New York Knicks Kristaps Porzingis Commits To NBA Skills Competition At All-Star Weekend
New York Knicks Kristaps Porzingis will be taking part in the NBA Skills Competition during NBA All-Star Weekend.
New York Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis took the NBA by storm last season as a rookie. He was able to showcase his talents during NBA All-Star weekend in the Rising Stars Challenge. This season he will have even more exposure during All-Star weekend.
While he was not selected to participate in the All-Star game Sunday night, Porzingis will be a prominent figure throughout the festivities. In addition to the Rising Stars Challenge, Porzingis will be taking part in the NBA Skills Competition on Saturday night.
Shams Charania of the Vertical reported that Porzingis will be taking part.
Vertical Sources: New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis has committed to the NBA Skills Competition at All-Star weekend.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 2, 2017
Porzingis committed to the competition yesterday and will have a chance to showcase his array of talents once again. The NBA Skills Competition tests a player’s shooting, passing, dribbling, and agility in a time contest.
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The competition lasts three rounds and consists of eight players in a head-to-head bracket format. Porzingis will be on the side of the bracket with the big men; the bracket is separated into big men and guards/wing players.
Joining Porzingis in the big men bracket will be Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, and Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The guards and wing players taking part are Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, and Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz.
This will be the 14th installation of the NBA Skills competition and third year of the bracket-style competition. 2016 was the first time big men took part in the competition, and of course, a big man won; Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves took home the title last season. He defeated Thomas last season in the final matchup.
This will be the third consecutive season that Thomas takes part and second straight time for Davis. Wall will be in the contest for the fourth time in his career; it is the first time for the other five participants.
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While plenty of Knicks fans are disappointed that Porzingis will not be taking part in the game Sunday, it will be fun watching him partake in the other events of the weekend. Getting to see him shot off all of his talents in a skills competition will be worth tuning in to watch.