Category: NBA All-Star blog

NBA All-Star blog

Chance The Rapper and Common will perform at the 2020 NBA All-Star game

Three-time Grammy Award winners and Chicago natives Chance The Rapper and Common will headline musical performances at the 2020 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at United Center in Chicago.

Chance The Rapper’s brother, fellow rap artist Taylor Bennett, will perform at halftime of NBA Rising Stars on Friday, Feb. 14 at United Center.

The 69th annual game will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, Common will welcome fans to Chicago with anarrative about what basketball means to the city. This prior to introducing players from both teams before tip-off of the NBA All-Star Game.

At halftime, Chance The Rapper and special guests will perform a medley of chart-topping hits, including tracks from his first studio album, The Big Day.

Donovan Mitchell undecided on trying to defend dunk title

Nobody is thinking about 2019 All-Star weekend yet. But when the guy who won the 2018 dunk title is in front of you, it makes sense to ask if he’s thinking of trying to defend it. Here’s the Deseret News reporting on young Jazz star Donovan Mitchell:

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is certainly focused on reaching new heights in his sophomore campaign, but the rising star hasn’t decided on whether or not he’ll be defending his slam dunk title.

“I don’t know … that’s a good question,” Mitchell said during Monday’s Utah Jazz Media Day. “I don’t know, we’ll see. I’ll leave it there.”

All-Star Weekend 2019 will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Feb. 15-17.

As a rookie, Mitchell reached a new level of popularity after winning the slam dunk crown at Los Angeles’ Staples Center as a late addition.

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Nets have not had an All-Star for years

In the NBA, players that make the All-Star team tend to be scorers above all. Or great point guards. But usually, regardless of position, it’s a player who can put points on the board. Which is pretty important. The Nets have gone years without an All-Star. For more on that, here’s the NY Post:

The Nets have not had an All-Star in four years, and it has been far longer since they had a young franchise player to build around. They’re convinced D’Angelo Russell can be that, but only if he buys in and gets more consistent.

“Nobody in this arena will question his talent. You just want him to do it consistently,” said DeMarre Carroll, 31, who has been tasked with taking Russell under his wing. “D’Angelo’s probably the closest thing we have to an All-Star on our team if he did it consistently. Me, being his big brother, being a leader, I just challenge him to come in and hit it hard every day…

The Nets haven’t had an All-Star since 32-year-old Joe Johnson in 2013-14. That might be unrealistic, but they have bet high on the 22-year-old Russell, who dealt with a knee surgery that cost him 32 straight games.

“We’ve got a long way to go, me and him,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “But he’s headed in the right direction. With each game I compare it to a rookie quarterback, second, third-year quarterback not forcing it into tight areas. His shot selection’s improving, defensively he’s getting after it. I’m just pleased. There’s a serenity to him now.”

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Utah Jazz submit bid to host the 2022 or 2023 NBA All-Star Game

The Utah Jazz submitted today a formal bid to the NBA to host the 2022 or 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Civic and community partners in the bid include the State of Utah, Salt Lake City and County, Utah Sports Commission, Utah Office of Tourism and Visit Salt Lake.

With a “Game Elevated” theme emphasizing guest experience, innovation, and arts and education, the Jazz submitted an electronic application to the league as well as shipping a custom-made box with an iPad of the presentation.

“On behalf of the State of Utah, we are committed to the hard work of bringing the NBA All-Star Game to Salt Lake City,” said Gov. Gary R. Herbert. “We know this about the Miller family, Utah Jazz organization, and our state — the NBA All-Star Game will be above the rim and the NBA family will fall in love again with the great people of our state.”

“We are very excited and well prepared to bring back the NBA All-Star Game to Vivint Smart Home Arena,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski. “We are a vibrant, diverse and culturally rich community that knows how to celebrate the experience of sport. Our 2002 Olympic Winter Games remain the standard against which all other Olympic Winter Games are measured.”

The proposed site for the NBA All-Star Game is Vivint Smart Home Arena, the 18,306-seat home of the Utah Jazz, with ancillary events at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus, and The Complex entertainment venue.

Other bid attributes are the availability of 6,000 hotel rooms in the heart of downtown, the billion dollar expansion of the Salt Lake International Airport and the city’s big event experience with the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and annual Sundance Film Festival.

The 2023 All-Star Weekend would be the 30th anniversary of the 1993 game in Salt Lake City when Karl Malone and John Stockton were the co-MVPs.

“The 1993 NBA All-Star Game was memorable for many reasons. Our new arena was just two years old, and we were so proud to welcome the NBA family into our new home,” said Greg Miller, NBA Board of Governors member. “It is with great excitement and anticipation that we now invite the NBA to return this celebration of our sport back to Salt Lake City for a game elevated.”

Joakim Noah attends Jimmy Goldstein NBA All-Star party

The exiled Knicks center was spotted Saturday night at impresario Jimmy Goldstein’s All-Star Weekend party in Los Angeles, along with Stephen Curry, his wife, Ayesha, Joel Embiid and ex-Knick draft pick Danilo Gallinari. Noah may attend Sunday’s All-Star Game at Staples Center.

Goldstein is an eccentric longtime NBA superfan who is seen at all of the NBA’s big events and is regularly courtside at Staples Center.

“I’ve known [Noah] a long time, I spoke to him last night,” Goldstein told The Post on Sunday before Team LeBron faced Team Stephen. “I asked him if he was going to be all right, that I’m a little worried about you. He said don’t worry about him, everything’s going to be fine.”

— NY Post

Lou Williams was aiming for All-Star team, not Skills Challenge

Lou Williams essentially accepted a consolation prize from the NBA to participate in the Skills Challenge during All-Star weekend at Staples Center.

His stated goal had been to represent the Clippers in the All-Star game Sunday at Staples Center, but Williams was not chosen as one of the Western Conference reserves — to his and his coaching staff’s dismay.

Instead, Williams will lace up his sneakers for the event that will take place Saturday night, his enthusiasm still high for being asked to be in the Skills Challenge along with seven other players.

Williams admitted it would have been much nicer to display his skills in the big event Sunday.

— LA Times

De`Aaron Fox replaces Lonzo Ball in Rising Stars game

Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox will replace injured Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball on the U.S. Team in the 2018 Rising Stars game, which will take place on Friday, Feb. 16.

Fox, the fifth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, is averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 assists in 27.2 minutes while starting 37 of his 49 games in his rookie season. His selection gives the Kings three players in 2018 Rising Stars, with second-year guard Buddy Hield (Bahamas) and rookie guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia) representing the World Team.

Ball has missed the Lakers’ last 13 games after suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee on Jan. 13. The second pick in NBA Draft 2017 is averaging 10.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 36 games. The Lakers have second-year forward Brandon Ingram and rookie forward Kyle Kuzma playing for the U.S. Team.

The Rising Stars game is an annual showcase of premier young talent at NBA All-Star. For the fourth consecutive year, the game features 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the U.S. against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world.

Past Sacramento Kings All-Star Rookie Game Participants
1994 Bobby Hurley – Honorary Coach
1995 Brian Grant, Michael Smith
1996 Tyus Edney
1998 Michael Stewart
2000 Jason Williams
2002 Hedo Turkoglu
2010 Tyreke Evans (MVP), Omri Casspi
2011 Tyreke Evans*, DeMarcus Cousins
2012 DeMarcus Cousins
2013 Isaiah Thomas
*Evans named to Sophomore Team but due to injury did not participate

Kemba Walker replaces Kristaps Porzingis in All-Star game, Andre Drummond replaces him in Skills Challenge

Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured New York Knicks forward/center Kristaps Porzingis on Team LeBron in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Staples Center in Los Angeles (8 p.m. ET; TNT/ESPN Radio).

In addition, 2018 NBA All-Star Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons will replace Porzingis in the Skills Challenge.

Walker becomes an NBA All-Star for the second time, having made his All-Star Game debut last year in New Orleans. The seven-year veteran is averaging 22.6 points, 5.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 51 games, joining new All-Star teammate LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers as the only Eastern Conference players who are producing that many points and assists per game.

The 6-1 Walker has scored at least 40 points in a game three times this season, one of eight NBA players to do so. He also ranks ninth in the NBA in three-pointers made with 141. On Feb. 4, Walker became the Hornets’ all-time leader in three-pointers made, passing Dell Curry’s record of 929.

Since Jan. 1, Walker has led Charlotte to a 10-7 record while posting the third-highest scoring average in the Eastern Conference (24.6 ppg) to go with an increase in assists (6.2 apg). For the season, the Hornets are 17.4 points per 100 possessions better when Walker is on the court than when he is off the court, the highest mark among all qualifying NBA players, according to NBA.com/Stats.

Porzingis will not play in the NBA All-Star Game or defend his title in the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge after sustaining a torn ACL in his left knee in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 6. A first-time NBA All-Star selection in his third season, Porzingis is averaging 22.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and a league-leading 2.40 blocked shots in 48 games. He was selected by NBA head coaches as an All-Star reserve and drafted to Team LeBron by James.

According to NBA rules, when an All-Star is unable to participate, the commissioner shall choose a replacement from the same conference as the player who is being replaced. Porzingis and Walker both play for Eastern Conference teams.

Donovan Mitchell to replace Aaron Gordon in Slam Dunk contest

Aaron Gordon, our favorite to win the upcoming 2018 Slam Dunk contest at All-Star weekend, will miss the event due to a hip injury. Young talented Jazz star Donovan Mitchell will reportedly be his replacement. Here’s the Deseret News:

As the Utah Jazz wrapped up shootaround at New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center on Monday morning, the news broke of Aaron Gordon withdrawing from the NBA Slam Dunk contest due to a strained left hip flexor.

All eyes then turned to Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell. Would he be open to do it?

“Hopefully, I get invited,” Mitchell said smirking. “I’d be excited. Like I said before, I would love to do it.”

Then moments later, as he wrapped up his interview, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the story of Mitchell being expected to replace Gordon.

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