Two standouts from this year’s All-Star Weekend don’t even play in the NBA.
G League guard Mac McClung defended his Slam Dunk Contest title by beating Jaylen Brown in the final round, while WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu went shot-for-shot with Stephen Curry in a three-point competition before falling on Curry’s final attempt.
McClung needed an inspired finish on his final dunk to capture the title, and he delivered a reverse jam while jumping over 7’1″ Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal. The feat earned McClung a 50 from all five judges as he became the first repeat winner since Zach LaVine eight years ago.
McClung didn’t commit to going for a three-peat next year in San Francisco, but he told an interviewer after the contest, “I would never say never. … It’s an honor to be here.”
Ionescu thrilled the Indianapolis crowd with her shooting display, sinking her first seven shots and hitting 8-of-9 money balls while using a WNBA ball and taking shots from the NBA three-point line. She missed five of her last 10, though, which allowed Curry to prevail in the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA Three-Point Challenge by making his last four.
“So much credit to them,” commissioner Adam Silver said. “I wish I could say that the league in its lab came up with this idea. This was about Steph and Sabrina, two friends who said, ‘Won’t this be fantastic?’ I know that Steph cares a lot about the women’s game, the opportunity to bring more attention to this fantastic shooting.”
Damian Lillard brought similar drama to the Three-Point Contest, which came down to his final shot before he became a back-to-back winner. Needing to make one shot for the victory, Lillard missed four in a row before sinking his last attempt.
We want to get your opinion on All-Star Weekend. Is the dunk contest still the highlight? Should the NBA vs. WNBA competition be brought back? Did the LED floor enhance the experience or distract from it? Please leave your responses in the space below.
Every one of these janky courts the nba tries fails to take the video quality into account at all. If you have super bright floors it makes video impossible. If the floors are actual video screens the brightness reflects all shi**y up onto the players and looks weird. Its the same problem with the in season tournament courts they just dont look good on video for a presentation where far more people watch on tv than live. You can have bright highlights on a dark court look fine, but the second its light and dark your white balancing the camera for one or the other and anytime the actions over the section your not balanced for will look like trash.
This would all be obvious to the “higher ups” if they ever talked to any of the little people that broadcast theyre games…
The three point shootout has surpassed the dunk contest for the most part.
It is better but they need to double or quadruple the number of competitors and add a round or 2.They could start on Friday morning. They also should make it mandatory that the top 10 3 point shot leaders participate if healthy. It’s a joke to bring in Donovan Mitchell when he’s shooting .365 from 3 and leave out Sam Merrill who’s shooting over .430 . Bring in the best at their best. The Slam dunk contest is just tired. Why not have 3 competitions. 1 for Guards 1 for wings and another for big men. Right now the guards have an unfair advantage because it looks more dramatic for a guy 6 feet tall to dunk. We never get to see the kind of thunder dunks from big men that electrify games.
Yes if anything the whole event is far too short
Not to mention no Grayson Allen at .482
Agreed. Part of the appeal is they get star players to compete.
Sue Bird is better than Steph Curry.
Sue Bird Stats – career
3PT FG% (46.94%)
5 Olympic gold medals
4 WNBA Championships
Every one of these janky courts the nba tries fails to take the video quality into account at all. If you have super bright floors it makes video impossible. If the floors are actual video screens the brightness reflects all s****y up onto the players and looks weird. Its the same problem with the in season tournament courts they just dont look good on video for a presentation where far more people watch on tv than live. You can have bright highlights on a dark court look fine, but the second its light and dark your white balancing the camera for one or the other and anytime the actions over the section your not balanced for will look like trash.
This would all be obvious to the “higher ups” if they ever talked to any of the little people that broadcast theyre games…
I would much rather see a trick shot contest than the skills challenge let Luka and Steph and the others do the best trick shots they can. Play horse with insane trick shots…
I would definitely tune in for trick shots.
Horse would be fun but time consuming. Pig would be more realistic. Maybe start with a dozen shooters with everyone havto match.
I like the WNBA infusion. They should continue it and expand the crossovers.
Agreed I’d love to see a top 8 women against the top 8 men in the 3 point contest. A women’s dunking contest could also boost viewership. Though I don’t recommend the women facing the men in a dunk contest.
It’s a dunk contest, I want to see amazing dunks. Why would I care if the dude is a regular NBA player as as long as he can throw down awesome dunks?
Is great seeing exciting dunks…but sad you have to have a g league player involved. Why not scrap NBA players and just have a dunk contest with the world’s best dunkers. I would have liked to see Steph in 3 point contest rather than battling a WNBA player…. seriously…next year will he be battling a wheelchair 3 point champion? Skills challenge was a little better but could do without the hometown Pacers team included…. tomorrow is the other slam dunk contest..the all-star game…where playing any kind of defence is rare… cannot wait for the weekend to be over!
“I would have liked to see Steph in 3 point contest rather than battling a WNBA player…. seriously…next year will he be battling a wheelchair 3 point champion?”
I think you could’ve made your point a little bit more respectfully than that
Dude you might want to know that Steph vs Ionescu was a rematch. The first time she torched him. She’s not a wheelchair basketball star. In fact the top WNBA shooters are more accurate than those in the NBA. Men are physically stronger but women tend to have better fine motor coordination. Also the hometown team is always included. That’s the way it’s usually done. Oh this is also the 3rd straight time the home team won.
They also shoot a smaller ball into the same size rim from a (usually, though not in this case) shorter distance. You don’t think that’s an advantage?
Respect for her competing at the men’s 3 pt line. Next year she and Catlin should take on the splash brothers in a 3pt competition. That would get ratings. the skills contest is the most boring part of the night. The passing part was not impressive with a short pass.
I haven’t watched anything to do with all-star weekend in like 20 years. I’d rather watch Pistons/Wizards.
Good for you.
The entire event besides 3 point contest is terrible. Skills challenge awful and dunk contest 2 guys that can’t make an nba roster.
yeah, its boring and a waste of time. Only the actual All star game is worse.
I don’t see why people are bothered by a G League player in skills contests. If he’s the best at said skill than why complain?
The McClung dunk where he took both hands off the ball was insane. The judges dissed it.
Yeah that was probably best of the night
Why are players , for example, currently LeBron James allowed to take a roster spot if they have last minute injuries and can only play “limited minutes”.
Surely the NBA could step in and force him to be replaced by a WNBA player, or a hometown Pacers player..maybe TJ McConnell
Summing all the thoughts up: (1) Stars not involved. (2) Not enough representation on 3 contest or from teams. How do you fix it? I’ll say the same thing I say when this post goes up every year. (1) Scrap the ASG and replace with 3-on-3 tourney. (2) Scrap all the celeb and rising stars events. (3) Give each team 1 rep for dunk contest and 1 rep for 3 pt shootout. One dunk, one 3 pt round. Highest rounds move to final four. (4) Winning team gets lottery draft pick, player $$ bonuses, as well as individual champion $$ bonuses. (5) This means all the stars will play and each fan will have a vested interest in rooting for their team.