his weekend NBA All-Star 2023 begins with the Jordan Rising Stars game on Friday night and ends with the All-Star Game on Sunday. In the meantime, fans will be able to watch some of the league’s best players go head-to-head in various events.
Predicting the winners is not so easy. In fact, none of last year’s favorites — Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet and Team Rookies — ended up winning. Notable Karl-Anthony Towns, who won the triple contest despite having the highest odds at +1,400.
Offering All-Star weekend predictions is tough, but here we are.
Who will win each test and competition? Which team and which player will be the winners in Sunday’s main event? These are my predictions.
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Rising Stars Forecast
Four teams will compete in a three-game mini-tournament featuring NBA rookies and sophomores and G League players on Friday night. These four teams will be led by former players Deron Williams, Joakim Noah, Pau Gasol and Jason Terry.
Team Pau
| Player | Equipment |
| Paolo Bansero | magic |
| Benedict Mathurin | pacemakers |
| Jaden Ivey | pistons |
| Scotty Barnes | predators |
| Joseph Alvarado | pelicans |
| Keegan Murray | kings |
| Andrew Nembhardt | pacemakers |
Team Deron
| Player | Equipment |
| Franz Wagner | magic |
| Jalen Green | Rockets |
| Alperen Sengun | Rockets |
| Trey Murphy II | pelicans |
| AJ Griffin | hawks |
| Bones Hyland | Nuggets |
| Walker Kessler | Jazz |
Team Joakim
| Player | Equipment |
| Evan Mobley | horse riders |
| Josh Giddy | thunder |
| Jaylen Williams | thunder |
| Jeremy Sohan | spurs |
| Quentin Grimes | hits |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | Rockets |
| Jalen Duren | pistons |
Team Jason
| Player | Equipment |
| Sidy Cissoko | G League Ignite |
| Mojave King | G League Ignite |
| Scott Henderson | G League Ignite |
| Kenneth Lofton Jr. | Memphis Hustle |
| Mac McClung | Delaware blue coat |
| Leonard Miller | G League Ignite |
| Scotty Pippen Jr. | South Bay Lakers |
Team Deron is probably the most talented. Franz Wagner is the best player and has the two best pivots in Walker Kessler and Alperin Shengun along with two of the best shooters in Trey Murphy III and Bones Hyland.
However, I prefer the dark horse: Team Jason, full of players from the G-League. They are the least talented, but they are the ones who will work the hardest. And effort will be quite a factor, since the winner will have to play two games in a row.
Prediction: Team Jason will win.
Anticipate skill challenge
The skills challenge will kick off Saturday’s activities with these three teams taking part:
| Equipment | Players |
| antitokunbo | Alex Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo |
| Jazz | Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, Colin Sexton |
| rookies | Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey, Jabari Smith Jr. |
Antetokounmpo has been in this competition before, finishing last in 2022. That had to hurt their pride, and their experience combined with their hunger to win makes them my pick.
Prediction: Antetokounmpo’s team will win.
Triple Prediction Contest
The triple competition will take place immediately after the skills challenge. These are the participants:
| Player | He hit three times |
|---|---|
| Jason Tatum | 35.7% |
| tyler herro | 36.9% |
| Damian Lillard | 37.2% |
| anfernee simons | 38.1% |
| Kevin Huerter | 39.2% |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 39.9% |
| Lauri Markkanen | 41.2% |
| Buddy Hield | 42.6% |
I’m picking Hield as the winner. Not only does he have the highest 3-point shooting percentage this season, but he also won the event in 2020.
Prediction: Buddy Hield to win.
Slam Dunk Contest Prediction
Saturday’s action will conclude with the legendary Slam Dunk Contest, featuring the following participants:
| Player | Equipment |
| Kenyon Martin Jr. | Houston Rockets |
| Mac McClung | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Trey Murphy II | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Jericho Sims | New York Knicks |
Although he is the lesser known, Mac McClung is the big favorite. His story is that of the “underrated” and he has gained 820,000 followers on Instagram thanks to his incredible highlights.
No other contestant has spent so much time planning their routine. McClung has been preparing for this moment for years. Saturday’s All-Star night will be McClung’s introduction to the world. He is also only 1.88 meters tall, which makes his jumps stand out even more.
Prediction: Mac McClung to win.
All-Star Game and MVP Winning Team Prediction
For years NBA fans have clamored for an All-Star Draft, building teams like a game between friends. This year, that’s exactly what we’ll have.
Captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo will select their teammates for the All-Star Game one hour before Sunday night’s game.
LeBron didn’t do so well managing the Lakers, but he put together some great All-Star Game teams. The teams he captained won all four games they played, including two wins over Giannis’ team in 2019 and 2020.
This is an easy choice.
Prediction: Team LeBron will win.
There are two general trends when it comes to All-Star MVPs: Repeat winners are rare, and the tallest players almost never win.
Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving have already won the award. They probably won’t aspire to him this year.
Luka Doncic is probably the best player left on this field, but he always puts up “normal” numbers and is content to take it easy and enjoy the day. You’ve already said that the part of the day you’re most looking forward to is flying to Mexico after the game is over.
My first instinct was to go with Joel Embiid, who scored 36 points in last year’s game. But with Embiid questionable due to injury, I’m going with Lauri Markkanen. He has the advantage of playing in his team’s field and is a great scorer. Fun fact: The only other time Utah hosted the NBA All-Star Game, in 1993, Utah players John Stockton and Karl Malone won the Co-MVP award. Can Markkanen repeat history? I say yes.
Prediction: Lauri Markkanen to win.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
