I love the NBA All-Star weekend. That's not exaggeration I love it. I "cancel plans with cute girls" love All-Star weekend (Sorry). It is probably the child in me but I get so excited about seeing most of the world's best basketball players on the same court competing against each other on Sunday night. I still want a "Vince Carter dunking in 2000" moment in the Slam Dunk contest. I want to see some celebrity do something goofy during the celebrity game or seeing a rookie or sophomore begin to make a name for himself on Friday night.
The game and the dunk contest were covered from this weekend but there were a lot of other great moments. I wanted to take a look back at those other great moments that made up a pretty good All-Star weekend.
All-Star Celebrity Game
The Kevin Hart bit playing with Dwight Howard and the child dressed up as Superman were great moments. But I would grow tired of Hart by the end of the weekend from that game and commercials from his movie that I can promise I will not see until it is randomly on Comedy Central when I wake up from a nap.
But my favorite moment from that game came from the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, and his over the shoulder pass to J. Cole, who then botched the layup.
If this is the type of basketball that goes down in President Obama's pickup games then we need to get some cameras in there. I would much rather see Obama, Duncan and friends play ball over some the college basketball I've seen this season.
Rising Stars Challenge
I like the change from the Rookie/Sophomore game to the draft by the GM's, Shaq and Charles Barkley, mixing up the players from both classes. The draft was fun a few weeks ago on a Thursday night broadcast on TNT and buzz around this game had built up expectations higher than they had been the past few seasons. The NHL has held a live draft by two of the top players in their sport to pick the players to fill out the remaining All-Star rosters for the past few seasons and people have been clamoring to see the NBA put this in place as well for their All-Star game. I think trying it this year with the rookies and sophomores showed that it was a success. Did you see how well John Wall played after being picked 11th in the draft? He was gunning for MVP the second he stepped on the court, playing good defense and playing extremely well on the offensive side. I would love to see this happening with the "real" All-Star game. How great would NBA stars play after being picked way too late? Would LeBron try to pick the most fun team ever? Would they let Kobe and LeBron be captains to let us know who would be the best GM ever, while also deciding player ever? Players picking other players to their All-Star teams would be the greatest thing the All-Star game has ever done. I would love to see more angry, committed players in the game.
OK back to my favorite moment from the Rising Stars game, it came late in the game after the game was already decided. In these moments it normally turns into an unofficial slam dunk contest. To further prove that he shouldn't have been picked 11th, John Wall was throwing down. Well he was throwing down until he tried to bounce the ball to himself while Greg Monroe stood a little too close to the lane. Greg Monroe decided he wanted the ball so he grabbed the ball and threw it down to his own teammates for their own dunks. No one saw this coming and it was hilarious. It doesn't sound like Wall appreciated it too much but Greg Monroe don't worry you had the best moment on the Rising Stars game.
Slam Dunk Contest
Saturday night has four events not just the Slam Dunk contest but that's what we all tune in for. I think overall the night was fun with the Haier Shooting Challenge, the Taco Bell Skills Challenge and even the 3-point shootout. But how we view the weekend is how good the Slam Dunk contest ends up being. This year might not have been the best, but I think there were two great dunks and several fun ones. I'll just show my favorite dunk from Saturday night. Not much lead-in but it was Jeremy Evan's second dunk of the evening where he dunked two balls at once, while jumping over Gordon Hayward sitting on a stool. Impressive stuff from the eventual Slam Dunk contest champion.
All-Star Game
Overall, the All-Star game was a lot of fun. There's still very little defensive and a lot of great passes and dunks. I'll take it. But my favorite moment of the night came when the East All-Star starters were introduced coming out of the smoky steps in the floor. Four of the players come up the stairs, head bobbing, laughing and seemingly having a good time. The fifth player stands off to side stoned face and just looking on the scene with what might have been contempt on his face. The four having fun were LeBron, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony and the fifth one was Derrick Rose. I'm not saying I think one group is better or worse for their response to being in the All-Star game, but I can say it was fun too see the juxtaposition. Derrick Rose please keep being aloof while everyone else around seems to be having a real good time. That won't ever stop being funny.
All-Star weekend has come and gone and I have to wait another year for one of my favorite weekends. Rest In Peace All-Star weekend 2012, I wish you had been around longer and thanks for the memories.
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