Slam Dunk Contest
The slam dunk contest was first held on January 27, 1976. In this competition, the best dunkers in the league get two dunks. The judges then rate the dunks out of 50, and the top two players advance to the championship round. The player with the highest score in this round wins. Nate Robinson has the most wins with three. The dunk contest has taken quite a lot of criticism in the past for being boring and uncreative, but many people think that this year’s dunk contest will be very entertaining due to the contestants. This time, the contestants will be Jaylen Brown, Mac McClung, Jamie Jaquez Jr., and Jacob Toppin.
Skills Challenge
The skills challenge started in 2003. The format for this contest recently changed in 2022. Previously, two players raced against each other on identical courses and passed and dribbled through obstacles. In the current format, there are three teams, these teams compete in a four-round competition with passing, dribbling, shooting, and a half-court shootout. The participants in this year’s skills challenge are Team Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin, Myles Turner, Team Top Picks: Paolo Banchero, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama, and Team All-Stars: Scottie Barnes, Tyrese Maxey, Trae Young.
Rising Stars Game
The Rising Stars game (originally called the Rookie Challenge), was first introduced in 1994. In this game, the best young players are drafted into teams and play each other in a series of games. It is very cool because this way you can see the future of the NBA after stars such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry retire.
All-Star Game
The final event of All-Star weekend is the All-Star game. The All-Star game was first played on March 2, 1951 in Boston. This year it will be the NBA’s 73rd game. The All-Star game is one of the most anticipated games in all of sports because the best players in the league battle it out on the court. The games usually go to nearly 200 points. In last year’s all-star game, Team Giannis beat Team LeBron 184 to 175. The teams also play for charity. Every quarter the team with the most points wins a certain amount of money for their selected charity. This year, the team captains will be LeBron James for the Western Conference and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Eastern Conference. This year’s game is particularly exciting because there are first-timers on the team. These players include Tyrese Maxey, Paolo Banchero, Scottie Barnes, and Jaylen Brunson. Along with these players, there will be familiar faces such as Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Trae Young, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis.
This year’s All-Star weekend is one of the most awaited events because of the return of the original format and the new faces in the games and competitions. Many people will be tuning in to watch their favorite players show off their various skills and talents.