Tag: Alexis Antetokounmpo

Walker Kessler, Jazz win Skills Challenge on All-Star Saturday night

Kessler and Team Jazz walked away as the champions of the Skills Challenge after defeating the Antetokounmpos and Rooks.

Walker Kessler and Team Jazz on Saturday walked away as the champions of the Skills Challenge after defeating the Antetokounmpos and Rooks in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Team Jazz, which also featured Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, came out of the gate a bit flat after losing in the first round and relay portion of the competition. They regrouped and took the passing and shooting portions of the event to collect the 300 points needed to win.

The trio of players had the benefit of having their home crowd cheer them on throughout the competition. They easily received the loudest ovation of all of the players introduced and were ecstatic to give their fans the victory.

The rookie team, which consisted of Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey and Jabari Smith Jr., took the lead early after posting a one-minute, 14-second time in the relay round. The speed of Ivey paid off on the final relay, which was a full-court sprint and layup.

The Antetokounmpos were without Giannis in the event after the two-time MVP suffered a wrist injury on Thursday with Milwaukee. He was replaced by Bucks teammate Jrue Holiday, but the addition of the All-Star was not enough: The group failed to win in any of the rounds.

The Skills Challenge tipped off the festivities on Saturday night and continued a busy weekend as the league celebrated its stars with the annual showcase.

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NBA All-Star 2023: Participants for Skills Challenge, 3-Point, Dunk Contest

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the participants for the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the participants for the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest on Feb. 18 during All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The weekend will get underway on Friday with the Celebrity game and the Rising Stars competition at 9 p.m. EST. The events conclude on Sunday with the G League Next Up Game at 3 p.m. EST and the 72nd All-Star Game at 8:30 p.m. EST.

The festivities on All-Star Saturday night will begin at 8 p.m. EST and will be televised on TNT starting with the Skills Challenge. The second event will be the 3-Point Contest with the Slam Dunk Contest wrapping up the evening at Vivint Arena.

NBA Skills Challenge: Evan Mobley wins it for Cavs with half-court shot

Evan Mobley sank the half-court shot needed to send the Cavs to the title in the Skills Challenge on Saturday at All-Star Weekend.

Evan Mobley on Saturday drained the half-court shot needed to lead the Cavs to the win in the Skills Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.

Mobley and the Cavs, which included teammates Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland, defeated the Rooks in the fourth and final round. The two teams were tasked with shooting half-court shots to win and the player that hit it fastest won as Mobley drained it in 5.5 seconds.

The Cavs came out of the gate fast, winning the first round to collect 100 points in the scoring. Teams attempted to make shots from five different locations on the court ranging from 10-30 feet. Each spot was worth between 1-5 points.

In the second round, the Antetokounmpos, featuring brothers Giannis, Thanasis and Alex, topped the three teams in a passing drill for 100 points. Players had 30 seconds to make as many passes as possible into three, oversized moving targets.

The Rooks took the third round and 200-point prize as Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham and Josh Giddey recorded the fastest time in a full-court relay. The three first-year players posted a winning time of one minute, 18 seconds to set up a showdown with the Cavs in the final round.

Cunningham and the Rooks went first in the final round as each player launched shots from the half-court line. The No. 1 pick last year sank one shot in 9.9 seconds, which was eventually beaten by Mobley and the Cavs on their second attempt.

The Skills Challenge tipped off the festivities on Saturday night and continued a busy weekend for the Rooks and Cavs. The four rookies on the court each participated in the Rising Stars game on Friday while Allen and Garland will compete in the All-Star Game on Sunday.

The 3-Point and Slam Dunk Contests were to follow the Skills Challenge.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Alex Antetokounmpo to skip the NCAA in favor of turning pro in Europe

Alex Antetokounmpo, the youngest brother of Giannis, will prepare for the NBA Draft by playing professionally in Europe next season.

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Alex Antetokounmpo, the youngest brother of reigning NBA MVP Giannis, has reportedly decided to skip college basketball in favor of playing professionally in Europe, according to Eurohoops.net.

The 18-year-old received two offers to play collegiately from Green Bay and Ohio while he was on the radar of several other programs. Instead of playing in the NCAA, Antetokounmpo will play in Europe until he is ready to enter the NBA Draft.

“I want to become a pro as soon as possible,” Antetokounmpo told Eurohoops. “I was born and raised in Europe, I know European basketball and the best thing for me would be to sign a contract with a European club. I will have to train and compete against grown men, I will experience strong competition and pressure and I will evolve on every level.”

Antetokounmpo played basketball at Dominican High School in Whitefish, Wisconsin. Like his brothers, he has good size and physicality and has great athleticism at his position but will need additional development in shooting and his overall feel for the game.

As of now, it is not yet known which club Antetokounmpo will sign with but the decision to turn pro in Europe should adequately prepare him for playing in the NBA as the competition is widely considered to be the next best after the NBA.

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