By Shara Talia Taylor

It was a bittersweet reunion as the NBA All-Star weekend returned to Chicago after 32 years. Television ratings were high and the new format gave the participants extra incentive to compete on both ends of the court. Unfortunately, the tragic death of one of the greatest players Kobe Bryant and his 13 year old daughter was still on everyone’s mind. Players and coaches remembered Bryant, his impact on their lives and the game of basketball throughout the weekend in interviews and activities. “We wouldn’t be All-Stars if we weren’t competitors,” said Lebron James following Sunday’s game. “We all compete at the highest level, try to put our respective teams in position to win every night.”

James responded to whether he saw Kobe Bryant’s level of competitiveness during Sunday’s game. “So guys definitely just had that sense of pride, that sense of competitiveness throughout the season, throughout the All-Star Game, which we had tonight,” said James. “But you could definitely feel his presence just from the start.”

FRIDAY

First- and second-year players on Team USA and Team World battled each other in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday.  Some only a year ago played with their college teams.

Early Friday morning before practice players talked to media at the Wintrust Arena about their fresh experience in the league.

Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans told reporters what surprised him the most on the court and off the court about being an NBA player. “On the court, I think it’s the age difference,” Williamson said. “I’m 19. We have some players in their thirties.  Then off the court, just managing your time.  College we have practice, but you also had class.”

Eric Paschall of the Golden State Warriors felt college prepared him for the NBA. “Like me, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Omari Spellman, Josh Hart, Kyle Lowry, Ryan Arcidiacono, there’s a whole bunch of us in the NBA,” he said. “I feel like the proof is there, besides me, just with everybody else. Definitely prepared me with getting strong mentally, physically, knowing how to play the game of basketball.”

Team USA defeated Team World 151-131.  New York Knicks’ RJ Barrett led Team World with 27 points and 5 assists, while Paschall led Team USA with 23 points and 2 assists.  Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges was named the Most Valuable Player. “I stayed at the YMCA in Flint all day and night just trying to get to this level,” Bridges said. “For me to get here, I give all glory to God. I’m just happy to be here.”

SATURDAY

State Farm All-Star Saturday night featured the popular skills challenge that tests ball-handling, passing, and shooting skills; a 3-point shoot out; and a dunk competition. According to Turner Sports TNT’s coverage that night generated its most-watched NBA All-Star Saturday night telecast since 2017.

Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo claimed the NBA’s 2020 Taco Bell All-Star Skills Challenge and dedicated his trophy to his mother. 6’9” Adebayo defeated 6’11” Indiana Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis in the final round. “It just shows where this league is going, and it’s scary because, when you got guys that are 6-10, classified as centers or power forwards,” Adebayo said.  “I don’t believe it’s any of that anymore.”

Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings won the MTN Dew 3-Point Competition and said he wanted to dedicate his trophy to the people of the Bahamas and victims of Hurricane Dorian.  Hield defeated Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker in the final round 27-26. Booker was the 2018 NBA All-Star 3-point contest champion. “Every shooter wants to win one, and I feel like that,” he said about facing Booker for the trophy. “Joe [Harris] won it last year. [Davis] Bertans is having a great year shooting the ball, Devin, Trae [Young], Zach [LaVine]. Top three-point guys in the league. You want to come out and show it.”

Derrick Jones Jr. won the 2020 AT&T Slam Dunk contest on his birthday in a contentious competition, defeating Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic after several tie-breakers. “It feels great,” Jones said. “Just being able to get an achievement like this on a day like this, it’s special for me. This is a day that I’m going to tell my kids, just make sure they know that this is a day for me.”

Jones jumped from near the foul line and delivered a windmill dunk in his final performance.  Gordon leapt over 7’5 Tacko Fall of the Boston Celtics, taking the ball from his hands landing a powerful dunk.  “It’s a wrap,” a disappointed said Gordon about competing again.  “I feel like I should have two trophies, you know what I mean?”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also addressed media Saturday, recognizing two significant men the NBA lost within the past several weeks: David Stern and Kobe Bryant.

“Again, I just say I certainly would not be standing here today but for David Stern, and the NBA wouldn’t be where it is today but for Kobe,” Silver said. “Here was someone who set the record for 18 consecutive All-Stars and four All-Star MVPs and a famous slam Dunk Contest on top of that.” 

Silver announced that the NBA renamed the All-Star MVP trophy the “Kobe Bryant MVP Award”.

 SUNDAY

Bryant was recognized throughout the NBA All-Star game on Sunday. Players wore jerseys with his number 24 and Gianna’s number two.  Magic Johnson honored Bryant and David Stern with a moment of silence before the game. Jennifer Hudson also sung “For All We Know” during a tribute featuring moving photographs of Bryant and Gianna.

This year a new game format was introduced, in part recognition of Bryant.  The first three quarters were treated as individual games for charity, with $100,000 going to the winning team. The first team that reached their “final target score”, a total of the first three quarters plus 24, would win the game and $200,000 for their charity. 

“We were trying to come out, set the tone, play hard,” said captain Giannis Antetokounmpo. “Especially in the fourth quarter, the defense got tighter. Guys were hitting one another. Every possession counts. We had a little bit of playoff intensity out there.  So I loved it.” 

Aside from Giannis, his other starters were, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, Kemba Walker, and Trae Young, led by Toronto Raptors Head Coach Nick Nurse. Team Lebron was led by Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Frank Vogel.  Starters were James, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Luka Don?i?, and James Harden.

Team Lebron defeated Team Giannis 157-155. Team Lebron won the first quarter 53-41 gaining $100,000 for his charity Chicago Scholars and Team Giannis won the second quarter 51-30 earning $100,000 for the charity After School Matters.  The third quarter was tied at 41 and $100,000 was added to the 4^th quarter, a final game prize of $200,000.  Chicago Scholars received a total of $400,000. 

Los Angeles Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard received the 2020 Kia NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP award. 

“I didn’t come in the game saying, I’m going to take that trophy home,” said Leonard. “I think I came in and made my first two shots and kept shooting and made shots. That’s when I told myself I’m going to go try to get it.”

Leonard led Team Lebron with 30 total points and four assists, while Antetokounmpo led his team with 25 point and four assists.

Leonard dedicated his trophy to Kobe Bryant, the player who impacted so many in the NBA and around the world and in Adam Silver’s words “embodied All-Star Weekend”.