The Skills Competition is the individual competition that will start on the day of activities on Saturday NBA All-Star 2023 in Salt Lake City (February 18). This has been a regular tournament for the last few years, but it will have some changes for this edition, with a refreshed and attractive format for a match that will be by teams.
It will consist of three teams participating in a four-round tournament where their shooting, dribbling and passing skills will be tested.
Who are the participants?
- Antetokounmpo: John Antetokounmpo will be in the Skills Competition playing alongside his own Brothers Alex Antetokounmpo, of the Wisconsin Herd in the G League, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, another Milwaukee Bucks player.
- Utah Jazz: The franchise local will be represented by three of its best players this season: Jordan Clarksonthe rookie walker Kessler and Colin sexton.
- Team rookies: The other team participating in this competition will be from beginners. Paul banker1 pick in the 2022 Draft, will play alongside Jabari Blacksmith Jr., pick 3 and Jaden iveyselect 5.
What is the format of the competition?
- Each team will compete in first three roundsadding scores “Challenge Points” which are obtained after winning these rounds. The two teams with the most points after these first three rounds will compete in the final of the Skills Competition.
- First Round, team throw: every player on every team will participate individually, with his other two teammates rebounding. Every player has 30 seconds to shoot from five different locations on the court ranging from 10 feet (3 meters) to 30 feet (9.1 meters). The same roll cannot be repeated consecutively. Shots scored at each location will have a different value (from 1 to 5). Each player’s individual scores will be added to determine each team’s final score. The team with the highest score at the end of the first round will receive 100 challenge points.
- Second round, team pass: all team players will participate together. Each team will have 30 seconds to complete passes on three moving targets that will vary in size and distance. Each team must complete at least one pass to each goal and a player cannot make consecutive passes to the same goal. Each pass completed on each objective will have a different value (2, 4 and 6 points). The team with the most points will win the round and receive 100 challenge points.
- Third round, team relay: all players of each team will participate in a relay per year. Each player must complete a course with five abilities in the following order: 1) chest pass to a moving goal on the baseline, 2) dribble down the court through three moving posts, 3) short shot in the paint, 4) corner 3-pointer against an automatic defender, and 5) dribble to the rim and score a shot. The team with the fastest time will win the round and score 200 Challenge Points.
- Final Round, shot from midfield: the two finalist teams will compete one at a time and all players from each team will be involved to try to score from midfield. Team 1 will call time to win after a conversion (one minute and 30 second limit). The team with the fastest midfield shot will win the Skills Challenge. In case of a tie, the Final Round will be repeated.
List of past champions
- 2022: Team Cavs
- 2021: Domantas Sabonis
- 2020: Bam Adebayo
- 2019 Jayson Tatum
- 2018: Spencer Dinwiddie
- 2017: Kristaps Porzingis
- 2016: Karl-Anthony Towns
- 2015: Patrick Beverley
- 2014 Trey Burke
- 2013: Damien Lillard
- 2012 Tony Parker
- 2011: Stephen Curry
- 2010: Steve Nash
- 2009: Derrick Rose
- 2008: Deron Williams
- 2007: Dwyane Wade
- 2006: Dwyane Wade
- 2005: Steve Nash
- 2004: Baron Davis
- 2003: Jason Kidd
The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA or its organizations.
