2018 NBA All-Star Weekend
This past weekend in Los Angeles, the NBA All-Star shenanigans were superb, there were just as many bigs in the skills competition as guards, celebrities were the judges of the slam dunk competition, and there is a new winner for the three-point shootout.
Over the years there has been some changes and some readjustments on how they choose teams for the rising stars challenge and for the All-Star game. What used to be called the Rookie and Sophomore Challenge is now called the Rising Stars Challenge. Now not only are rookies and sophomores are playing with each other on the same tam with each other but the teams are divided by nationalities as well. The teams are now Team USA vs. Team World. One of the most publicized rookies Lonzo Ball was unable to play the game due to a minor knee injury. A player to watch from Team USA was Dallas Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr. it’s been time since the Mavericks had a player of his caliber. Ben Simmons the big 6’10” point guard recorded a double-double in his outing but it would be the player from Serbia Bogdan Bogdanovic who recorded 26 points with a game high of 7 three-pointers. Team World would win it 155-124.
This year skills competition did just had guards it had bigs as well having Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid, and Lauri Markkanen. Unusual to have forwards and centers in this competition considering its supposed to be dedicated to league’s best rising ball handlers but since the game has evolve some over the years things have changed. Guards that were in the lineup were Jamal Murray, Lou Williams, Donovan Mitchell, and Spencer Dinwiddie. Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie won the challenge and took home the crown.
Two former three-point shootout participated in the event again this however Devin Booker for the Phoenix Suns would hold this year’s crown. Playing in his third year averaging 24.2 ppg and shooting 38.3 from three he’s proven he can put the ball in the bucket. Donovan Mitchell was the winner of the main event which is the Slam Dunk competition. His runner up was Larry Nance Jr. competitor. Nance Jr. father won the dunk contest back in 84’ he wore his jersey as he did the famous cradle dunk. Mitchell would win off of him doing a 360 windmill dunk wearing a Vince Carter Toronto Raptors jersey.
This year’s All-Star game was ran by one of the most recognized NBA players, Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Both had their own teams instead of it being East and West it was Team Stephen and Team LeBron. The goal was to make the game more competitive which it was it wasn’t as high scoring as the previous ones and not all teammates played with each other. Team LeBron would win 148-145.
Terrell Owens Is Finally In The Hall Of Fame
The man played 15 seasons in the NFL he finished second in all-time receiving yards, third in total touchdowns amongst wide receivers, eight in all-time receptions, 6-time Pro Bowler, and has been a 5-time first team All-Pro with three different teams. Terrell Owens only one of three players to be a first-team All-Pro with three different teams. After two years of being not accepted by the unfair voters of the Hall of Fame. You’d be surprised by the wait Owens had to sustain to get into the honorary hall of great football players when his numbers and passion spoke itself.
Terrell Owens was born in Alabama in 1973, had three siblings, single mother and a father who wanted no part in his life. Owens was a star athlete since his younger days in a variety of sports like track, baseball, basketball, and his profession football. Throughout all of Owens’s life, he’s dwelt with hate from his peers. Terrell Owens was a very eager individual who backed it up with many talents and works ethic. The young athlete from Alexander City, Alabama took his talents to the University of Tennessee. After playing for three years in college Owens was drafted in third round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1996.
Although Owens played outstanding throughout his career, his image was tarnished by him making headlines a lot of locker room outbreaks and personal downfalls amongst his peers. It took him three years to get voted into the Hall of Fame due to the writers who ignored Terrell Owens the football player who put up great numbers. Instead, they looked at Terrell Owens who wasn’t an easy going person and who wasn’t liked by many people to hold him out of the Hall of Fame. Sooner or later Owens drive and hard work in the NFL paid off. Now he can say he is earned the level of respect he deserved.
