Every year, the National Basketball Association (NBA) hosts their annual All-Star weekend, where the top selected players have the chance to showcase their immeasurable skills and unseen athleticism throughout the weekend. This year’s anticipated weekend was held in Los Angeles for the first time in eight years, at the newly opened Intuit Dome.
The eventful February 13 to 16 weekend began with the NBA Celebrity All-Star game, where, instead of fans getting to see professional athletes do the work like usual, famous people have the chance to take the court and put on a show. Celebrities like actor Keegan-Michael Key, rapper GloRilla, and actor Rome Flynn, who won the game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), were among those to compete.
That Friday night also hosted the Rising Star game, showcasing young talent in the league. Not to mention, the NBA’s Historically Black College and University (HBCU) matchup between the basketball teams from Hampton University and North Carolina A&T, who eventually came out on top 71-70.
Some people say the weekend doesn’t even really start until All-Star Saturday, where fans get to see their favorite players compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. The Slam Dunk Contest shows players perform their most creative and eye-catching dunks that are judged by a panel for a score up to 50, in order to advance for a shot at winning the contest. Miami Heat’s own Keshad Johnson won with a between-the-legs, reverse dunk off a self-toss that earned him a score of 49.6. At the other end of the spectrum is the three-point contest, where the leading shooters in the league attempt to make the most from five spots around the arc. Despite being sidelined for the season due to an Achilles injury, strong-willed Damian Lillard won the contest for the third time in his career.
To wrap off the weekend was the most anticipated event of the weekend, the annual All-Star game, this time in a new format. This year featured a USA vs. World four-game mini-tournament with two separate teams, with the most talented stars from the United States and the international super squad, led by Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, and Nikola Jokic, all going up against each other. The championship round was the Stars and the Stripes, both of the US teams, with the much younger Stripes taking the victory, spearheaded by Anthony Edwards’s 32-point performance that earned him the All-Star MVP award.
Over recent years, there has been extensive criticism about the All-Star game. Fans argue that the game has been boring because players won’t play seriously in fear of injuring themselves in a “meaningless” competition, a valid concern, as after the break, there is still another fourth of the season to be played. But this changed with the new format. A new feeling of natural competition and drive was among the players, resulting in one of the most enjoyable recent All-Star games.
“I like this format. It was really good. It made us compete.” All Star game MVP Anthony Edwards said about this year’s format.
