The NBA has revealed its lineup of players (and celebrities) for the 2022 skills competitions and the Celebrity All-Star Game.
The Slam Dunk Contest, which will be held on February 19th at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, home of the Cavaliers, will be the frontrunner of the NBA’s skills competitions and All-Star Weekend itself. The Contest features a returning player, Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks, who finished as the runner-up in last year’s Slam Dunk Contest in Atlanta, behind the Portland Trail Blazers’ Anfernee Simons.
The 2022 Slam Dunk Contest is also set to feature Juan Toscano-Anderson of the Golden State Warriors, Cole Anthony of the Orlando Magic, and the Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green. Simons, the champion of last year’s competition, will not be returning.
The AT&T Slam Dunk participants ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/XyS6EtO4yE
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 9, 2022
“I don’t work on crazy dunks, just because I know I’m not going to do them in a game,” Toscano-Anderson said of his playing style. “Playing at this level, it’s important to save your legs for April, May and June.”
That being said, he is still aiming for success in this year’s competition. Regarding this, Toscano-Anderson said, ”I’m definitely going to go out there and try to win. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve; I believe in my abilities. But even if I don’t end up winning, just being a part of All-Star weekend will be truly special.”
Despite being the main attraction of the night, the Slam Dunk Contest isn’t the only part of the NBA skills competition. There’s also the Skills Challenge, where players must make their way through an obstacle course while succeeding in various aspects of the game, such as dribbling and shooting. Then, there’s the Three-Point Contest, where players must shoot as many three-pointers as possible within sixty seconds.
The Three-Point Contest is set to feature star players such as the Hawk’s Trae Young, the Nets’ Patty Mills, Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves, and Fred VanVleet of the Raptors. Additionally, the Skills Challenge is set to feature Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with his two brothers who play in the NBA G-League.
The MTN DEW 3-Point Contest participants ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QkA0B0idAX
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 9, 2022
In addition to the skills competitions, the roster for this year’s Celebrity All-Star Game has been announced. The game, which will take place on February 18th, the night before the skills competitions, is set to feature stars such as actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish, Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett, and musician Machine Gun Kelly — who recently put on a show at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Vegas.
The actual NBA All-Star Game, which will feature Team LeBron vs. Team Durant for the fifth straight year, will take place on February 20th. Both LeBron and Durant will “draft” players for that game on Thursday, February 10th.
Which NBA All-Star event are you most excited for? Let us know, by either leaving a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
