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2024 NBA Skills Challenge
InsideHoops.comEvent Date: February 17, 2024
Team Pacers won the 2024 NBA Skills Challenge.
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2023 SKILLS CHALLENGE
ESPN.com: "The Utah Jazz group of Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton beat out Team Antetokounmpo and Team Rookies to win the All-Star skills challenge... The competition involved three rounds: relay, passing and shooting. The relay round included an obstacle course with moving LED screens lit up by neon lights. The passing required players to move from spot to spot while throwing feeds into moving targets."
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2022 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE RESULTS
"Evan Mobley brought his first trophy to Cleveland. The rookie's excellent shooting led a team with Cavaliers teammates Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen to a win in the Skills Challenge in front of their home fans Saturday night. Mobley sealed the victory by hitting a half-court shot on his first try in the final round. A team made up of rookies Josh Giddey, Cade Cunningham and Scottie Barnes finished second." - ESPN.com
2022 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW INFO
The NBA announced today a new format and the participants for the 2022 NBA Skills Challenge, a team competition that will feature two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, fellow 2022 NBA All-Star Darius Garland of the Cleveland Cavaliers and four participants in the 2022 Rising Stars event.
The 2022 NBA Skills Challenge will take place on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland as part of All-Star Saturday Night, which also includes Slam Dunk and 3-Point contests All-Star Saturday Night will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States at 8 p.m. ET.
Under the new format for the NBA Skills Challenge, three teams of three players will participate in a four-round competition that tests shooting, passing and dribbling ability. The teams are as follows:
Antetokounmpos: Giannis will team up with his brothers Thanasis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee and Alex Antetokounmpo of the NBA G League s Raptors 905.
Cavs: Garland will be joined by Cavaliers teammates Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, a rookie who was selected to play in the Rising Stars event during NBA All-Star 2022.
Rooks: Rising Stars selections Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons and Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder will form a team with three NBA rookies.
Each of the three teams will compete in the first three rounds of the Skills Challenge. The two teams with the most Challenge Points after the first three rounds will advance to the Final Round. Challenge Points are earned by winning each of the first three rounds.
Below is a round-by-round overview of the skills and the awarding of Challenge Points.
Round 1: Team Shooting (three teams) All players from each team will participate individually with their two teammates rebounding. Each player has 30 seconds to shoot from five different spots on the court, ranging from 10 feet to 30 feet. Players cannot repeat the same shot consecutively. Shots made from each shooting location will have different values (one point, two points, three points, four points or five points). Individual player scores will be added together to determine the team score. The team with the highest team score will win Round 1 and earn 100 Challenge Points.
Round 2: Team Passing (three teams) All players on a team will participate together. Each team will have 30 seconds to complete passes into three oversized moving targets, which vary in size and distance from the players. Each team must make at least one pass attempt at each target, and individual players cannot make consecutive passes at the same target. Completed passes into each target will have different values (two points, four points or six points). The team with the most total points will win Team Passing and earn 100 Challenge Points.
Round 3: Team Relay (three teams) All players from each team will participate in a timed relay. Each player must complete the course, which has five skills in the following order: 1.) throw an outlet pass into a moving target from the baseline; 2.) dribble down the court through three moving pylons; 3.) make a short shot in the lane; 4.) make a three-pointer from the corner against an automated defender; and 5.) dribble to the opposite goal and make a basket (such as a dunk, layup or jump shot). The team with the fastest time will win Round 3 and earn 200 Challenge Points.
Final Round: Half-court Shot (two teams) The two teams that advance to the Final Round will compete one at a time and all players on each team will participate in trying to make a half-court shot. Team 1 will set the time to beat with a made shot or expiration of the clock (maximum of 1 minute and 30 seconds). The team that makes a half-court shot in the fastest time will win the Skills Challenge. In the case of a tie, the two teams will repeat the Final Round.
NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE HISTORY: ALL-TIME WINNERS
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 Deron Williams, Utah
2009 Derrick Rose, Chicago
2010 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2011 Stephen Curry, Golden State
2012 Tony Parker, San Antonio
2013 Damian Lillard, Portland
2014 Trey Burke, Utah and Damian Lillard, Portland
2015 Patrick Beverley, Houston
2016 Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota
2017 Kristaps Porzingis, New York
2018 Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn
2019 Jayson Tatum, Boston
2020 Bam Adebayo, Miami
2021 Domantas Sabonis, Indiana
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2021 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGEEvent Date: Sunday, March 7, 2021
NBA All-Stars Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns will display their vast array of talents in the 2021 NBA Skills Challenge on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Skills Challenge will take place before the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, airing on TNT.
Joining Doncic and Paul as 2021 NBA All-Stars in the field are New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic. The six-player competition also features Portland Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington.
The 19th NBA Skills Challenge is an obstacle-course competition that tests players dribbling, passing, agility and 3-point shooting skills. The event is part of NBA All-Star 2021, which will take place on one night. TNT s NBA All-Star coverage on March 7 will begin at 5 p.m. ET with TNT NBA Tip-Off, followed by the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. NBA All-Star Game coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET, with the Slam Dunk contest taking place at halftime.
Doncic, who was named an NBA All-Star Game starter for the second year in a row, joins Sabonis (the 2020 runner-up) and Vucevic as second-time participants in the Skills Challenge. Paul, an NBA All-Star selection for the 11th time, will make his record fifth appearance in the Skills Challenge and his first since 2011. Randle and Covington will make their event debuts.
Covington is in his eighth NBA season after not being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. In the 2017-18 season, he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and ranked 11th in the league in 3-pointers made (203). Covington attended Tennessee State, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Nashville, Tenn. As part of NBA All-Star 2021, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will commit more than $2.5 million in funds and resources toward HBCUs and support and awareness around equity and access to COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines. On March 7, the league will also pay tribute to the vital role of HBCUs through music, content and storytelling.
The 2021 NBA Skills Challenge is a three-round competition with a single-elimination tournament format. Two players will compete simultaneously on an identical course and the winner of each head-to-head matchup will advance to the next round. Two of the six participants, as chosen by the NBA, will receive a bye in the first round and automatically advance to the second round.
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2020 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE RESULTS
First matchup: Spencer Dinwiddie and Bam Adebayo. And Adebayo took it.Second matchup: Patrick Beverley and Pascal Siakam. While Pat missed a few of the target-passes, Siakam actually took his time getting down the floor before calmly nailing the three-point shot to end it.
Third matchup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Khris Middleton. And again, the guard in the matchup, Gilgeous-Alexander, took extra time on the target-passing. Middleton did miss his first three-point attempt, but hit his second to win it.
Fourth matchup: Jayson Tatum and Domantas Sabonis. This one was close, and came down to the final three-pointer, which Sabonis got off first, but missed. But then Tatum's three fell way short. Sabonis then won it.
Adebayo, Siakam, Middleton and Sabonis advanced to the second round.
In the first matchup of the second round, Adebayo against Siakam, it was close and came down to the final three-point shot. Adebayo missed his first three, but Siakam missed as well. Adebayo then nailed it to advance.
Sabonis faced Middleton in the next matchup, and Middleton fumbled the ball while running in for a layup - an unusual error in this competition. Both players then took turns missing multiple three-pointers, but Sabonis hit first, to reach the Skills Challenge finals.
Final round: Adebayo vs. Sabonis. Both players hit the first pass. Adebayo ran faster for a slight lead. Both players traded three-point misses, but Adebayo hit first to win the 2020 Skills Challenge competition.
ESPN.com reported the following: "Prior to his victory in the skills challenge -- which features an obstacle course that tests shooting, passing and ballhandling -- Adebayo had knocked down only a single 3-pointer this season out of 11 attempts. He sank three 3s on Saturday, however, and didn't hesitate to make the naysayers eat their words. "I just want to say something. I read a tweet that I was last to win in Vegas," said Adebayo, who was +1200 to win at FanDuel Sportsbook. "So whoever bet, I hope you got your money. I hope you go buy yourself a Ruth's Chris, Cheesecake Factory, something in that fashion."
2020 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW INFORMATION
Defending champion Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and former champions Patrick Beverley of the LA Clippers, Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets and Derrick Rose of the Detroit Pistons will display their vast array of talents in the 2020 Skills Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the United Center in Chicago.
Tatum is one of five 2020 NBA All-Star selections in the eight-player field, joined by the Miami Heat s Bam Adebayo, the Milwaukee Bucks Khris Middleton, the Indiana Pacers Domantas Sabonis and the Toronto Raptors Pascal Siakam.
The 17th Skills Challenge is part of All-Star Saturday Night, which also features the 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk contest. All-Star Saturday Night will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States at 8 p.m. ET. NBA All-Star 2020 will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.
Tatum and Dinwiddie won the Skills Challenge in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Beverley, a Chicago native, was crowned champion in 2015. Rose, a Chicago native and the 2010-11 Kia NBA MVP while playing with the Chicago Bulls, earned the Skills title in 2009 as an NBA rookie.
The 2020 Skills Challenge is a three-round, obstacle-course competition that tests the players dribbling, passing, agility and 3-point shooting. Featuring a mix of guards and frontcourt players, the event showcases a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format. First-round matchups will be determined on the night of the event.
Here is a closer look at the 2020 Skills Challenge participants:
Bam Adebayo, Heat (1st appearance): A first-time NBA All-Star selection in his third season, Adebayo is one of five players averaging at least 15.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in 2019-20. He has recorded his first three career triple-doubles this season.
Patrick Beverley, Clippers (2nd appearance): The 6-1 guard is a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, a career 37.9 percent shooter from 3-point range and a premier rebounder at his position. Beverley is averaging 5.8 rebounds per game this season, just below his career high of 5.9 rebounds set in 2016-17.
Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets (2nd appearance): He is averaging a career-high 21.3 points and 6.4 assists per game. The NBA G League veteran has improved his scoring average in each of his four seasons with Brooklyn.
Khris Middleton, Bucks (1st appearance): An NBA All-Star selection for the second straight year, Middleton is posting career highs in scoring (20.4 ppg), field goal percentage (50.8) and 3-point field goal percentage (44.2) to go with 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He scored a career-high 51 points against the Washington Wizards on Jan. 28.
Derrick Rose, Pistons (3rd appearance): Rose is shooting a career-high 49.8 percent from the field and averaging his most points (18.5 ppg) and assists (5.8 apg) since the 2011-12 season. A three-time NBA All-Star selection, Rose last appeared in the Skills Challenge in 2011.
Domantas Sabonis, Pacers (1st appearance): Sabonis is averaging career highs across the board as a first-time NBA All-Star selection, with 18.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He ranks third in the NBA in double-doubles (38) and has recorded his first two career triple-doubles this season.
Pascal Siakam, Raptors (1st appearance): Siakam has become the first NBA G League veteran to be named a starter in the NBA All-Star Game. This season, he has already set a career high for 3-pointers made (84) to go with career-high averages of 23.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Jayson Tatum, Celtics (2nd appearance): The 21-year-old first-time NBA All-Star selection is averaging career highs of 21.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.36 steals per game in his third season. Last year, Tatum made a half-court shot to win the Skills Challenge.
2020 Skills Challenge Rules
Two players compete simultaneously on identical courses and the fastest finisher reaches the next round. In the first round, the eight players are paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions. The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns determine the two finalists. The first finalist to successfully complete the course is declared the winner of the 2020 Skills Challenge. Click here for a complete explanation of the rules.
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2019 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE RESULTS
"Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum made sure All-Star Saturday night got off to a dramatic start. Tatum fell behind in each of his three rounds of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge -- first to Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, then to Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and finally to Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young -- before coming from behind to win each of them and start the night off with a victory." -- ESPN.com
"The Hawks rookie point guard was the victim of the desperation heave by the Celtics Jayson Tatum in the final of the Skills Challenge at NBA All-Star Saturday Night in Charlotte. Young advanced to the final with two wins. He had a sizable lead on Tatum as he approached the final 3-point attempt. As Young was squaring up from the line, Tatum had his half-court heave go in off the backboard ahead of Young s attempt." -- Atlanta Journal Constitution
"Jokic got knocked out in the second round of the Skills Challenge by Boston wing Jayson Tatum, the eventual champion. Asked what was the most difficult part of the course, Jokic didn t hesitate. Running. -- Denver Post
2019 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
First-time NBA All-Stars Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic and reigning NBA Rookies of the Month Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks will display their vast array of talents in the 2019 Skills Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 16 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina as part of 2019 NBA All-Star weekend.The 17th NBA Skills Challenge is part of All-Star Saturday Night, which also features the 3-Point and Slam Dunk contests. All-Star Saturday Night will air on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States at 8 p.m. ET. The eight-player field for the 2019 NBA Skills Challenge also features Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies, De Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings, Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics. Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets is unable to defend his 2018 title due to injury.
Jokic and Vucevic will play in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. ET. Doncic, Fox, Kuzma, Tatum and Young will play in the 2019 Rising Stars game on Friday, Feb. 15 at 9 p.m. ET. Both games will be held at Spectrum Center and broadcast by TNT and ESPN Radio.
The Skills Challenge is a three-round, obstacle-course competition that tests dribbling, passing, agility and three-point-shooting skills. The event showcases a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format. First-round matchups will be determined at a later date.
Here is a closer look at the 2019 NBA Skills Challenge participants:
Mike Conley, Grizzlies: Conley (20.3 ppg, 6.3 apg) is averaging at least 20.0 points and 6.0 assists for the second time in the last three seasons. He is a two-time winner of the NBA Sportsmanship Award.
Luka Doncic, Mavericks: The Slovenian guard-forward (20.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.4 apg) has won all three NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards this season. The only rookie to reach Doncic s current averages in points, rebounds and assists for a full season is Oscar Robertson in 1960-61.
De Aaron Fox, Kings: One of the NBA s fastest players, Fox is averaging 17.5 points and a team-high 7.2 assists (ninth in the NBA) up from 11.6 points and 4.4 assists as a rookie last season. He has already made more three-pointers this season (56) than he did in his entire first season (47).
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: The 7-foot center from Serbia leads Denver with averages of 20.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists (sixth in the NBA). He ranks second in the NBA in triple-doubles with nine.
Kyle Kuzma, Lakers: Kuzma (18.8 ppg) is the third-leading scorer among second-year NBA players and paces the Lakers in three-pointers made with 91. He was a 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team selection.
Jayson Tatum, Celtics: Tatum is Boston s No. 2 scorer (16.1 ppg) and rebounder (6.2 rpg). The 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team selection has shot 40.4 percent from three-point range over two seasons.
Nikola Vucevic, Magic: A first-time All-Star in his eighth season, Vucevic is averaging career highs of 20.7 points, 12.0 rebounds (10th in the NBA) and 3.8 assists. The 7-foot Montenegrin center is shooting a career-high 37.8 percent from three-point range.
Trae Young, Hawks: The Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November and January leads all first-year NBA players in assists (7.4 apg) and ranks second in scoring (16.8 ppg). He is averaging 24.0 points and 8.5 assists in his last six games.
2019 NBA Skills Challenge Contest Rules
Two players compete simultaneously on identical courses and the fastest finisher reaches the next round. In the first round, the eight players are paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions. The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns determine the two finalists.
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2018 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE
SPENCER DINWIDDIE WINS 2018 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITION
Guard Spencer Dinwiddie captured the Skills Challenge to kick off All-Star Saturday at Staples Center. The 6-foot-6 Dinwiddie, who was the Pistons second-rounder in 2014, outdid 7-foot Bulls rookie Lauri Markkanen in the finals that pit the big man against the guard. In the morning, the loquacious Dinwiddie said, I didn t come here to lose. And he backed up his claim, keeping the crown in New York after Kristaps Porzingis won it last year. -- NY Post
Lou Williams thought the pass through the loop would trip him up in the Skills Challenge on Saturday at Staples Center. He figured he could dribble through the slalom course just fine and sinking the 3-pointer wouldn t be a problem, but the passing portion of the contest worried him. He was correct. The Clippers guard s pass was off the mark, Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets was on target and Murray went on to sink his 3-pointer before Williams could sink his. Williams stay in the contest was a short one he was eliminated in the first round but he said he still had fun. -- Daily Breeze
Spencer Dinwiddie Interview Quotes After Winning 2018 Skills Challenge
Q. Spencer, if you could make a brief comment about winning this?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: It's big for me to even be at All-Star Weekend considering the road that's been in my career, very up and down. Obviously being in the G League both on assignment and as a G League player, thank you to the Brooklyn Nets for giving me this opportunity to play and be here. Then it all really feels and seems full circle because I got to come home and do it in front of my family.
Q. To win this, you have to be skilled in all different facets of the game. Is that something that pleases you, that you consider yourself an all-around player in that regard?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: Oh, well, definitely. The I think that's one of the marks of my game is being able to affect the game in multiple ways, whether it be passing, defending or scoring. Good thing they didn't have a rebounding challenge, I guess, in this or I wouldn't have won it.
Q. You've had other opportunities in the NBA, but why has it come together for you this year in Brooklyn?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: I think Detroit was a situation where they were in very win-now mode, and I was a young guy coming off injury. I don't think they felt I could help them in that specific situation. But a lot of credit goes to them for teaching me what it was to be a young guy in this league and teach me how hard the NBA can be. I think for Chicago it was just kind of another series of unfortunate events. They were in win-now mode. I was an unproven guard on a non-guaranteed contract, and they felt Michael Carter-Williams gave them a better shot to win, which was understandable, because they had D-Wade who is on the edge of his career, and (Rajon) Rondo who is in the prime of his career, Jimmy (Butler) as well. So they weren't thinking about five years from now. They were thinking about trying to win a championship that year. In Brooklyn, once again, they gave me a chance to learn and grow. They believed in my abilities. I played last year a lot as a backup role, kind of going back and forth. Then, you know, once again, this situation, this opportunity doesn't come if Jeremy (Lin) and D-Lo (D'Angelo Russell) don't get hurt. I completely understand that. I feel bad for my guys, but in that sense, I'm also grateful for the opportunity. Because Brooklyn could have -- not drafted, but signed somebody else or brought somebody up from the G League instead, but they chose to rock with me while our two main guys were hurt. You know, it's just fortunate to be able to capitalize on that opportunity.
Q. You being from Woodland Hills, California, and the L.A. area, growing up here, obviously you're here now for All-Star Weekend. What's it like being with all these other talents from Los Angeles, number one? And number two, why do you think Los Angeles is such a great basketball city?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: One second, I'm not actually from the valley. I just went to school out there. I'm actually from L.A. I just think it's a situation where obviously we have a large amount of people in the state and in the city. So that's one thing. But just the competitive nature of basketball. You're growing up and from a young age you're playing guys that are McDonald's All-Americans and this, that, and the third. And if you're playing up, I was in high school, I was playing DeMarre who I believe was a senior or junior. Jrue Holiday, those guys I've played them since I was young. And granted, having that age gap at that time, they were beating me, like soundly. But it helps you grow being able to play against those guys, and now seeing them at this level and them being successful, and also having some of your own success, it creates a brotherhood and a bond that's like no other.
Q. To a casual NBA fan you're probably not the most familiar face. Are you hoping that being on this national stage changes that, or do you like being under the radar?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: Oh, I don't really too much care, man. Like I know that's probably not as you want, but I try to win. Win every single basketball game that I can. When I step on the floor, just because of my injury that I had in college, I cherish every moment to be able to step out here and play the game that I love and, like I said, do it in front of my family. There was a time when they didn't think this was going to happen, so it's fun.
Q. Did your teammates help you to practice and prepare for this?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: Yeah, their votes of confidence and their advice, they all helped. I've been getting encouragement from them pretty much since I've been selected and it was announced. So I appreciate my teammates and their support.
Q. Who helped you the most?
SPENCER DINWIDDIE: I think Caris (LeVert) is one of the dudes that helped me a lot, Jeremy Lin as well, Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson). Even though we have a love-hate relationship, but that's my guy too.
2018 SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
2018 Participants: Spencer Dinwiddie (Nets), Joel Embiid (76ers), Al Horford (Celtics), Lauri Markkanen (Bulls), Buddy Hield (Kings), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Andre Drummond (Pistons), Lou Williams (Clippers).
February 8, 2018 -- Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell will replace Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon in the 2018 Slam Dunk contest. Mitchell will no longer participate in the 2018 Skills Challenge on the same night. He will be replaced in the Skills Challenge by Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield.
February 8, 2018 -- Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons will replace Kristaps Porzingis (injured) in the 2018 Skills Challenge.
2018 SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
Defending champion and 2018 NBA All-Star Kristaps Porzingis (injured, replaced by Andre Drummond) and All-Stars Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Al Horford of the Boston Celtics will compete in the 2018 Skills Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 17 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Joining the three All-Star big men in the eight-player field are guard Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets, forward Lauri Markkanen of the Chicago Bulls, guard Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, guard Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets and guard Lou Williams of the LA Clippers.
The 16th NBA Skills Challenge is part of All-Star Saturday Night, which will air on TNT and ESPN Radio at 8 p.m. ET. All-Star Saturday Night also includes the Three-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk contest.
With Porzingis, Embiid, Horford and Markkanen competing, this marks the third straight year that four big men will be showing off their versatility in the previously guard-focused event. Big men were crowned champion in each of the last two competitions, with the Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns winning in 2016 and Porzingis defeating Gordon Hayward in last year s final round.
The three-round, obstacle-course competition, which tests dribbling, passing, agility and three-point-shooting skills, will feature a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format. The four big men will be on one side of the bracket and the four guards will be on the other side of the bracket.
NBA Skills Challenge Participants
Spencer Dinwiddie, Nets: The 6-6 guard is averaging career highs of 13.4 points and 6.4 assists in his fourth season. He has hit 96 three-pointers in 51 games; he entered the season with 51 three-pointers in 105 games.
Joel Embiid, 76ers: A first-time All-Star in his second season, Embiid is averaging 23.8 points (15th in the NBA), 11.0 rebounds (sixth), 3.3 assists and 1.82 blocked shots (fourth). The 7-footer from Cameroon is set to start the 2018 NBA All-Star Game and appear for the World Team in the 2018 Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars.
Al Horford, Celtics: An All-Star for the fifth time, Horford is one of three players averaging at least 13.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and one blocked shot (DeMarcus Cousins and LeBron James).
Lauri Markkanen, Bulls: Markkanen (15.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg) is the fastest player to 100 career three-pointers in NBA history (41 games). The 7-footer from Finland will join Embiid on the World Team for Rising Stars.
Donovan Mitchell, Jazz: The Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December and January is averaging a team-high and rookie-best 19.3 points this season. Utah has never had a rookie lead the team in scoring for a season. Mitchell is part of the U.S. Team for Rising Stars.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets: The 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection has increased his scoring average to 16.2 points (up from 9.9 ppg) in his second season. Murray, a 6-4 guard from Canada, was the MVP of the 2017 Rising Stars and will compete for the World Team again this year.
Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks: Porzingis (23.1 ppg) will make his All-Star debut in his third season. The 7-3 forward/center leads the NBA in blocks (2.33 bpg) and is shooting a career-high 39.8 percent from three-point range.
Lou Williams, Clippers: Williams has earned two Western Conference Player of the Week awards in 2017-18 while averaging a career-high 23.5 points in his 13th season. The 2014-15 Kia NBA Sixth Man Award winner scored a career-high 50 points against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 10.
NBA Skills Challenge Rules Two players compete simultaneously on identical courses and the fastest finisher reaches the next round. In the first round, the eight players are paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions. The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns determine the two finalists.
PAST NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE WINNERS HISTORY
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 Deron Williams, Utah
2009 Derrick Rose, Chicago
2010 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2011 Stephen Curry, Golden State
2012 Tony Parker, San Antonio
2013 Damian Lillard, Portland
2014 Trey Burke, Utah and Damian Lillard, Portland
2015 Patrick Beverley, Houston
2016 Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota
2017 Kristaps Porzingis, New York
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Kristaps Porzingis is a skilled big man, and he showed just how skilled Saturday night. The Knicks 7-3 forward won the NBA s Skills Challenge, beating Utah Jazz All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward in the finals... Porzingis vanquished Kings center DeMarcus Cousins in the first round, Denver s Nikola Jokic and finally Hayward. In the obstacle course-like timed challenge that tests dribbling and passing and long-range shooting, Porzingis passed the ball through the net on the first try all three times. In the final, he hit the three-pointer on his first attempt to claim the title. -- NY Newsday
Porzingis took out superstar center DeMarcus Cousins in the first-round race through the basketball obstacle course, and beat Denver s up-and-coming Nikola Jokic in the next round to advance to the title round against the wings/guards. Against Hayward, Porzingis made his first pass through the tire, beat Hayward to the 3-point line and drilled his first shot to end it. Before we started, in the walk-through, I know the pass and shot was most important, Porzingis said. I was able to make pass on the first time all three times. And then the final, the first shot went in. A little bit of luck. -- NY Post
2017 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
NBA All-Star Game starter Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans and fellow All-Stars DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz, Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics and John Wall of the Washington Wizards will compete in the 2017 NBA Skills Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Joining the five 2017 All-Stars in the eight-player NBA Skills Challenge contest field are two members of the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie First Team, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks, as well as three-time reigning Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2017 NBA Skills Challenge is the openinge vent at 2017 NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will be televised by TNT at 8 p.m. ET.
With Davis, Cousins, Embiid and Porzingis competing, this marks the second straight year that four big men will be showing off their versatility in the traditionally guard-heavy event. The three-round, obstacle-course competition, which tests dribbling, passing, agility and three-point-shooting skills, will feature a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format for the third year in a row. The four big men will be on one side of the bracket and the remaining four players will be on the other side of the bracket. First-round matchups will be announced at a later date.
Davis, who will start the All-Star Game in his home arena, ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring (27.9 ppg), sixth in rebounding (12.3 rpg) and second in blocked shots (2.39 bpg). Cousins, an All-Star selection for the third straight season, is fourth in the league in scoring (28.2 ppg) to go with 10.5 rebounds and career highs of 4.4 assists and 84 three-pointers made. Embiid leads all rookies in scoring (20.2 ppg), rebounding (7.8 rpg) and blocks (2.45 bpg), and the 7-footer has connected on 36-of-98 (36.7 percent) from three-point range. The 7-3 Porzingis has increased his scoring and improved his shooting in his second season, averaging 18.7 points while making 45.2 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three-point range. Hayward and Booker will make their debuts in the Skills Challenge. A first-time All-Star selection, Hayward (21.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 3.5 apg) has raised his scoring average in every season of his seven-year career. Booker (20.8 ppg) has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 14 games. The 6-6 Phoenix guard will join Embiid and Porzingis as participants in the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 17 at Smoothie King Center.
Thomas and Wall will compete in the Skills Challenge for the third time each. An All-Star for the second straight year, Thomas ranks second in the NBA in scoring (29.7 ppg) and is posting career highs in assists (6.4 apg), field goal percentage (46.8) and three-pointers made per game (3.2). Wall, an All-Star for the fourth year in a row, is second in the league in assists (10.3 apg) and steals (2.13 spg) to go with 22.7 points career highs in all three categories.
The 2017 NBA Skills Challenge contest format calls for two players to compete simultaneously on an identical course with the fastest finisher reaching the next round. In the first round, the eight players are paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions. The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns determine the two finalists. Click here for a complete explanation of the rules.
2017 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns G 6-6 206
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings F/C 6-11 270
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans F/C 6-11 253
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers C 7-0 250
Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz F 6-8 226
Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks F 7-3 240
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics G 5-9 185
John Wall, Washington Wizards G 6-4 210
PAST NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE WINNERS
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 Deron Williams, Utah
2009 Derrick Rose, Chicago
2010 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2011 Stephen Curry, Golden State
2012 Tony Parker, San Antonio
2013 Damian Lillard, Portland
2014 Trey Burke, Utah and Damian Lillard, Portland
2015 Patrick Beverley, Houston
2016 Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota
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2016 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE
February 13, 2016
Karl-Anthony Towns stepped up and won the 2016 NBA Skills Challenge, beating guard Isaiah Thomas in the finals.The AP reports: Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns offered some more proof that the NBA big man is no longer a plodding post player by winning the Skills Challenge on Saturday night as part of the league's All-Star weekend. The 6-foot-11 Towns beat Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas to further validate the evolution of players at the forward and center positions into playmakers.
The AP reports: Portland's C.J. McCollum, Boston's Isaiah Thomas, Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins have advanced out of the first round of the Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday night.
ESPN.com on Karl-Anthony Towns: Score one for the big men! Towns got comfortable after enjoying additional practice with the skills course, crushing Cousins to advance to the final. There, Towns' long strides and on-target passes gave him the opportunity to knock off Thomas and prove to doubters (including teammate Ricky Rubio, according to Towns) that bigs do have skills.
ESPN.com on Isaiah Thomas: His fellow guards were no problem for first-time All-Star Thomas, who used his quickness and accurate passing to advance to the final. Once there, Thomas let down little men everywhere by repeatedly missing 3-pointers and allowing the big men to steal the crown in the first year of a new format.
The Oregonian reports: In the skill challenge, McCollum boat raced Los Angeles Lakers' Jordan Clarkson in the first round , but he lost his dribble to start the second round and could never catch up with Boston's Isaiah Thomas. Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns beat Thomas in the finals to become the first non-guard to win the event.
More in the morning.
2016 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
NBA All-Stars DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors will headline the 2016 NBA Skills Challenge at Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Saturday, Feb. 13. Three-time reigning NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves rounds out the quartet of versatile frontcourt players in the eight-player field, the first time in the event s 14-year history that multiple non-guards are competing.
FEBRUARY 11 UPDATE: Emmanuel Mudiay replaces injured Patrick Beverley in 2016 Skills Challenge
Defending champion Patrick Beverley of the Houston Rockets and fellow guards Jordan Clarkson of the Los Angeles Lakers, CJ McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers and All-Star Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics complete the lineup for the three-round, obstacle-course competition that tests dribbling, passing, agility and three-point-shooting skills. A head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format will be used for the second year in a row. The tournament matchups will be determined at a later date.
The four frontcourt participants are enjoying exceptional seasons while using their array of skills to affect games in many ways. Cousins and Davis are the only NBA players averaging at least 22 points and 10 rebounds this season. Both have expanded their shooting range: Cousins has made 45 of his 56 career three-pointers this season, and Davis has hit 21 of his 24 career three-pointers. Towns has also showcased his perimeter shooting, converting 18-of-46 (39.1 percent) from beyond the arc during a season in which he leads all rookies in rebounding (9.9 rpg) and ranks second in scoring (16.5 ppg) and blocked shots (1.8 bpg).
Green (14.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 7.4 apg) leads the NBA with 10 triple-doubles and ranks sixth in the league in assist average the only frontcourt player in the top 10. The first-time All-Star selection is shooting career highs of 48.9 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from three-point range.
Beverley, who won the 2015 NBA Skills Challenge in his competition debut, is shooting a career-high 42.8 percent from three-point range this season. Thomas, also participating for the second year in a row, is averaging career highs of 21.4 points and 6.6 assists as a first-time All-Star. This marks the first time in the event for Clarkson, who is averaging 15.2 points in his second season, and McCollum, who has raised his scoring average from 6.8 points last season to 20.9 points this season (15th in the NBA).
The 2016 NBA Skills Challenge format calls for two players to compete simultaneously on an identical course with the fastest finisher reaching the next round. In the first round, the eight players are paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions. The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns determine the two finalists.
2016 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets G 6-1 185
Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers G 6-5 194
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings C 6-11 270
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans F 6-10 253
Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors F 6-7 230
CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers G 6-4 200
Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics G 5-9 185
Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves C 7-0 244
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2015 NBA SKILLS CHALLEGE EVENT
February 14, 2015
Patrick Beverley and Isaiah Thomas went first. Neither did particularly great, but Beverley won the matchup. Jeff Teague rocked his matchup against Elfrid Payton. Treye Burke and Brandon Knight went third, with Knight advancing. And fourth were Kyle Lowry vs Dennis Schroder, with Lowry winning easily.The semifinals were Patrick Beverley vs Jeff Teague, and Brandon Knight vs Kyle Lowry. Teague looked to have an easy win, but missed a few of the final top-of-key three-pointers, while Beverley rushed down the court and quickly nailed the three for a comeback win to advance. Knight went wild, flew through everything, and left Lowry in the dust.
In the finals Beverley missed several of the passes, and appeared to be in trouble, but as he did before in this competition made a late comeback to swipe the 2015 Skills Challenge championship.
This was the most fun Skills Challenge I've ever seen, and Patrick Beverley, thanks to his comeback wins, gets a lot of the credit.
2015 SKILLS CHALLENGE INTRO
Four guards from the Eastern Conference All-Star team starters John Wall of the Washington Wizards and Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors, as well as reserves Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls and Jeff Teague of the Atlanta Hawks and defending champion Trey Burke of the Utah Jazz will headline the 2015 NBA Skills Challenge during All-Star Saturday Night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Saturday, Feb. 14.
TNT will exclusively televise the 2015 Skills Challenge, which features a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format for the first time. The Philadelphia 76ers Michael Carter-Williams, the Milwaukee Bucks Brandon Knight and the Phoenix Suns Isaiah Thomas complete an eight-player field for the three-round, obstacle-course competition that tests dribbling, passing, agility and shooting skills.
Wall, who leads the NBA in assists (10.2 apg), will be appearing in the Skills Challenge for the third time. His first-round opponent will be Thomas, who ranks second in scoring among NBA reserves (15.4 ppg). Wall will also play in his second All-Star Game, on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Madison Square Garden, where he will be joined by first-time All-Stars Lowry, Butler and Teague.
Lowry, the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December, is matched up in the first round of the Skills Challenge against Butler, the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for October/November. Teague, one of three All-Stars for the East-leading Hawks, faces Carter-Williams, the 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year. Carter-Williams will also compete in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 13, at Barclays Center, as will Burke, who was part of last year s winning team in the Skills Challenge. Burke s first-round opponent will be Knight, who leads the Bucks in scoring (17.9 ppg) and assists (5.3 apg).
The 2015 NBA All-Star weekend Skills Challenge format calls for two players to compete simultaneously on an identical course with the fastest finisher reaching the next round. In the first round, the eight players have been paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions. The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns will determine the two finalists.
As part of this year s NBA Skills Challenge, four lucky teens will be paired with the NBA participants. Through the Foundation for Teens , $120,000 will be donated to local Boys & Girls Clubs in support of educational scholarships and teen empowerment. Each teen participating in the Challenge will receive educational scholarships between $10,000 and $30,000.
InsideHoops.com prediction for the 2015 NBA Skills Challenge: Anybody can take this. But if you had to bet the house (do not bet your house, you nutcase), go with John Wall, Jeff Teague, Kyle Lowry or Brandon Knight. But we repeat: do not bet your house, you crazy fool you.
Below is the roster for the 2015 NBA Skills Challenge, the bracket and a list of previous winners:
2015 NBA ALL-STAR SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Trey Burke, Utah Jazz, G 6-1 185
Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls, G/F 6-7 220
Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers, G 6-6 190
Brandon Knight, Milwaukee Bucks, G 6-3 189
Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors, G 6-0 205
Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks, G 6-2 181
Isaiah Thomas, Phoenix Suns, G 5-9 185
John Wall, Washington Wizards, G 6-4 195
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2014 ALL-STAR SKILLS CHALLENGE
Portland's Damian Lillard is an NBA All-Star Saturday night skills challenge champion for a second straight year. The team of Lillard and Trey Burke, representing the Western Conference, beat the tandem of Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo of the East in the final round by a tenth of a second. The skills course consists of dribbling around obstacles, passing to targets, and hitting shots from medium and close range. The winning time was 45.2 seconds. -- Associated Press
One-tenth of a second. That was the losing margin for the 76ers Michael Carter-Williams and teammate Victor Oladipo (Orlando Magic) to winners Damian Lillard (Portland) and Utah s Trey Burke, 45.2 to 45.3. "I had a fun time out there, it was great competing and I hope to be back next year," said Carter-Williams. "I m having a great time, just being here is a blessing." Despite the loss the rookie is having a can t-stop-smiling weekend so far, having competed in the Rising Stars game on Friday. He is going to stick around for the rest of the weekend and soak in the All-Star game Sunday before heading back to Philadelphia for a Monday night practice. "Just to appreciate the game and feel blessed that I m able to be here and play with these guys," said MCW of his feelings. "One day I hope to be able to play in the All Star game." -- Philadelphia Daily News
2014 SKILLS CHALLENGE INTRO
Reigning champion Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors, both All-Stars for the first time this year, headline the list of participants for the 2014 Skills Challenge (#TacoBellSkills), taking place during All-Star Saturday Night at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 15. Lillard, the 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Year, also is participating in the Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk, becoming the first player to appear in three events during All-Star Saturday Night. He also is participating in the 2014 Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 14, and the 2014 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16.
All-Star Saturday Night will be exclusively televised on TNT. The event also will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio and will collectively reach fans in 215 countries and territories in more than 47 languages.
The Skills Challenge is introducing a new format that features four teams of two players each competing in a two-round timed relay-style course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations.
Representing the Eastern Conference are DeRozan and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks on one team, and Michael Carter-Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers and Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic on the other. Antetokounmpo, Carter-Williams and Oladipo are also participating in the 2014 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge.
Joining Lillard on one Western Conference team is Trey Burke of the Utah Jazz, while Reggie Jackson of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Goran Dragic of the Phoenix Suns comprise the other.
As part of this year s 2014 Skills Challenge, four lucky teens will paired with the NBA participants. Through the Foundation for Teens, a total of $120,000 will be donated in support of educational scholarships and to Boys & Girls Clubs of America, with the teen paired with the winning team receiving a $30,000 educational scholarship.
For the second consecutive year, the Eastern and Western conferences will compete during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night in an evening of challenges that will raise money for charity. NBA Cares and State Farm will make a joint donation of $500,000 as part of the event, with $100,000 awarded to each event s winning conference s charities and $25,000 going to the charities of the runner-up for each event. The Eastern Conference will be playing for the American Heart Association and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF while the Western Conference will compete for Teach for America and Wounded Warrior Project . All-Stars Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and George, winner of the 2012-13 Kia NBA Most Improved Player Award, will serve as captains of the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively. The charities were selected by George and Curry, the NBA, and State Farm.
All teams must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The fastest team from each Conference during the First Round will advance to the Championship Round. The fastest team in the Championship Round will win the 2014 Skills Challenge. Complete rules for the 2014 Skills Challenge and State Farm All-Star Saturday Night can be found on mediacentral.nba.com.
2014 SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
EASTERN CONFERENCE 2014 SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Team One Pos. Ht. Wt.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks G/F 6-9 205
DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors G 6-7 220
Team Two Pos. Ht. Wt.
Michael Carter-Williams, Phila. 76ers G 6-6 185
Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic G 6-5 214
WESTERN CONFERENCE 2014 SKILLS CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Team One Pos. Ht. Wt.
Trey Burke, Utah Jazz G 6-0 190
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers G 6-3 195
Team Two Pos. Ht. Wt.
Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns G 6-4 180
Reggie Jackson, Oklahoma City Thunder G 6-3 208
LAST YEAR'S SKILLS CHALLENGE
Portland rookie Damian Lillard beat Philadelphia guard Jrue Holiday in the final round to win the Skills Competition during All-Star Saturday night.The competition involves players navigating a dribbling circuit, taking a 3-point shot, hitting targets with passes and driving for a layup. Lillard swished his first 3-point attempt in his winning run and finished the obstacle course in 29.8 seconds. Holiday's time was 35.6 seconds.
-- Associated Press
INTRO TO 2013 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITION
Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs will defend his Skills Challenge contest title against a field consisting of Jrue Holiday of the Philadelphia 76ers, Brandon Knight of the Detroit Pistons, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Jeremy Lin of the Houston Rockets, and Jeff Teague of the Atlanta Hawks. The 2013 Skills Challenge competition will take place on Feb. 16, at Toyota Center in Houston as part of All-Star Saturday Night.
Parker will attempt to join the Los Angeles Lakers Steve Nash (2005 and 2010) and the Miami Heat s Dwyane Wade (2006 and 2007) as the only two-time winners in Skills Challenge history. This year s Skills Challenge features an expanded six-player field for the second year in a row. There were five contestants in 2011 and four in 2010.
For the first time, NBA All-Star Saturday Night will feature a new format that pits the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference in a night of competition that will raise money for charity. As part of the new format, points earned by each conference throughout the four All-Star Skills Competitions will determine the conference that earns the title of 2013 All-Star Saturday Night Champion.
Three players representing the Western Conference and three players representing the Eastern Conference will compete in the two-round competition. The two competitors with the fastest times from their respective conferences in the Team Round advance to the Championship Round.
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2012 NBA ALL-STAR SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITION
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors was to defend his NBA Skills Challenge title against a field consisting of Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets.
But, Curry was injured and unable to participate. He was replaced by Rajon Rondo in the event.
And in the 2012 Skills Challenge first round, Deron Williams led (28.3 seconds), followed by Tony Parker (29.2), Rondo and John Wall (both 32.8 seconds), Russell Westbrook (33.8) and Kyrie Irving (42.2).
Because Rondo and Wall tied, they had a tie-breaker, and it was Rondo advancing. So, the final round will be D-Will, Parker and Rondo.
In the finals, Rondo went first but blew it early due to missing the passing target several times. His time was 34.6 seconds. Parker went second in the final round and got 32.8. And D-Will went last, but he blew four shots from the top of the key, destroying his chances. Willliams finished at 41.4 seconds.
Your 2012 NBA Skills Challenge champion is Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs.
The AP reports: San Antonio point guard Tony Parker then won the Skills Competition. Parker was the only one of six participants to break 30 seconds in the first round (29.2) and this time of 32.8 in the final run on the obstacle course was better than Boston s Rajon Rondo (34.6) and New Jersey s Deron Williams (41.4).
The AP reports: The speedy Parker put together an impressive display on the skills obstacle course, which involves participants moving through a dribbling circuit, successfully throwing chest passes through a hanging tire and driving for a layup. Williams, the 2008 winner, holds the record for the skills course at 25 seconds, but had trouble completing a pass in the final round on Saturday.
NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW INFO
The 2012 Skills Challenge will take place during All-Star weekend on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando.
Curry will attempt to join the Phoenix Suns Steve Nash (2005 and 2010) and the Miami Heat s Dwyane Wade (2006 and 2007) as the only two-time winners in All-Star NBA Skills Challenge event history. This year s Skills Challenge at All-Star will feature an expanded field from five to six participants.
Fan discussion of this year's Skills Challenge is in this basketball forum topic.
Curry, who leads the Warriors in assists with 6.5 per game and averages 17.2 points and 1.8 steals, won last year s Skills Challenge competition with a final-round time of 28.2 seconds to beat Westbrook. Irving, the overall top selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, who also is participating in the Rising Star Challenge, leads rookies in scoring (18.3 ppg) and ranks second in assists (4.8 apg). Parker, a 2012 NBA All-Star, paces the Spurs in both scoring (19.4 ppg) and assists (7.8 apg). Wall, the No. 1 selection in the 2010 NBA Draft, averages a team-high 7.5 assists to go along with 16.9 points. Westbrook, the 2011 Skills Challenge runner-up and a 2012 NBA All-Star, ranks fifth in the league in scoring (23.2 ppg) and seventh in steals (1.9 spg), while adding 5.5 apg. Williams, the current record holder in the event at 25.5 seconds which he set in 2008 in New Orleans, is a 2012 NBA All-Star, ranks sixth in assists (8.3 apg) and eighth in scoring (21.7 ppg).
The Skills Challenge competition was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and features six players competing in a two-round timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The three players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
The 2012 Bell Skills Challenge event will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
2012 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Stephen Curry, Golden State G 6-3 185
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland G 6-3 191
Tony Parker, San Antonio G 6-2 185
John Wall, Washington G 6-4 195
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City G 6-3 187
Deron Williams, New Jersey G 6-3 209
SKILLS CHALLENGE YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 Deron Williams, Utah
2009 Derrick Rose, Chicago
2010 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2011 Stephen Curry, Golden State
LAST YEAR'S NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, John Wall of the Washington Wizards and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder were selected by fans to compete against Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets in the 2011 NBA Skills Challenge on Feb. 19, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
It was Curry and Westbrook reaching the Skills Challenge finals, with Curry unleashing a nearly flawless performance to win it. Here's a live blog of the action as it happened:
LIVE 2011 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE BLOG
Stephen Curry started strong but missed several times at the top of the key, missed the last outlet pass a few times, did nicely in the full-court end dribble, finishing in 34.1 seconds. Russell Westbrook went second, doing fine the entire way through and blazing his way to finishing in 30.0 seconds. John Wall was third and missed the iniital chest-pass, and also attempts at the final pass, finishing in 39.3 seconds.
Up fourth was Derrick Rose, who like several other players missed several target passes, wrapping it up in 35.7 seconds.
Chris Paul was fifth and drew crowd gasps by missing the very first layup, something I don't remember seeing happen too often, if ever. He also missed a few from the top of the key, and by the time he began the long dribble to the other end of the court already knew he was out. His time was 42.7 seconds, worst of the bunch.
The competition then paused so Brandon Jennings could teach a little kid how to dribble properly. It was a setup, however, as the kid, whose name is Jordan McCabe, turned out to be a dribbling wizard who could handle two basketballs at the same time. Dude was nice with the rock. No word on if he has a jumpshot yet.
The Skills Challenge finals featured Curry vs Westbrook. Curry went first and flew through the course, getting 28.2 seconds, which so far is the best performance of the night.
Westbrook missed the first chest pass, then a bounce pass, then two top-of-the-key jumpers, then several of the final passes. Everything went wrong. He got 44.2 seconds.
Congrats to Stephen Curry for winning the 2011 NBA Skills Challenge competition!
Player quotes and more coming later or tomorrow.
2011 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
For the first time, fans had the opportunity to determine participants in the NBA Skills Challenge event as part of the Choose Your Squad program. From Jan. 27 through Feb. 15, fans could choose their squad of four players out of eight candidates. Along with the four players chosen to compete, fans also had the opportunity to vote for Baron Davis of the Los Angeles Clippers, Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings, Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers and Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs.
Curry, who leads the NBA in free throw shooting percentage (.941), has followed up a solid rookie campaign by pacing the Warriors in assists with 6.0 apg while also contributing 18.4 ppg; Curry also is participating in the 2011 NBA Rookie Challenge game. Rose, who was voted to start for the Eastern Conference in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, is the only player in the league to rank in the top 10 in both scoring (8th, 24.5 ppg) and assists (9th, 8.2 apg). Wall, the overall top selection in the 2010 NBA Draft, ranks seventh overall in assists (8.9 ppg) and is second among rookies in scoring (15.0 ppg); Wall also is participating in the 2011 T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. A first-time All-Star, Westbrook is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 22.0 points, 8.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds. A four-time All-Star, who was voted to start for the Western Conference in the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, Paul paces the league in steals (2.47 spg) while ranking fourth in assists (9.6 apg). Paul is the only player with at least 7,500 points, 3,900 assists and 950 steals through 400 games.
The NBA Skills Challenge competition was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and features five players competing in a two-round timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
In addition to adding a fan vote and the new charitable element, this year s NBA Skills Challenge will feature an expanded field from four to five participants.
Last year in Dallas, Steve Nash finished with a winning time of 29.9 seconds, joining the Miami Heat s Dwyane Wade (2006 and 2007) as the only other two-time winner in NBA Skills Challenge history.
2011 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Chris Paul, New Orleans G 6-0 175
Stephen Curry, Golden State G 6-3 185
DERRICK ROSE, CHICAGO BULLS G 6-3 190
John Wall, Washington Wizards G 6-4 195
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City G 6-3 187
NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS HISTORY
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 Deron Williams, Utah
2009 DERRICK ROSE, CHICAGO
2010 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2010 NBA Skills Challenge event
February, 2010
The AP reports: Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash also was a winner Saturday night, beating a trio of 20-somethings to capture another Skills Challenge title six days after he turned 36.
With a time of 29.9 seconds in the final round of the obstacle course-like skills competition, Nash beat Dallas native and 2008 champion Deron Williams of Utah, who is 11 years younger... Nash completed every obstacle in the final round in one try save for a second shot from the top of the key. Williams was perfect until needing five shots at the outlet pass, when he had already exceeded Nash s winning time.The AP reports: Milwaukee rookie guard Brandon Jennings and Oklahoma City s Russell Westbrook, 21, were eliminated after the first round. Westbrook replaced defending champion Derrick Rose of Chicago, who sat out with a bruised right hip. Defending 3-point champion Daequan Cook of Miami was eliminated after the first round. His 15 points were the same as Phoenix s Channing Frye and New York s Danilo Gallinari. Curry had 18 points in the first round, while Pierce and Billups had 17.
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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook replaces injured 2009 winner Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls win the 2010 NBA Skills Challenge. Also in the competition are Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks, Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns and Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz. The NBA Skills Challenge is part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night, taking place Feb. 13, at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The NBA All-Star Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and features four players competing in a two-round timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
A first-time NBA All-Star, Rose has followed up his Rookie of the Year campaign by averaging team highs in points (19.7 ppg) and assists (5.9 apg). Jennings, who will participate in the 2010 Rookie Challenge game, is averaging a team- and rookie-high 6.3 assists, and is second among first-year players in scoring at 17.5 ppg. Voted to start at guard for the Western Conference in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 14 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Nash, the 2005 Skills Challenge champion, ranks second in the league in assists (11.1 apg) and is on pace to shoot .500/.400/.900 for the fourth time in his career. Williams, another first-time All-Star and the 2008 Skills Challenge champion, is tied for third in the league in assists (9.7 apg) and is averaging 19.0 points. Williams, a Dallas native, holds the course record of 25.5 seconds, which he set in the final round in 2008.
Last year in Phoenix, Rose finished his winning time of 35.3 seconds with an emphatic double-pump reverse dunk, as he became the first rookie to win the Skills Challenge.
The 2010 NBA Skills Challenge event will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
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2009 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE
February 14, 2009
Chicago Bulls rookie point guard Derrick Rose beat out Devin Harris, Mo Williams and Tony Parker to win the 2009 NBA Skills Challenge contest.The NBA Skills Challenge competition is full court obstacle course. Players compete as individuals. They must hit a layup, dribble down the court around obstacles, pass the ball into a target, hit a jumper from the top of the key, pass the ball into another target, and go all the way back down the court and score.
Here's the 2009 NBA Skills Challenge competition recap; these are raw, unedited notes taken live as the event happened:
Devin Harris went first. He hit the opening layup, dribbled, blew a few target passes, missed once from teh top of the key, missed another target pass, and dribbled in for a layup, finishing at 36.9 seconds.
Mo Williams went second. He dribbled fairly slowly, and missed several target passes (though an ill-positioned ballboy delayed Williams by maybe two seconds), hit the jumper, missed another few target passes, and glided down the court for a decent finish.
Derrick Rose went third and was perfect until he missed a jumper from the top of the key, but was terrific the rest of the way through, though he too ran fairly slowly down the court while dribbling around the obstacles. He finished in 33.3 seconds, good for first place so far.
Tony Parker went fourth. He hit the opening layup, dribbled downcourt, but blew two target passes, then one more, then missed multiple jumpers from the top of the key, and didn't finish until 50.8 seconds, an awful display. Clearly the Spurs should cut him, and sign InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner instead.
So, Harris and Rose reach the 2009 NBA Skills Challenge comptition finals.
Devin Haris was moving much faster in the second round, missing a fwe target passes, then blowing three jumpers from teh top of the key, finishing at 39.7 seconds.
Rose didn't fly down the court, but nailed the targeted passes, only missed one top-of-key jumper, missed a targeted pass, and instead of merely laying it up Rose rose up and threw down a nasty, double-clutch dunk to easily win the 2009 NBA Skills Challenge championship.
NBA Skills Challenge preview
A new NBA Skills Challenge champion will be crowned as the New Jersey Nets Devin Harris, the Orlando Magic s Jameer Nelson, the San Antonio Spurs Tony Parker and the Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose will take the floor on Feb. 14, as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
The NBA All-Star Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and consists of four players competing in a two-round timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
A first-time NBA All-Star, Harris, who paces the Nets in scoring (21.5 ppg), assists (6.4 apg) and steals (1.7 spg), is one of only five players averaging at least 21.0 points and 6.0 assists.
Another first-time All-Star, Nelson is averaging a career-high 17.0 points, while shooting .506 from the field and .456 from beyond the arc.
Rose, a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year honors and a participant this year s Rookie Challenge on Feb. 13, paces rookies and is among the league leaders in assists (6.3 apg); he ranks second among first-year players in scoring (16.7 ppg).
Parker, an All-Star for the third time and a participant in the inaugural Skills Challenge in 2003, became only the second player in NBA history to record at least 55 points, 10 assists and five rebounds when he did it Nov. 5 at Minnesota, joining Oscar Robertson.
Last year in New Orleans, Utah s Deron Williams covered the course in a record 25.5 seconds in the second round to capture the title.
2009 NBA ALL-STAR SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets G 6-3 185
Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic G 6-0 190
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs G 6-2 180
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls G 6-3 190
PAST NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE WINNERS HISTORY
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 Deron Williams, Utah
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LAST YEAR'S NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE EVENT
Feb. 16, 2008
It s 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend and the Saturday Night events are on. Now up is the Skills Challenge competition. Scroll down to see the event preview/overview.
Deron Williams went first, missing a straight-in pass and one of the top-of-the-key shots, finishing in 31.2 seconds.
Jason Kidd went second and was flawless until shooting the top of the key shot, which he missed five times (after five misses a player can stop shooting and continue with the course), finishing in 39.7 seconds.
Chris Paul was up net, missing a bounce pass, but otherwise running the whole course perfectly, flying in at 29.0 seconds.
Last up was Dwyane Wade, who fumbled the ball during the obstacle-dribble in the beginning and had to go chase it, then missed three from the top of the key and quickly fired the next two up just to get through it, blew some passes, and slowly dribbled to the end, but then missed the layup, and missed the follow, for a disgustingly awful performance of 53.9 seconds.
CP3 and D-Will advance to the second and final round.
In the final round, D-Will went first. He dunked the first shot, ran the dribbling, hit the straight-in pass, and the bounce pass, swished the top-of-the-key jumper, hit the next straight-on pass, and ended it with a dunk, finishing with in terrific 25.5 seconds time, setting the all-time record best time for this event.
Paul is up and has to be virtually perfect for a shot at winning. He hit the first layup, dribbled the obstacles, missed the first straight-on pass, hit the bounce pass, missed once from the top of the key, hit the last straight-on pass, and hit the layup, getting 31.2 seconds a respectable time but D-Will wins it with a brilliant performance.
PREVIEW: 2008 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITION
Feb. 16, 2008
The Miami Heat s Dwyane Wade will defend his PlayStation Skills Challenge title against three of the league s biggest stars on Feb. 16, as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night at New Orleans Arena in New Orleans. The competitors hoping to deny Wade s quest for his third consecutive title are the New Orleans Hornets Chris Paul, the New Jersey Nets Jason Kidd and the Utah Jazz s Deron Williams.
The Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and consists of four players competing in a two-round timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
Wade, who defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James in the finals of the 2006 Skills Challenge in Houston, and bested the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant last year in Las Vegas, ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring, averaging 24.5 points. Paul, a competitor in the 2006 Skills Challenge in Houston, leads the league in steals (2.5) and is second in the league in assists (10.9). Kidd, champion of the inaugural Skills Challenge in 2003, ranks third in the NBA in assists with 10.4 per game. Williams, a first-time competitor in the Skills challenge, is fourth in the league in assists, averaging 9.6.
The Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Sprite Slam Dunk and Haier Shooting Stars. TNT and ESPN Radio s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from New Orleans Arena. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
2008 SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets G 6-4 210
Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets G 6-0 175
Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat G 6-4 216
Deron Williams, Utah Jazz G 6-3 205
NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE HISTORY: YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE RECAP
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will defend his PlayStation Skills Challenge title against three of the league s biggest stars on Feb. 17 as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The competitors hoping to deny Wade s quest for a repeat are the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant, the Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James and the New Orleans Hornets' Chris Paul. Originally scheduled was Steve Nash, but he is hurt. Paul was his replacement.
LIVE 2007 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE NOTES:
LeBron, rocking gold LeBron sneakers, went first. He nailed dribbled rather slowly, nailed the passes, did fairly well on the shots, but for some weird reason moved slowly throughout, finishing in 35.4 seconds.
Chris Paul went second. He hit the layup, also ran rather slowly, missed a few of the passes, a shot or two, struggled again on the other passes, and finished in 39.6.
What's with these dudes? They're casually jogging instead of running.
Kobe Bryant was third. Like the others, Kobe slowly jogged around, nailing everything, moving just a bit faster than LeBron, finishing with 29.8, the best time so far.
Dwyane Wade is going to have to beat LeBron's time in order to reach the finals to face Kobe.
Wade moved at a pace similar to Kobe, did well, finished in 31.3 seconds, good for second place and a spot in the finals.
And now in the second and final round, Kobe vs. D-Wade. Wade went first, started slightly faster than anyone else so far and barely missed, finishing in 26.4 seconds. It's all up to Kobe.
Wade then sat next to LeBron, discussing what went down.
Kobe also went a bit faster, but then missed his first four pass attempts into the cylinder, essentially losing the contest right there. And then slowed down the rest of the way, knowing Wade had won. Kobe even missed the final layup and had to rebound the miss and put it in, finishing in over 45 seconds.
Wade wins, the first back-to-back Skills Challenge champion.
NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE PREVIEW
The NBA Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and consists of four players competing in a two-round timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
Wade, who defeated James in the finals of the 2006 NBA Skills Challenge in Houston, is tied with Bryant for third in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.4 points per game. Nash, who won the event in 2005 in Denver, currently leads the league in assists with 11.8 per game. James, who was the leading vote-getter for this year s All-Star game, is seventh in the league in scoring at 27.2 points per game.
The NBA Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night. TNT and ESPN Radio s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from the Thomas & Mack Center. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
Below are the participants for the 2007 NBA Skills Challenge:
2007 NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers (G, 6-6, 220)
LeBron James, Cleveland (F, 6-8, 240)
Steve Nash, Phoenix (G, 6-3, 195) - INJURED
Dwyane Wade, Miami (G, 6-4, 212)
PLAYSTATION SKILLS CHALLENGE YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS
2003 Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 Dwyane Wade, Miami
NBA SKILLS CHALLENGE RULES
Four players will compete in a two-round timed obstacle course event consisting of dribbling, passing & shooting stations.
- Two rounds of competition - The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals.
- Players will be timed on a clock starting at 00:00.0. The clock stops when the final shot is made. (Start and Stop is on ref s whistle)
- Players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course.
- The three passing and the top of the key shooting challenges are considered completed (player can move on) when he either (1) successfully hits the target/makes the shot OR (2) exhausts the corresponding rack of balls at the target/basket.
- For the opening layup and the final shot, the player must rebound his own ball until the basket is made.
- In the case of a tie in either round (times will be to the tenth of a second), the tied players will repeat the course.
- Players are subject to disqualification (at the final discretion and judgment of the NBA referee) for failure to attempt all of the challenges as they are designed and intended to be completed.
- Order of competition in the Finals is determined by inverse order of First Round times.
- There are no time penalty assessments.
INSTANT REPLAY At the discretion of the referee, TV instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.