The debate over whether Zion Williamson should play the rest of this season is dominating the news today, to the point even DeMarcus Cousins is weighing in. When asked, Boogie said Zion should start preparing for the NBA because college basketball, specifically the NCAA, is “bulls**t.”
“Knowing what I know now? College is bullsh**t. College basketball, the NCAA is bulls**t. My advice to him is do what’s best for you and your family. Obviously, college isn’t it. You can’t really — it does nothing for you at this point. You’ve proved you’re the No. 1 pick coming out, you’ve proven your talent. Get ready for the next level because it’s happening.”
DeMarcus Cousins: “Knowing what I know now, college basketball is bullshit.” Advises Zion Williamson to get ready for the NBA. pic.twitter.com/k3B1JA0E42
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 21, 2019
Don’t misinterpret Boogie’s comments as a shot at Kentucky; he added that he loved his time in Lexington, just hates how the NCAA exploits student athletes.
“I loved my experience in college. That was some of the best years of my life playing basketball. That being said, just how crooked the whole NCAA business is. I saw a post the other day where it was I think the highest ticket for that UNC-Duke game was $2,500, $3,500? How much does Zion Williamson get? That’s who they’re coming to see. So how much does he get? Actually, who does it go to? How does it benefit any player on that team? But if they were to get $20 and a free meal, they’re this bad kid. They get a bad rep. ‘Uncoachable.’ They’re ‘thugs.’ Whatever the case may be. It’s bulls**t.”
He’s not wrong.
(Photo via Harry How/Getty Images North America)
The Golden State Warriors are preparing to unleash hell on the post-All-Star break NBA in the form of a fully capable DeMarcus Cousins.
According to the San Fransico Chronicle, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently stated that Cousins would have his minutes restrictions lifted, meaning he can now play more than the 25 minutes he was being held to and within an ideal rotation.
“It just depends,” Kerr said after practice on Wednesday, regarding Cousins playing time. “We’ll see how the games go. I don’t think we’ll change the plan too much in terms of how we’re going to play him in the rotations and all that, but I think once we get back into the rhythm, we can absolutely play him for longer stretches, play him down the stretch how we like.”
So what does this mean for Cousins, the Warriors, and the rest of the NBA? Kerr basically unintentionally threatened the rest of the league. A fully healthy Cousins who can close games alongside four other All-Stars – two of them being MVPs – is some “Monstars” from Space Jam type nonsense.
Cousins has played only 11 games for the Warriors since returning from a nearly year-long Achilles tear but doesn’t look to be severely hampered by the once devastating injury.
As a Warrior, Boogie is averaging 13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 2.1 turnovers per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the field, 29 percent on threes (on 2.8 attempts per outing), and 73.3 percent from the free-throw line. The most significant number, though, is actually quite small. He averages only 23.4 minutes per game and has topped 25 minutes a game in only five of his 11 appearances.
His numbers so far are about on par with where you might expect them to be. Especially when you stretch Cousins’ numbers out on a ‘per-36 minutes’ basis, he’s doing things on the stat sheet that resemble his healthy seasons in New Orleans and Sacramento. But he’s not closing games yet effectively (although the Warriors have gone 10-1 in the games with Cousins, so it’s not like they need him to win games down the stretch at the moment).
In his first six-to-seven games with the Warriors, Cousins would play up until anywhere around the 5-8 minute mark in the 4th quarter and then come out in favor for other bigs such as Kevon Looney or Jordan Bell. Boogie has only closed out two games so far, one coming in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in his sixth game back and the other in a close win over the Miami Heat in his 10th game back. He played up until the last two minutes in his 11th and most recent game back against the Utah Jazz, a game the Warriors won by seven. The only game in which he has not appeared in the fourth quarter is during his eighth game back, which was a blowout Warriors win over the San Antonio Spurs.
So what we can take from this small trend is that Kerr has already been slowly trying to acclimate Cousins into the closing lineup. Now that the center has had over a week off and with only 25 games left in the regular season, this is the perfect time to get him into a rhythm as the postseason draws near (especially since he shot a combined 6-23 in his last two games playing 26 and 28 minutes, respectively). And considering how often Cousins has been in foul trouble through only 11 games (he’s registered at least three fouls in all 11 games and more than four in five games. He fouled out once in his very first appearance for Golden State, however, he never fouled more than three times per game over his five most recent outings), he needs all the on-court experience he can get right now.
The Warriors closing lineup will now likely feature Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Cousins. Those five have only shared the court for a total of 243 possessions (fifth-most among Warriors rotations), but the numbers are encouraging – and somewhat frightening. That group averages 115.2 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass, which is an above average figure, but what’s scary is that they boast an effective field goal percentage of 58.3 percent, a borderline elite number.
*Side note: Cousins has not played more than 80 possessions with any other five-man groups.*
Overall, when Cousins has played, the Warriors have dominated. Through 530 total possessions played, Boogie has the Warriors ranking in the 86th percentile in total points per 100 possessions differential. Basically, for every 100 possessions (including both offense and defense), the Warriors are outscoring their opponents by 6.8 points when Cousins is on the floor. That’s very very good, but also a small(ish) sample size.
Playing among a star-studded cast of supporting players can typically mean that ball-dominant players see the ball less and less. But in the instance with Cousins and the Warriors, that hasn’t been the case. His usage rate of 28.8 percent ranks in the 97th percentile among all big men and his assist rate sits at 22.2 percent, which ranks him in the 96th percentile. Remember, the majority of his playing time is coming next to four other All-Stars. But the most encouraging number? A career-low 12.8 percent turnover percentage.
When you watch Cousins play, he doesn’t run like he’s coming off a horrific injury. His steal and block numbers are about the same as they have been throughout his career and he’s getting to the free-throw line with elite-level frequency. His overall shooting numbers are down, but that can reasonably be chalked up to him still regaining his confidence and shooting touch. The drop off from the All-Star version of Cousins that played 48 games with the Pelicans to this 11-game version of Cousins is honestly not too noticeable. Once he can get back into game shape and confidently play 30-plus minutes without massive fatigue, the Warriors are just going to get even better.
(Photo via Ned Dishman/NBAE)
As a career 37.2 percent three-point shooter, Jodie Meeks was never going to remain unsigned forever.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the former Kentucky star has signed a 10-day contract with the second-best team in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors.
Free agent guard Jodie Meeks is signing a 10-day contract with the Toronto Raptors, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 20, 2019
By signing Meeks, the Raptors officially now have the minimum number of players required for a roster at 14.
At 31-years old, Meeks is limited to being mostly a spot-up or catch-and-shoot type of guy, but that’s exactly what Toronto wants. He hasn’t played in an NBA game since the last game of the regular season in 2018 but still shot over 34 percent from three in 77 games for the Washington Wizards. A 25-game suspension for a failed drug test sidelined him for the playoffs last season and, when he was later traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, he would be waived before he could appear in a game.
Now, with All-Star Weekend officially behind us, playoff teams are looking to beef up their benches with veteran scorers and Meeks fits the profile. I would expect him to play a limited role, but if he can come in and play 10-15 minutes per game and knock down a couple of threes, then he has definite value.
Since Meeks signed a 10-day deal, he’ll only have a small amount of time to prove that he’s worth a second 10-day contract.
The contract will supposedly net Meeks close to $125,000.
The roster in Toronto is now up to the league mandated 14 players with the Jodie Meeks 10-Day Contract. The cap hit for Toronto is $85K with Meeks earning $123K. The contract will cost Toronto $214K toward the luxury tax.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 20, 2019
Not a bad deal for only 10 days worth of work.
Enes Kanter has been making the media rounds over the past few months to discuss his contentious relationship with the Turkish government and how they’re trying to arrest him for his criticism of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Tonight, Enes will be on the The Daily Show to talk with Trevor Noah about the situation, and his new run with the Portland Trail Blazers. He shared these pictures from the set earlier today:
Had so much fun @TheDailyShow
One of the best conversation I had.
Huge thanks to my brother @TrevornoahTune in to @ComedyCentral at 11pm ET tonight pic.twitter.com/a8PamWYQck
— Enes Kanter (@Enes_Kanter) February 19, 2019
Enes is a character, so you know this will be fun. Watch it tonight after the game at 11 p.m. ET on Comedy Central or set your DVR.
With the conclusion of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night, in which Team LeBron came back from 20 points to beat Team Giannis by a score of 178-164, it’s time for a few days off before league play kicks back up again on Thursday.
The two former Wildcats who participated in the All-Star Game, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, played a combined total of only 15 minutes for Team LeBron, but still made sure to get in on the fun.
The first half of the game was all about dunks and slick passing. Little defense was played – as expected – from either side and Giannis Antetokounmpo had his way in the paint through the first two quarters. But in the third quarter, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, and Klay Thompson brought Team LeBron all the way from the trenches with a bevy of triples to eventually take the lead in the fourth quarter before a 10-2 run late in the game sealed the win for Team LeBron.
Davis played only four minutes, all of them coming in the first quarter. There were question marks surrounding whether or not Davis would play in this game in the first place, considering he was limited with a shoulder injury in the four Pelicans games leading into the All-Star break. But he still went out there and got some shots up, scoring five points on 2-2 shooting, including a made three, and pulling in one board.
Anthony Davis says he’s good to go tonight but he admits he’s not going for the MVP award ? pic.twitter.com/yEFh75BnAw
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 18, 2019
Davis probably could have played more minutes if he wanted to, but he’s just asking the media/fans to rain down on him with the fury of hell if he went out there and dropped 30 points in 25 minutes looking perfectly healthy. Playing a mere four minutes was likely the right move for his situation.
Towns played 11 minutes and made sure to take full advantage of them, pouring in 11 points on 5-7 shooting (1-3 from three) in addition to three rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
Overall, it was a pretty entertaining All-Star Game. The two teams combined for the most made threes in All-Star Game history with 62 makes on an outstanding 167 attempts. The second half featured some engaged defense and the best shooters in the world going nuts from every area on the court. The third quarter was basically just the two teams exchanging threes from 25-feet out and it was glorious. At least three times during that quarter did I just swing my head back and shoot my arms into the air while screaming “HOW?!”
Kevin Durant took home the MVP honors for the second time in his career after he posted 31 points on 10-15 shooting (6-9 from three) to go along with seven rebounds.
Talk to you all on Thursday! I’ll be hibernating until then.
Follow me on Twitter: @ZackGeoghegan
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo dunks over Shaquille O’Neal en route to winning the 2019 NBA Dunk Contest. (Photo via Joe Murphy/NBAE Getty Images)
Three former Kentucky players went into Saturday night’s All-Star festivities with a chance to take home an award for their respective competitions. Even though De’Aaron Fox and Devin Booker couldn’t win the Skills Challenge or the 3-Point Contest, the overwhelming underdog, Hamidou Diallo, took home the honors of winning the Slam Dunk Contest in impressive fashion.
But before we dive into Diallo’s creatively eye-popping and delectable yams, let’s explore just how far Fox and Booker went in their events.
Taco Bell Skills Challenge.
Fox was bested in round one of this event going up against Atlanta Hawks rookie Trae Young. Fox and Young were neck-and-neck after running around the “cone drill” portion and Fox took a major lead by slipping his first pass right through the net while Young missed all three of his attempts. Fox got comfortable with his advantage and lazed into his final shot, which allowed Young to come all the way back down the court and hit a desperation shot that snuck in not even a half-a-second before Fox’s did.
Trae Young struggled with the pass but he recovered with the deep shot to knock out Fox pic.twitter.com/onMOTAWVU1
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
Young would go on to face fellow rookie Luka Doncic in the second round and then lost to eventual champion Jayson Tatum in the final round. Tatum won the event in a similar fashion to how Young beat Fox, by knocking down an even deeper desperation shot.
JAYSON TATUM FROM HALFCOURT TO WIN THE SKILLS CHALLENGE pic.twitter.com/B03ZOWrpX2
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
MTN DEW 3-Point Contest
Of the 10 participants in this event, only the top three highest scores were permitted to advance to the next round. If only it could have been bumped up to four. In the first round, Devin Booker drilled all five of his money ball shots – placed in the right corner, the only area of the court this season where he has not hit a three, according to NBA.com – but failed to advance to the next round despite a score of 23.
Booker finished just behind Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry (27 points in round one), Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (26), and Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris (25). Harris would go on to win the event in the final round, scoring 26 points and two more than Curry, to deprive Booker the chance of winning the contest in back-to-back seasons.
AT&T Dunk Contest
Now for the juicy stuff. Hamidou Diallo was far-and-away the best dunker among his peers on Saturday night.
Going up against Dennis Smith Jr., John Collins, and Charlotte’s own Miles Bridges, Diallo was a severe underdog but blew everyone away with one particular second-round dunk.
His first dunk was straight nasty, immediately showcasing his insane leaping ability. His Oklahoma City Thunder teammate, Russell Westbrook, threw him a perfectly placed pass off the side off the backboard that Diallo then proceeded to rifle through the net with a left-handed windmill for a score of a 48. But it was the swag he exuded after the dunk that made me grin from ear to ear.
Lefty windmill from Hamidou Diallo off a Russell Westbrook pass gives him a 48 pic.twitter.com/bP5gkpqfG6
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
That’s a kid who knows he can fly higher than 99 percent of the entire galaxy.
His second dunk is the one that will be remembered for years – if not decades – to come.
This dunk has already gone down in basketball lore. There’s an argument it’s one of the most well-executed dunk contest dunks of all-time. It was a perfect infusion of past dunk contests combined with Diallo’s unreal athleticism.
RUN THIS BACK BECAUSE HAMIDOU DIALLO REALLY. DID. THAT. pic.twitter.com/OkOzG5X9dI
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
He honey-dipped (shoutout to Vince Carter) and jumped over SHAQUILLE-FREAKING-O’NEAL (Shaq is 7-foot-1, by the way). He wore a Superman shirt underneath his pre-cut jersey. It was glorious and exactly what this otherwise dull dunk contest needed. What’s most amazing is he didn’t even need to whip that dunk out just yet. He only required a score of 36 to advance to the next round but decided to break the Internet anyways. Then in the final round, Diallo proved that there was no worthy adversary to his talents.
His next dunk was essentially him saying “I promise I can jump higher than anyone in this building” and boy was he correct.
Too easy for Hamidou Diallo pic.twitter.com/JH91FoWmBt
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
Then with his final dunk, Diallo brought in Migos rapper, Quavo, to aide him to victory.
Hamidou Diallo secures the win with a dunk over Quavo pic.twitter.com/1gqc8CbgYi
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
Diallo’s Thunder teammates including Westbrook, Paul George, and Raymond Felton were all more than happy to brag about their rook’s first major NBA accomplishment.
Hamidou Diallo secured the W and his OKC Thunder teammates Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Raymond Felton were there to celebrate ?? pic.twitter.com/XGfq15RlP2
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) February 17, 2019
“Great dunk,” Diallo said about his second dunk, according to NBA.com. “The atmosphere was great and I came out and gave the crowd what they were looking for.”
*Edit* Diallo is the first former Wildcat to win the NBA Dunk Contest since Kenny “Sky” Walker in 1989. John Wall was a part of Team East in 2014 that won the contest, comprised of Paul George and Terrence Ross. Wall won the overall fan voting. It was the first and only year the NBA divided the contest into teams.*
And the excitement doesn’t end there, folks. Make sure to check out the NBA All-Star Game which takes place Sunday night at 8 p.m. on TNT. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis (who is expected to play) will both take the court for Team LeBron.
Follow me on Twitter: @ZackGeoghegan
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Anthony Davis sat down with NBATV at the NBA’s All-Star Weekend Media Day to attempt to bring some clarity to the drama that has followed him since he requested a trade from the Pelicans three weeks ago.
AD explained to Isiah Thomas and Grant Hill why he made the request when he did, “Being honest helps everybody, I wanted to give management more than enough time so they could make the best decision for them. New Orleans always respected me, and I felt like I should do the same.”
“I had a plan, I had steps to follow that plan and did what I was supposed to do. Obviously I knew there was a chance where it probably wasn’t going to happen. So I’m still here. You want to take control of your career. That’s what I tried to do.”
The All-Star center reiterated that winning is his number one priority moving forward, and that it’s not about moving to a bigger market. It had been previously reported that AD’s list of preferred destinations consisted of just four teams, including the Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, and Knicks.
AD told the NBATV guys otherwise, “All 29 other teams are on my list, I don’t have a preferred destination. I just want to win. Whatever team I get traded to, I’ll play for that year [and] make the best of it. When free agency comes, we’ll see what happens. I can’t tell the future.”
“All 29 other teams are on my list.”
Anthony Davis says he does not have a preferred destination#NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/fyCIxtLdYX
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 16, 2019
Tune in to tonight’s All-Star game to watch AD team up with James Harden, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant as part of Team Lebron.
@EMitchKSR
WATCH: Kentucky Players huddle around after Beating Tennessee to watch Hami in the Slam Dunk Contest
Last night was one of the best days to be a Wildcat, maybe ever. From starting the morning off with College Gameday and having Mckinley Webb sink a half-court shot for 19 thousand dollars, to Kentucky baseball and Softball both winning in the afternoon, which led into one of the best Kentucky performances under Cal, and all of it was capped off by Hamidou Diallo winning the 2019 Slam Dunk Contest.
But, one of the coolest moments came directly after Kentucky’s victory over Tennesee. After dominating the number one team in the nation, what was the first thing the Cats did? They rushed back to the locker room to watch Hami win the 2019 Slam Dunk Contest.
After beating #1 Tennessee, the Kentucky team huddled in the locker room to watch @hamidoudiallo win the @NBA Dunk Contest. pic.twitter.com/VGJohE8rg9
— CoachCal.com (@CoachCalDotCom) February 17, 2019
What a cool moment that further shows that Kentucky basketball is a family and a brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.
Hamidou Diallo took home the grand prize in Saturday night’s NBA Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend. The former Wildcat beat out the favorite, Dennis Smith Jr., in the final round. He advanced by outscoring Smith Jr., John Collins and Miles Bridges in the two-dunk first round.
Diallo’s honey dip dunk over Shaquille O’Neal stole the night:
? SUPERMAN ALERT! ?
Hamidou Diallo leaps over @SHAQ and finishes with the HONEY DIP DUNK for a 5?0?! ??#ATTSlamDunk #StateFarmSaturday @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/izASQbFDYC
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2019
Here’s the dunk that won it:
Hamidou Diallo clears @QuavoStuntin for the flush to receive a 45 and win the #ATTSlamDunk contest! ??#StateFarmSaturday pic.twitter.com/phERgNVvBz
— NBA (@NBA) February 17, 2019
Hamicide!
It wouldn’t be a big game without some special guests, now, would it?
Beyond the several elite prospects in attendance (namely 2019 five-star forward Keion Brooks Jr.), Kentucky is hosting some very familiar faces this weekend.
With NBA All-Star Weekend underway, former Kentucky players Malik Monk, Alex Poythress, Wenyen Gabriel, and Isaac Humphries are back in town to see their beloved Wildcats take on the No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers.
The Kentucky men’s basketball Twitter account released the following image of the former Cats mingling with the current players and coaches after practice:
Fam’s in town. They weren’t going to miss this game. @AhmadMonk @AlexTheGreat22 @IsaacHumphries7 @WenyenGabriel #LaFamilia #WeAreUK pic.twitter.com/b8IAjnq602
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 16, 2019
#LaFamilia
———–UPDATE————
Monk, Poythress, Humphries, and Gabriel aren’t the only former Wildcats in attendance.
Former Kentucky stars Kevin Knox and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are also in the house to see the Cats take on the Volunteers.
Here is Knox, back from his appearance in the Rising Stars Challenge last night in Charlotte, NC:
Kevin Knox left All-Star weekend to watch the Cats. pic.twitter.com/48oFTZthaO
— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) February 17, 2019
And Kidd-Gilchrist:
Can we put a uni on this guy and put him out there tonight?! @MKG14 in the house!!! pic.twitter.com/P0rf91yvkE
— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) February 17, 2019
We’re in for a treat tonight.
The 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend got things started last night with the Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Challenge, and like we’ve gotten used to for nearly an entire decade under John Calipari, Kentucky was represented well.
Former Wildcats De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Knox, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander all competed in the Rising Stars Challenge, with the first two representing Team USA and the last representing Team World.
Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox led the all participants with 16 assists on the night, coming just six dimes short of the record John Wall set back in 2011.
He only finished with two points on three shots, but he put on a show with his terrific passing ability:
? @swipathefox drops a game-high 16 ASTS for USA Team in the #MTNDEWICERisingStars game! pic.twitter.com/tFv0Sac91c
— 2019 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) February 16, 2019
Los Angeles Clippers point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the day with 15 points on 5-10 shooting and 3-7 from the field in the loss. He also added six assists and three steals in just 20 minutes of action off the bench.
As for New York Knicks forward Kevin Knox, the 6-foot-9 rookie finished with 11 points on 5-9 shooting and 1-3 from three. He also added two rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
A mini edition of TKW Highlights presents: Kevin Knox in the Rising Stars Challenge: pic.twitter.com/iyM1M5yRWg
— The Knicks Wall (@TheKnicksWall) February 16, 2019
Former Wildcats Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns were there to watch and support their fellow members of #LaFamilia:
?? Courtside for #MTNDEWICERisingStars! ??@DevinBook x @KarlTowns x @Dloading x @SDinwiddie_25 pic.twitter.com/4kTghVdrCU
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2019
Tonight, Fox will participate in the NBA Skills Challenge, where he is currently favored to win the event over the likes of Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Mike Conley, among others.
Updated odds to win the NBA Skills Challenge (Bovada):
De'Aaron Fox +250
Luka Doncic +325
Trae Young +375
Mike Conley +550
Nikola Jokic +600
Jayson Tatum +600
Kyle Kuzma +700
Nikola Vucevic +900— OddsShark (@OddsShark) February 14, 2019
After the Skills Challenge, Devin Booker will suit up in the Three-Point Contest, where he will look to win the event for the second year in a row.
The #MtnDew3PT field at #NBAAllStar #StateFarmSaturday (8:00pm/et @NBAonTNT)!@DevinBook *defending champ@sdotcurry @StephenCurry30
Joe Harris@buddyhield @DGreen_14 @Dame_Lillard @Khris22m @swish41 @KembaWalker pic.twitter.com/0BHc5MR1Zv— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2019
And finally, former Wildcat Hamidou Diallo will participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest to close out the evening.
Representing the @okcthunder in the #ATTSlamDunk at #NBAAllStar – @hamidoudiallo! pic.twitter.com/AzOeIjLRUk
— 2019 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) February 6, 2019
Take an inside look at his very first appearance at All-Star Weekend as an NBA player:
It’s Hami dunk day. #NBAAllStar Slam Dunk tonight on TNT. Here’s a wrap of his Friday. (wait for his answer to the weirdest question) @hamidoudiallo pic.twitter.com/XCD8zjv3eU
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) February 16, 2019
Go for the hat trick tonight, Cats.
The NBA Rising-Star game is almost upon us, and three former Wildcats will be on the game roster. De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will all suit up for the NBA’s up-and-comer competition. The Rising-Star game features players in their first and second years in the league. All the action is going down at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, but you can watch it all from the comfort of your home on TNT. The game is set to tip at 9 p.m.
In addition to the former Cats, players including Ben Simmons, Jayson Tatum and Trae Young will all participate. Knox got the call when Lonzo Ball pulled out of the game due to an ankle injury (or, he still doesn’t want to play next to Fox. Whatever you choose to believe).
Friday night’s game is just the beginning of a basketball-filled weekend. Of course, Kentucky vs. Tennessee takes place Saturday night, but so will the NBA Skills Challenge, 3-point contest and the Slam Dunk contest. The NBA All-Star game will be Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. In total, there will be an astonishing seven Wildcats participating in the weekend.
The Skills Challenge (Saturday, 2/16): De’Aaron Fox
The 3-point Contest (Saturday, 2/16): Devin Booker
The Slam Dunk Contest (Saturday, 2/16): Hamidou Diallo
The All-Stars Game (Sunday, 2/17): Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns.
How awesome would it be to see a Kentucky sweep? Gilgeous-Alexander may have picked against Booker in the 3-point competition, but he’s going with Hami for the dunk contest:
.@shaiglalex gives his NBA All-Star Saturday Night predictions!
3PT = @StephenCurry30
Dunk = @hamidoudiallo #NBAAllStar | #ClipperNation pic.twitter.com/FHv6WD9FoA— NBA Canada (@NBACanada) February 15, 2019
Remember, tonight’s action starts at 9 on TNT.
(Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Good morning, folks. The All-Star Weekend is upon us, but first, we need to recap Thursday night’s games. Let’s talk NBA.
RECAP
[27-30] Hornets – 98 @ [27-32] Magic – 127
- After an absolute throttling of the playoff-hopeful Charlotte Hornets right before the All-Star break, the Orlando Magic have now won five games in a row (for the first time in three seasons) and seven of their previous eight to have them only half-a-game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Magic led this game 71-36 at halftime and didn’t let up in the second half. It was also Orlando’s first win over Charlotte since Dec. of 2015. This was a monumental win for the Magic for a plethora of reasons. Isaiah Briscoe also posted a nifty stat line of six points, eight rebounds, and five assists in 26 minutes.
- For Charlotte, who is hosting the upcoming All-Star weekend, they looked like they were taking their week off a day too early. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was held scoreless in 13 minutes while Malik Monk added 15 points on 7-16 shooting to go along with his four rebounds and two assists.
[37-20] Thunder – 122 @ [26-33] Pelicans – 131
- If I recall correctly, this was the first Pelicans game where the starting lineup featured all three of Darius Miller, Julius Randle, and Anthony Davis. Unfortunately – or coincidentally, however you’d like to look at it – Davis left in the second quarter with what was later diagnosed as a bruised shoulder. He still finished with 14 points and four rebounds in 15 minutes. But now the major question is… Will Davis play in the All-Star Game? I’d still put my money on yes, but this definitely complicates things. That is, if this wasn’t a “planned” injury. I don’t want to go all “tin foil hat” on you, but of all the times for Davis to get hurt, it happens now? Anyways, he probably is hurt. And somehow the Pelicans still won this game. After being gutted by the Magic in a 30-point loss the game before, I’m honestly not sure how they pulled this one off.
- Miller contributed eight points, four rebounds, and five assists while Randle went off for 33 points on 11-21 shooting to lead the BBNBA in scoring. He also added 11 rebounds and six assists to his totals and three clutch buckets late in the game to seal the win for the Pellies. The Pelicans head coach, Alvin Gentry, was happy his team could pull out a win amidst the Davis drama.
- ”To tell you the truth, this whole thing has been a dumpster fire,” coach Gentry said, alluding to the effect Davis’ trade demand has had on the rest of the team. ”It’s hard for guys to go through what they’ve been through, and to be able to come out and beat a team of that quality, I’m happy for all the guys.”
- For the Thunder, Nerlens Noel played his best game of the season, exploding for 22 points in a mere 21 minutes while also corralling 13 rebounds in addition to his two steals. Patrick Patterson got the start for OKC but scored only five points in 15 minutes. Hamidou Diallo did not play.
Other notes
- Kevin Knox had a poor shooting night, going 2-9 from the field for only nine points but he managed to bring in 10 rebounds in the process. The Knicks were able to end their longest ever franchise losing streak by beating the Atlanta Hawks.
- Check out the full stat sheet below.
STATISTICS
| Player | Result | Points | FG (3FG) | Reb. | Ast. | Steals | Blocks | TOs | +/- | Mins. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julius Randle (NOP) | 131-122 W vs. OKC | 33 | 11-21 (2-3) | 11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | +19 | 38 |
| Nerlens Noel (OKC) | 122-131 L @ NOP | 22 | 10-16 (0-0) | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | +4 | 21 |
| Malik Monk (CHA) | 89-127 L @ ORL | 15 | 7-16 (1-7) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -19 | 24 |
| Anthony Davis (NOP) | 131-122 W vs. OKC | 14 | 5-10 (1-2) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | _10 | 15 |
| Kevin Knox (NYK) | 106-91 W @ ATL | 9 | 2-9 (2-3) | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | +8 | 22 |
| Darius Miller(NOP) | 131-122 W vs. OKC | 8 | 3-7 (2-5) | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +19 | 34 |
| Isaiah Briscoe (ORL) | 127-89 W vs. CHA | 6 | 2-5 (2-2) | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +23 | 26 |
| Patrick Patterson (OKC) | 122-131 L @ NOP | 5 | 2-8 (0-4) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -20 | 15 |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (CHA) | 89-127 L @ ORL | 0 | 0-2 (0-1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -13 | 13 |
| Hamidou Diallo (OKC) | 122-131 L @ NOP | DNP-CD | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Alex Poythress (ATL) | 91-106 L vs. NYK | DNP-CD | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
TONIGHT IN THE NBA
7:00 (ESPN): NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles
9:00 (TNT): MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars Challenge
Follow me on Twitter: @ZackGeoghegan
(Photo via Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America)
The Kentucky effect is invading Charlotte, North Carolina and the upcoming NBA All-Star Weekend.
Several former Wildcats are expected to participate in each of the events planned for this weekend’s midseason NBA festivities. If you aren’t familiar with NBA All-Star weekend, let me briefly update you.
Basically, it’s a week vacation for players, coaches, and also the media, but mainly, it’s a bunch of different basketball-themed games played over the course of three days. Starting the with All-Star Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, followed by the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, and Dunk Contest on Friday, and finished off on Sunday with the main event, the 68th ever NBA All-Star game.
Friday
Friday is the weekend teaser, with two events setting the scene early before things really get rolling on Saturday.
NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles (7 p.m. on ESPN)
The Celebrity Game is up first – and rightfully so since it’s hardly watchable in the first place – featuring celebs ranging from musical artists such as Quavo and Chris Daughtry (for some reason), NBA greats such as Ray Allen, and even Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, with several other names I have never heard before and will have to look up to confirm they are real people. Like, seriously, what in the hell is a Dr. Oz? Am I this out of touch already?
The celebrity game is mostly a gimmick and was really only entertaining when Kevin Hart was running around like a child who ate wayyyyy too much sugar right before his bedtime. But even then, it’s basically always been a giant social media gathering and a “who’s who” of being involved with NBA Twitter. I will be avoiding this game at all costs.
MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars Challenge (9 p.m. on TNT)
The main event on Friday, the Rising Stars Challange, takes place immediately after the Celebrity Game. And we’ll see plenty of our more recent Wildcats.
The Rising Stars Challenge features two teams, one compiled of players from the United States and the other of players from across the world. The U.S. team will showcase De’Aaron Fox (SAC) and Kevin Knox (NYK) – who is replacing the injured Lonzo Ball. For the World team, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (LAC) will represent Canada. Here’s a look at the full roster for both sides.
The U.S. vs. The WORLD
Presenting the 2019 #MTNDEWICERisingStars rosters at @NBAAllStar! pic.twitter.com/fOsYRCDTjA
— NBA (@NBA) January 30, 2019
At first glance, I’d pick the World team to win because having Luka Doncic and Ben Simmons on the same team seems wildly unfair to any opponent. But the U.S. team might have more depth and overall talent despite the World team having the experience factor on their side. All I know is that if Fox and SGA don’t go one-on-one against each other at least once I will boycott the entire event. We also need a Fox to Knox alley-oop connection so I can liquify the video into a fluid that can then be injected it in my veins.
Saturday (8 p.m. on TNT)
Saturday is when things get fun. While the All-Star game itself is more of a spectacle and watching the best basketball players in the galaxy play a poor man’s version of streetball is legitimately compelling, the mini-games on Saturday is where the real excitement brews.
Skills Challenge
The Taco Bell Skills Challenge kicks things off as the selected players navigate a course predesigned to make the ball handler pass, dribble, and shoot all while doing so in a shorter amount of time than the field. Representing Kentucky in this year’s event will be De’Aaron Fox, who will play in his second event in as many days.
Fox is among a group that includes two All-Stars from this season along with rookies Trae Young and Luka Doncic. I’d say Fox is poised to do well in this event, considering he is easily the fastest player of the eight participants and one of the two or three best passers. There’s a portion early in the course where a player is required to pass the ball through a hoop-sized hole that always seems to give at least a few players a problem. If Fox can ace that part and land the pass on the first try, his speed will lead him to victory in the event. He’s also the favorite to win it.
This is the fourth year for the event and normally the bigs have been pitted against the guards in the final, which is expected to be the same layout this season. Here are the highlights from last year’s event, which was won by Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie. With a guard winning it last year, this means the record is two wins for the bigs and two wins for the guards. A lot is on the line here, folks.
3-Point Contest
The MTN DEW 3-Point Contest is a pretty straight forward event. Normally set at eight participants, this year’s event will feature 10 players, including a Kentucky fan favorite, Devin Booker (PHX). Players will shoot 25 total balls out of five different racks spread across the perimeter under the allotted time, with regular basketballs worth one point and the “money ball” worth two points, which is found at the end of every rack.
Booker won the event last year and is one of the favorites to win it again, behind Stephen Curry (GSW) and Buddy Hield (SAC). Curry’s younger brother, Seth (POR), will also play in the shootout. Booker could join a list of six players who have won the event twice. There have been only two – Larry Bird and Craig Hodges in the late ’80s, early ’90s – who have won it three times. Here are the highlights from last year’s shootout.
Dunk Contest
The AT&T Slam Dunk will cap off an entertaining Saturday, with Hamidou Diallo (OKC) hoping to showcase his otherworldly athleticism that Kentucky fans saw in his season and a half wearing the blue and white. The rest of the field is rather uninteresting, to be honest, especially if you aren’t an NBA addict. But there is real potential for an outstanding battle of the dunkers, here.
Diallo and fellow participant Miles Bridges Jr. are both rookies and John Collins sounds like the name of a Lieutenant in 1782. But don’t let their lack of general popularity fool you. Bridges is one of the most forceful dunkers in the league, linking up Malik Monk multiple times throughout the season for ground shattering alley-oops. Collins is a mutant of an athlete. Diallo has a record-setting vertical that no one has really gotten the chance to see in all it’s glory just yet. I’m expecting some impressive and creative dunks from Diallo. The fourth participant is Dennis Smith Jr. A one-time Kentucky recruit, he has athleticism for a guard that is only comparable to the Russell Westbrook’s and Donovan Mitchell’s of the world.
Smith Jr. is the overwhelming favorite while Diallo is the underwhelming underdog, so bet at your own risk, but I think Diallo is going to make a small name for himself early in his career by unleashing some hellacious dunks and an insane vertical. Check out last year’s contest, won by Donovan Mitchell (UTA).
Sunday
68th NBA All-Star Game (8:20 p.m. on TNT/TBS | coverage begins at 7 p.m.)
The stage is set for the All-Star Game and it’s Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis.
This year’s event will feature two former Kentucky players, Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN) and Anthony Davis (NOP), who will both suit up for Team LeBron. Well, we know Towns will be suiting up, at least. Davis is expected to play and by all accounts, it appears he will. But man, I still can’t get over how weird everything is with Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans. I don’t know how Davis feels about all of this, but I can guarantee there is some awkwardness stuck in there somewhere. This weekend might be a good opportunity to clear his head, a bit.
It also shouldn’t be overlooked that LeBron picked Davis after the entire debacle at the trade deadline. If you think that was a coincidence then I got some news for you… LeBron also drafted Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and Klay Thompson, who are all going to be dealing with free agency in some fashion this summer. LeBron is also the tampering King, too.
But I digress…
Watching KAT and AD play should be captivating for both NBA and BBNBA fans alike. It’ll be even more thrilling if we get some Cat-to-KAT alley-oops. As much as I would have loved to see Towns try to dunk on AD, or vice versa, watching them link up as teammates should be just as exciting.
D’Angelo Russell, a Louisville native, was also selected to the game as a reserve for Victor Oladipo. He will play for Team Giannis.
Go Cats. It should be a fun weekend. Tweet at me anything out of the ordinary you might catch on TV/social media.
Follow me on Twitter: @ZackGeoghegan