Spencer Dinwiddie gets fitting victory in Taco Bell Skills Challenge
Spencer Dinwiddie kicked off NBA All-Star Saturday Night with an impressive win in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge.
At 13-1 odds, Spencer Dinwiddie proved he belonged in the Taco Bell Skills Competition.
Not only did he win outright, but he defeated some of the NBA’s rising stars in the process.
Buddy Hield, Jamal Murray, and Lauri Markkanen all fell victim to Dinwiddie’s versatility.
It’s been a wild ride for Brooklyn’s point guard, to say the least.
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After all, he had to prove he belonged in the NBA, too.
Just 16 months removed from playing in the G League, it’s safe to say Dinwiddie is here to stay.
“It’s big for me to even be at All-Star Weekend considering the road that’s been in my career, very up and down,” Dinwiddie said, according to BrooklynNets.com. “There was a time when they didn’t think this was going to happen, so it’s fun.”
While some NBA fans might have doubted Dinwiddie’s skills heading into All-Star Weekend, Brooklyn Nets fans did not.
In his second year with Brooklyn, Dinwiddie is averaging career highs in points (13.6), rebounds (3.3), and assists (6.7).
It’s his heart and determination, though, that has quickly made him a fan favorite.
Y’all really do love me 😩🙌🏾 https://t.co/MQYIZOE3Xk
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) February 18, 2018
The former second-round pick out of the University of Colorado Boulder is not afraid of the big moment.
According to NBAMiner.com, Dinwiddie is eighth in total points (91) during clutch time, which is the last five minutes of a game when neither team is ahead by more than five points. That’s more than All-Stars Damian Lillard (86), Anthony Davis (78), and Giannis Antetokounmpo (75).
Nets general manager Sean Marks recognized Dinwiddie’s importance leading up to the NBA trade deadline, declining a deal that would have sent him to Cleveland for a first-round pick.
No player fits Brooklyn’s “Grind ‘Til We Shine” mold more than the man who has had to earn everything his whole career.
That’s exactly why Spencer Dinwiddie is here for the long haul.
Next: Sean Marks made right move at NBA trade deadline
He’ll lead the Nets into the second half of the season Thursday when Brooklyn visits the Charlotte Hornets.