Before the 2026 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, All-Star Saturday will bring in three promising events that will gather past, present and future superstars in the NBA.

Start time and TV schedule

What: State Farm Three-Point Contest, Kia Shooting Stars Challenge, AT&T Slam Dunk Contest

When: 2 p.m. PT p.m. PT, Feb. 14

Where: Intuit Dome

Watch: NBC, Peacock

This year’s All-Star Saturday night festivities have the case to arguably be the most exciting part of the All-Star Weekend. Perhaps it’s the star-studded lineup for each category that makes these events worth the watch. The 3-point and Dunk Contest as well as the Shooting Stars Challenge will test each contestant’s skill, endurance and hang time.

To tip off an action-packed night, the 3-point contest — which has been the most entertaining event for All-Star Saturday night over the years — will be held first. There will be eight players competing in this one, five of which are All-Stars, who will also be suiting up for Sunday’s main event. These marksmen are Devin Booker, Kon Knueppel, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, Bobby Portis Jr., and Norman Powell. As it has been over time, the contestant who makes the most threes wins.

Then, there’s the Shooting Stars Challenge, which was brought back this year after an 11-year hiatus. Unlike how it was done from 2004 to 2015 though, this year’s tournament has a revamped format. Four teams consisting of two current NBA players and one retired NBA legend will rotate through designated shooting locations and the team that racks up the most points before time expires wins. The four teams are:

• Team All-Star: Scottie Barnes, Chet Holmgren, Richard Hamilton
• Team Cameron: Jalen Johnson, Kon Knueppel, Corey Magette
• Team Harper: Dylan Harper, Ron Harper Jr., Ron Harper Sr.,
• Team New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Allan Houston

Last but not least is the Slam Dunk Contest, where Laker Jaxson Hayes will take part. As it has been over the years, the hope for this tournament is to outdo the previous ones, which honestly isn’t that difficult to achieve.

This year, though, the contest will no longer include Mac McClung, so there will be a new dunk champion crowned for the first time in three years. Along with Hayes, the participants are Carter Bryant, Keshad Johnson and Jase Richardson. They will be judged by Dominique Wilkins, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson and Brent Barry, who all have left their mark in the competition during their time in the league.

Speaking of leaving a mark, it’ll be interesting to see how this year’s All-Star Saturday night will be remembered. Will it stand out as the most entertaining one in years? Or be another version of what we’ve watched in the past?

Regardless, it’s still going to be worth tuning if only because we get it just once a year. Hopefully, it’s going to be an event that’s worth talking about.

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Piotr Zielinski scored a last-minute winner as Serie A leader Inter Milan beat Juventus 3-2 to stay eight points ahead of second-placed AC Milan on Saturday.

Juventus twice came from behind and overcame a red card but finally capitulated in the 90th when Zielinski drove in a low shot after being set up by Yann Bisseck near the penalty area.

The defeat dropped Juve one place to fifth behind Roma, which has a better goal difference and can move into third spot if it wins at defending champion Napoli on Sunday.

Juventus left back Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends in the first half.

He inadvertently deflected Luis Henrique's cross past his goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 17th minute, then latched on to a right-wing cross from American midfielder Weston McKennie in the 26th.

Juve's chances were hampered when defender Pierre Kalulu was sent off for a second yellow card late in the first half after fouling Alessandro Bastoni, who moments earlier had missed a golden chance from close range.

Inter regained the lead in the 76th when forward Pio Esposito headed in powerfully from Federico Dimarco's left-wing cross. Manuel Locatelli equalized from another McKennie cross in the 83rd to ensure a tense finish.

Zielinski ensured Inter notched a sixth straight win overall.

Como loses ground to Atalanta

Como's hopes of securing Champions League qualification were dealt a blow by visiting Fiorentina.

Nicolo Fagioli and Moise Kean scored in 2-1 win for Fiorentina at Como's Guiseppe Sinigaglia stadium.

The day got worse for Como as Champions League-chasing rival Atalanta won 2-0 at Lazio to move one point above in sixth place, thanks to a penalty from midfielder Ederson in the 41st minute and a second-half effort from Poland’s Nicola Zalewski.

Como's defeat came days after it advanced to the semifinals of the Coppa Italia for the first time in 40 years by beating Italian champion Napoli.

An impressive campaign could yet see it secure a place in next season's Champions League, but the loss to relegation-fighting Fiorentina was a setback.

Fagioli put Como ahead in the 26th from close range after his first effort was blocked. Kean scored from the penalty spot nine minutes into the second half.

Como created a number of chances as it tried to get back into the game and the pressure told when Fabiano Parisi fired into his own net in the 77th. But it couldn't find an equalizer and ended the game with 10 men when Alvaro Morata was sent off in the 89th.

On Friday, Luka Modrić scored a late winner for AC Milan to beat Pisa 2-1.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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Prepare to pick your jaw up off the floor.

The NBA’s 2026 All-Star Saturday Night gets underway this evening at 5 p.m. ET at Inglewood, CA’s Intuit Dome a.k.a. the Clippers’ home.

Things kick off with the high-profile 3-point shootout, which features household names Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard, who is sitting the 2025-26 season due to an Achilles injury.

Then, for the first time since 2015, the Shooting Stars competition returns. Four teams comprised of three players (two current and one retired “legend”) will attempt to score from seven assigned spots on the floor. Legends set to play include 47-year-old Richard “Rip” Hamilton, 46-year-old Corey Maggette, 62-year-old Ron Harper Sr. (playing with his sons Ron Jr. and Dylan) and 54-year-old Allan Houston who joins “Team Knicks” with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Finally, the main event, the Dunk Contest, closes the night. Carter Bryant (Spurs), Jaxson Hayes (Lakers), Keshad Johnson (Heat) and Jase Richardson (Magic) are set to participate.

Whoever wins the Dunk Contest will be taking home their first title; three-time winner Mac McClung who was victorious from 2023-25 is sitting this year out.

Want to watch?

Here’s everything you need to know to tune in to the 2026 NBA All-Star Saturday Night.

NBA All-Star Saturday start time:

NBA All-Star Saturday tips off at 5 p.m. ET today (Feb. 14).

How to watch NBA All-Star Saturday for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

Sling TV is an affordable way to watch TV live and stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC, where All-Star weekend is airing, and starts at $19.99/month.

DIRECTV is another great service to try — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA season).

NBA All-Star Saturday events

As noted above, there are a trio of competitions taking place tonight. To make sure you’re in the loop, here’s whose taking the hardwood for each of them.

3-Point contest

• Devin Booker, (Phoenix Suns)
• Kon Knueppel, (Charlotte Hornets)
• Damian Lillard, (Portland Trail Blazers)
• Tyrese Maxey, (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Donovan Mitchell, (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Jamal Murray, (Denver Nuggets)
• Bobby Portis Jr., (Milwaukee Bucks)
• Norman Powell, (Miami Heat)

Shooting Stars

• Team All-Star:
  • Scottie Barnes(Toronto Raptors)
  • Chet Holmgren(Oklahoma City Thunder)
  • Richard Hamilton(NBA Legend)
• Team Cameron:
  • Jalen Johnson(Atlanta Hawks)
  • Kon Knueppel(Charlotte Hornets)
  • Corey Maggette(NBA Legend)
• Team Harper:
  • Dylan Harper(San Antonio Spurs)
  • Ron Harper Jr.(Boston Celtics)
  • Ron Harper(NBA Legend)
• Team Knicks:
  • Jalen Brunson(New York Knicks)
  • Karl-Anthony Towns(New York Knicks)
  • Allan Houston(NBA Legend)

Slam Dunk contest

• Carter Bryant, (San Antonio Spurs)
• Jaxson Hayes, (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Keshad Johnson, (Miami Heat)
• Jase Richardson, (Orlando Magic)

NBA All-Star weekend rolls on this Saturday with the Slam Dunk Contest, 3-Point Contest, and brand-new Shooting Stars Contest.

Our experts deliver their best NBA All-Star Saturday Night predictions and NBA picks from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night predictions

• K. Johnson to win Dunk Contest (+320 at bet365)
• Lillard to win 3-Point Contest (+450 at bet365)
• Team Knicks to win Shooting Stars Contest (+170 at bet365)

NBA All-Star Saturday Night best bets

Slam Dunk Contest best bet: Keshad Johnson to win

+320 at bet365

Andrew Caley makes his case for Keshad Johnson to win the 40th annual Slam Dunk Contest.

"[Johnson] has seen limited minutes with the Miami Heat. Still, the 6-foot-6 forward boasts a ridiculous 42-inch vertical."

3-Point Contest best bet: Damian Lillard to win

+450 at bet365

Douglas Farmer values Damian Lillard's experience in the 3-point contest coupled with his being super-fresh after not playing all season.

"A skeptic might wonder if Lillard will be rusty. The better thought is to expect Lillard to be peaking. No one else in this contest has as much experience in it as he does, and no one else has circled this Saturday night as the highlight of their season."

Shooting Stars best bet: Team Knicks to win

+170 at bet365

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns can hit shots from anywhere, and Allan Houston is one of the great pure shooters the Knicks have ever had. There are no holes to poke in this roster compared to the other three, so give me Team Knicks as a favorite that should be shorter.

NBA All-Star Saturday Night info

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

In a world where nobody agrees on anything, politics, movies, or whether pineapple belongs on pizza, there is one thing that has brought rare, almost suspicious unity to Timberwolves fans:

Tim Connelly absolutely cooked at the 2026 NBA trade deadline.

For a fan base that has spent the better part of two decades oscillating between hope and existential dread, the deadline was a moment of collective head-nodding. The Wolves entered the season with a very obvious, very uncomfortable roster flaw: the point guard position. It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t nuanced. It was the basketball equivalent of a check engine light that had been on since October.

You had Mike Conley Jr., beloved, steady, respected, and clearly battling Father Time in a league that moves at warp speed. And then you had Rob Dillingham, the eighth overall pick in 2024, who had shown flashes but not nearly enough consistency to justify being the primary organizer of a team with championship aspirations. That pairing of aging veteran plus unproven youth felt fragile for a team coming off back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances and openly chasing its first NBA title.

The fan base noticed. The murmurs began.

As free agency came and went and experienced point guards found homes elsewhere, the question grew louder: what’s the plan here? Was Donte DiVincenzo really going to be the long-term answer at the point? Donte is talented. He’s tough. He can shoot. But he is not a pure table-setter. And at times this season, that lack of a steady hand has shown up in the worst possible moments with late-game stagnation, stalled possessions, hero-ball spirals that felt avoidable.

By early February, with Minnesota hovering around the six seed and flirting with the play-in, it was clear something had to give. The Wolves were too good to stand pat. Too close to the second apron to be reckless. And too asset-strapped to swing wildly without consequences.

The obvious minor-move pieces were there: Rob Dillingham. Maybe Terrence Shannon Jr. Mike Conley’s expiring contract had value, but moving him risked destabilizing the locker room. There were also whispers of a gentleman’s agreement that Connelly wouldn’t trade Conley out of respect for his desire to retire in Minnesota.

And then, just as the trade deadline approached, the rumor mill went thermonuclear.

Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Suddenly, this wasn’t about shoring up the point guard spot. It was about seismic, league-altering tectonic plates. A potential all-in move that would have sent shockwaves from Minneapolis to Milwaukee and coast-to-coast. If you squinted, you could see it: Ant and Giannis, the most explosive duo in the NBA. But if you looked closer, you also saw the cost. Jaden McDaniels? Naz Reid? Rudy Gobert? Julius Randle? Probably multiple of the above.

You’d get the league’s most terrifying two-man wrecking crew… and a skeleton roster behind them.

The fan base was split. Some wanted to push every chip into the middle of the table. Others understood that you don’t casually detonate a Western Conference Finals core when you’re already in the contender tier. Anthony Edwards is 24. His window isn’t closing tomorrow. There’s a difference between aggressive and reckless.

In the end, Giannis stayed put. The earthquake never hit.

Instead, Connelly went surgical.

First, he moved Mike Conley to Chicago, using his expiring deal as leverage. Then came the real strike: Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and second-round picks to the Bulls for Ayo Dosunmu.

It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t Giannis. But it was exactly what this team needed.

Dosunmu immediately addresses the Wolves’ most glaring weakness. He’s a legitimate ball-handler. He can get downhill. He can organize an offense without hijacking it. He fits next to Anthony Edwards rather than duplicating him. He gives Minnesota the kind of backcourt stability that’s been missing during those fourth-quarter offensive droughts that have cost them winnable games.

And then came the quiet genius part.

Conley was rerouted to Charlotte. A buyout loomed. And by all indications, Minnesota is positioned to bring him back into the fold after the All-Star break. Which means Connelly may have upgraded the position, used Conley’s contract as a tool, and honored the veteran’s wish to retire as “Minnesota Mike.”

That’s not just cap management. That’s relationship management. That’s culture building.

It’s no surprise his approval rating around Canis Hoopus is hovering in the plus-90’s. The few remaining Giannis dreamers can still cling to the possibility that the book isn’t fully closed this off-season, but realistically? Connelly just reinforced the current contender instead of tearing it apart.

The Western Conference Finals core remains intact.

Anthony Edwards is still the franchise centerpiece.

Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and Julius Randle are all still here.

And now there’s Dosunmu in the mix, adding the type of guard play that could be the difference between another deep run and finally breaking through the glass ceiling.

The Wolves didn’t detonate their future chasing a headline. They patched the leak in the hull while keeping the ship seaworthy.

In a league where panic trades and ego-driven swings often dominate February, Minnesota played this one with discipline and vision.

So hats off to Tim Connelly. Not for the biggest move of the deadline, but for the smartest one. And as the Wolves head into the stretch run, they do so with something they didn’t fully have a few weeks ago:

Clarity.

The roster is set. The smoke has cleared. No savior is coming from the outside.

This is the group.

And thanks to one calculated, well-timed move, that group suddenly looks a little more complete, and a lot more dangerous, when June rolls around.

P.S. – The Wolves currently sit at +3000 to win the NBA Title on FanDuel Sportsbook, so now may be the time to pounce if you think Dosunmu can be the difference-maker this team needed to finally make it past the Conference Finals.

If there is one thing the Phoenix Suns have done this season, it is make their fan base proud, and that pride comes from the way they play, the way they compete, and the way they have pushed past expectations in a way that feels honest and earned. As a fan, you feel it. Because the last two seasons trained a lot of us to brace for disappointment, to disengage a little, to skip podcasts you knew would only mirror what you were watching night after night. It was a disconnected team playing disjointed basketball that made even SportsCenter feel pointless because there were no highlights worth sticking around for.

That feeling is gone.

Now the Suns keep rolling out moments that demand attention, sequences that make you sit up, rewind, and send a text. Around the league, respect has followed, not because of hype, but because of how this team operates together. Opposing fan bases see it too, the speed of the turnaround, the clarity of the identity, and more than a few of them wish their team could flip the switch the same way Phoenix has.

Friday night followed the same rhythm, with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game tipping off and the Phoenix Suns being represented by their owner, Mat Ishbia, lacing them up for Team Anthony. Yes, that Anthony, Anthony Anderson. On the other sideline was Team Giannis, which meant one team had an actual NBA player attached to it and the other was captained by the Burger Shack employee from Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, which honestly felt like a fair snapshot of the entire event.

The word “celebrity” always gets stretched pretty thin in these games, and I will openly admit I did not recognize about three-quarters of the people on the floor, which probably says more about my age and priorities than it does about the lineup. That said, I knew exactly who Mat Ishbia was, and watching him out there ended up being genuinely fun.

His team took the loss, but Ishbia brought energy and leaned into the moment. Mat took the court rocking a pair of Book 2 Fragments, a pair that All-Star guard Devin Booker debuted a few nights ago against the Dallas Mavericks.

He delivered the highlight of the night, a running jumper over 7’6” Tacko Fall (who casually dropped a 20/20 because, of course he did).

If you were searching for the clip that summed up the entire evening, that was the one. The Suns’ owner flying through the lane, letting it go, and reminding everyone that sometimes the most entertaining part of All-Star Weekend comes from the places you least expect.

Oh, and he outrebounded Fall, too.

He was out there playing Phoenix Suns basketball, pressing for 94 feet. Phoenix Suns basketball personified.

Once again, you cannot help but puff your chest out a little. Be proud of the Phoenix Suns fan in you. Mat Ishbia had himself a solid night, throwing behind-the-back passes, jumping passing lanes, and flashing that Michigan State DNA, the kind of edge and competitiveness that still traces back to his time under Tom Izzo and never really leaves you.

Night one, in the books.

Night two brings Devin Booker in the three-point contest. It has not been his best individual season, but it has been a strong year for the Suns, and that matters. Even sitting at +600, that is where I am putting my money. Booker.

And for the record, way to go, Mat Ishbia. Respect.

MILAN (AP) — Jordan Stolz wins his 2nd Olympic speedskating gold medal by adding the 500-meter title to the 1,000.

DUBLIN (AP) — Ireland got relief from a 20-13 home win over Italy in the Six Nations on Saturday, coming from behind at halftime and grinding out an unconvincing result.

Coach Andy Farrell wanted his slumping side to muzzle the doubters and make a statement after being blown away by France 36-14 last week, Ireland’s worst Six Nations loss in 16 years.

Instead, Italy reaffirmed it is no longer the tournament doormat, backing up its 18-15 opening win over Scotland by contributing daringly to a compelling match and being unfortunate. Italy had a try ruled out and another try missed by an unlucky bounce of the ball.

Way past 80 minutes, Italy's last attack was broken by an intercept by James Lowe, who took it to the Italy 22 and got a penalty. But instead of taking three points to rob Italy of a losing bonus point, Ireland went for a bonus-point fourth try and kicked the ball dead, ending the match.

Ireland's performance won’t worry England before their clash at Twickenham next weekend, when Italy goes to title favorite France.

From the kickoff, Ireland showed the intent that Farrell wished he'd seen more of in Paris last week. The attack flowed with wingers Robert Baloucoune — playing his first test in more than three years — and Lowe prominent.

Italy's defense was equal to the task, making two ruck turnovers. An Irish tap penalty was wasted when hooker Dan Sheehan was penalized for a high jump.

It took Italy winger Louis Lynagh's yellow card for a so-called deliberate knock-on to open a gap that Ireland exposed. Center Stuart McCloskey offloaded for fullback Jamie Osborne to score untouched. The easy conversion attempt was badly missed by Sam Prendergast.

As much as Ireland dominated the first 20 minutes, the second 20 was Italy's.

Fullback Lorenzo Pani spoiled a beautiful chip and chase when he offloaded too low for Michele Lamaro, who had only grass between him and the tryline.

After Ireland scrumhalf Craig Casey took a yellow card and bloodied nose from a passive high tackle on Italy's Lorenzo Cannone, Italy kicked to the corner, mauled the lineout and hooker Giacomo Nicotera scored. Paolo Garbisi's sideline conversion gave them a 10-5 lead.

Italy tighthead Simone Ferrari continued to have the edge on Ireland loosehead Jeremy Loughman and, near halftime, Italy's scrum shattered Ireland's. Italy waived the three points to gamble on seven. But the maul was stopped and the attack held up.

Still, Italy led at halftime in Dublin for the first time ever and was halfway to a first Six Nations win in the Irish capital.

The halftime lead lasted less than three minutes. Ireland sent a kickable penalty into the left corner and the lineout ball was used for Jack Conan to burrow over. Prendergast missed the conversion attempt badly again.

Italy should have retaken the lead thanks to sublime back play. Osborne had to make a try-saving tackle on counterpart Pani, then a Lynagh try was canceled after center Tommaso Menoncello ruined his lovely break with a forward pass.

That was Ireland's cue to send on Jamison Gibson-Park followed by Jack Crowley. The new pivots were decisive and sparked Ireland to attack from all parts. They earned the lead for the first time in 25 minutes when Baloucoune backed himself to beat two defenders to the tryline.

Crowley converted, added a penalty and Ireland was 20-10 up and rampant.

But Italy rallied again, and the scrum produced the rare sight of lifting Irish and Lions tighthead Tadhg Furlong off his feet.

Nothing else by Italy in the last 14 minutes was as stunning, and the visitor fell to its narrowest loss in Dublin in 18 years.

___

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

MADRID (AP) — Borja Iglesias scored in stoppage time, after having another seemingly good goal ruled out through VAR, to salvage a 2-2 draw for Celta Vigo at Espanyol in the Spanish league on Saturday.

A rueful Iglesias shook his head and smiled after having a 77th-minute goal disallowed when a long check determined there had been an offside infringement.

His frustrations grew when Ramón Terrats pulled the ball back for fellow substitute Tyrhys Dolan to score what he thought was the winner for Espanyol in the 86th minute.

But Iglesias equalized in the third minute of stoppage time when Pablo Durán set him up with his heel after a good run from Sergio Carreira.

“I think we’re doing a lot of things well,” said Iglesias, who felt he should have been awarded a penalty for the goal he had ruled out.

Celta’s Ferrán Jutglà broke the deadlock in the 38th after being set up by right back Javi Rueda, and Espanyol ’keeper Marko Dmitrovic made a flying save to thwart Carreira after the break.

Espanyol coach Manolo González made a triple substitution to rejig the home team, and it paid off when substitute Kike García equalized with a brilliant strike inside the post.

Terrats and Dolan thought they’d engineered a memorable comeback only for Iglesias to have the final say.

Espanyol remained sixth and Celta a point behind in seventh.

Real Madrid is hosting Real Sociedad later and aiming for an eighth successive league win to pressure Barcelona before the leader’s match at Girona on Monday.

After 23 rounds, Barcelona is leading Madrid by a point.

Also Saturday, fourth-place Villarreal is playing at mid-table Getafe, and Sevilla faces Alaves in a duel between two strugglers.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The recurring question of the season surrounding Kansas basketball has become the availability of freshman star Darryn Peterson.

The projected top pick in the 2026 NBA draft has missed 11 games this season for the Jayhawks, including missing the Monday, Feb. 9 win over No. 1 Arizona. Questions have been raised about Peterson's presence on the team's bench against the Wildcats, despite being listed out due to flu-like symptoms.

Bracketology: Latest March Madness projection a month away from Selection Sunday

When the freshman guard has seen action this year, he has been fantastic: In 13 games this season, he is averaging 20.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game on 48.9% shooting. 

Here's the latest on Peterson's playing status as the Jayhawks go for their second top-five victory of the week:

With the NBA All-Star Game this long weekend, fans get to see an exhibition of the biggest stars in the league. As Washington Wizards fans, well, we know that our team won’t be in it. But at least it’s an interesting game to watch when players choose to put forth a decent effort.

Anyway, this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey was about how you felt about whether you understand the tournament format of the game. Only 42 percent did.

This year’s format is a four team affair with three teams, two made up of American players (Stars, Stripes) and one of non-Americans (World). There is a round robin before the final match.

I like the format of USA vs. the World, especially with the NBA’s best players all coming from outside the USA. But I agree that the format is confusing.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

FanDuel is an SB Nation/Vox Media partner.

The Slam Dunk Contest is taking place today as part of All-Star Weekend and for the second consecutive year, the Spurs have a participant.

Last year was Stephon Castle. This year, Carter Bryant, the fourteenth pick of the most recent draft class, is joining the contest.

Originally created in 1976 by the ABA to gain viewership from NBA fans, the inaugural competition featured two San Antonio Spurs- George Gervin and Larry Kenon. Julius Erving, “Dr. J,” won the contest. They repeated the following year (without any members of the Spurs) before shelving the event.

In 1984, the NBA relaunched the Slam Dunk Contest as a part of their All-Star festivities. Edgar Jones represented the Spurs but did not make it out of the first round.

Three years later Johnny Dawkins participated in the 1987 Slam Dunk Contest. Dawkins, recently drafted by the Spurs, spent his first three seasons with the Silver & Black.

The following year Greg “Cadillac” Anderson competed in the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest. Like, Dawkins, Anderson was in his rookie season after being drafted in the first round by the Spurs.

After three participants in five years, it was another thirty-seven years before the San Antonio Spurs had representation in the competition. That was Stephon Castle, the reigning Rookie of the Year.

Thus far, the Spurs have never had a player win the contest. Carter Bryant represents the seventh player, but only the fifth since the NBBA commandeered the competition, and only the second in this millennium.

the Slam Dunk Contest takes place at 4PM CST on NBA and Peacock.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

It’s All-Star Weekend.

Give us a break.

Not really, we’ll still watch whatever happens at those events.

Mike Brown

On Diawara’s small details and flashes:

“There’s just a lot of little things when you see Mo play that make you go, ‘Oh my gosh, wow.’ And all those things, when you add them up to a possible opportunity, it gives you more confidence as a coaching staff to throw him out there and say, ‘OK, let’s see what’s going to happen.’”

On Diawara’s feel and instincts:

“In the summertime, you started to see his feel. His feel for the game is uncanny for a guy who is 6-foot-8 or however big he is and how young he is. Everything you try to teach him, he tries to absorb it and works very hard. He’s long and a pretty good defender … getting better. Just a lot of little things that you watch and go, ‘Oh, wow.’ All of those things, when they add up to a possible opportunity, it gives you more confidence as a coaching staff to throw him out there.”

On Diawara’s offensive freedom:

“If you’re wide open, let that thing fly. If not, try to touch the paint and kick it out. He doesn’t have the leeway that obviously the other cats on the floor have to be able to go create a shot for himself. Now, having said that, one of the things that Mo has, and I’m amazed at for a young guy, he has a pretty good feel of where his open teammate is. Like, he’ll drive and it’s not like Chris Paul or Magic Johnson where they’ll drop a dime and everybody says, ‘Whoa.’ But if he touches that paint, that pass is getting there on time, on target and it’s like a laser. So he’s got a really good feel of where everybody is and his height and passing ability, he’s able to make timely passes that look simple, but are really hard, especially for a young guy. So he’s got a little more freedom in terms of drive and kick than a lot of younger guys might have at that time.”

Mohamed Diawara

On the relationship with his sister, who drew him into basketball:

“We never played one-on-one. When I started really playing basketball, she stopped. We were never on the court together.”

On choosing basketball over soccer once he discovered hoops:

“I was like, ‘That’s the perfect match.’”

On specializing to stay in the NBA:

“I felt like if I wanted to have a long career in the NBA, I had to be good at something. So, I got to specialize in something. Three-point shooting and defense. Those are things that are going to make me stay in the league for the longest.”

On believing in his progression:

“Because I trust my work, and I’m not working for nothing.”

Josh Hart

On the Knicks’ situation at the ASW break:

“I don’t even know where we’re at.”

On Diawara’s training camp impression:

“In camp, I thought he was going to be real good. He’s young, raw and inexperienced. He’s good defensively, and he’s an even better shooter than I thought. It always looked good, but now it’s going in. I think he’s a good decision-maker in the pocket. He’s athletic and can finish at the rim, get guys involved. I love where he’s at, and he’s continued to work.”

On Diawara’s improved shooting:

“He’s an even better shooter than I thought. I always thought the shot looked good, but now it’s going in.”

On Diawara coming out of shell:

“Now that (Yabusele) is gone, he doesn’t really … all he did was speak French to him. Now that (Yabusele) is gone, hopefully that forces him to come out of (his) shell a little bit more. He’s part of the guys. We’ve got to get him more acclimated to rookie duties.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On missing his pregame ritual after the passing of his mother:

“Usually, her ritual with me was, I’d be doing my warmup lines, we’d run out, we’d go into our two lines, and we’d start doing our layup lines. My mom made it her thing to stand next to the stanchion and just wave at me. It felt great, being your mom’s there, nothing can be wrong. She got me. I remember that first game back in Minnesota, I kept looking and kept thinking someone’s gonna show up, and no one’s gonna show up, so it was a different feeling.”

This year’s NBA All Star game will be Jaylen Brown’s 5th. Jayson Tatum has been in 6 himself. Newcomer Nikola Vucevic appeared in two.

If they are back at normal health next season, I would expect to see Brown and Tatum back in the game. But will there be a 3rd member of the team to join them? And if so, who might that be?

The obvious choice would be Derrick White, who has been knocking on the door of the honor for a few years running. He’s clearly deeply valuable to this team, but too often his best attributes are subtle and don’t get the attention that they deserve. His shooting touch was a bit off early this season, so that probably doomed his chances. Perhaps a hot shooting winter next season could earn him a spot.

Next up is Payton Pritchard, who has thrived now as both a starter and reserve for the Celtics. He scores at multiple levels despite his comparatively diminutive size. He takes care of the ball and has a knack for getting buckets when the team most needs it (in particular at the buzzer in dramatic fashion).

Or could someone else leapfrog both of them? Neemias Queta perhaps? Sam Hauser? Perhaps one of the young wings takes a major step forward. What about Hugo Gonzalez? I know these are all long, long shots, but you never know. Ok, any of those guys sniffing the All Star game next season is a bit of a reach next season, but what about in a few years?

So what do you think? Who’s at the All Star game next season?