One of the most exciting all-star weekends in recent sports memory has concluded, and many headlines were made. With all due respect to the controversial judging in the dunk contest and the well-fought end of the All-Star game, many topics have already been thoroughly covered. Instead, OFD will take a look at 6 things which may have been less discussed and which piqued our interest. These range from very basketball related to tangentially related at best.
1. Pat Connaughton: Greatest White Dunker Ever
The controversy over whether Aaron Gordon or Derrick Jones Jr. should have won the dunk contest has rightfully swallowed up many of the airwaves after the contest was over. Aaron Gordon is probably one of the three greatest slam-dunk competitiors in NBA history and yet has no hardware to speak of. However, something else occurred Saturday night, something quite important to those with fair skin like myself.
Pat Connaughton was a multi-sport star at Notre Dame, an excellent shooting guard and ace pitcher. In fact, Connaughton had a top-60 grade in baseball, and was only drafted in the 4th round because of his desire to play pro basketball instead. Coming out of high school, he was a top baseball recruit, and basketball looked like his second sport. At Notre Dame, he built his reputation, and after his senior year, was drafted in the second round. The most shocking thing about Connaughton, other than the 97 MPH fastball, is his vertical. Measured at 44 inches at the combine, his was second-best in NBA history (since passed by Hamidou Diallo last year), shocking for pretty generic looking white guy from Massachusetts.
Connaughton now plays for the Bucks as a key piece off the bench of the best team in the NBA. However, when he was invited to the dunk contest this year, he went in as a clear underdog. Dwight Howard also looked unlikely to win, but he was a former champion, and Derrick Jones Jr. and Aaron Gordon came in as deserved favorites, with their pedigrees on full display.
While Jones and Gordon made the final, leading to the controversy many have discussed in the days to come, Connaughton also impressed. He finished only one point behind Jones, and his dunks were both stylish and impressive.
On his first dunk, he brought out the first of Milwaukee’s MVPs, Brewers star Christian Yelich. Dressed like Billy Hoyle from White Men Can’t Jump, Connaughton reenacted a famous dunk from the movie, showing his ample athleticism as well as an homage to basketball culture.
Next, to the horror of Bucks fans, Connaughton brought reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo out. Thoughts of an errant knee and a resulting concussion scared the Milwaukee faithful. However, the worries were unwarranted.
Connaughton managed to jump over his teammate, tap the ball against the backboard, and then slam it down. The judges rightfully gave it a 50, and although he didn’t make the finals, the Bucks guard took a different title Saturday Night. Best White Dunker.
2. Kyle Lowry’s Lack of Chill
The happiest person with the changes to the All-Star game? Maybe Adam Silver… lots of good publicity. Chris Paul and Nick Elam? Nick Elam created this system for ending basketball games, and Chris Paul was the NBA player responsible for championing it after he saw success with the format in the Basketball Tournament. My pick, however? Kyle Lowry.
This man is out here, throwing his body on the line in an All-Star game. Lowry, one of the best players in the league, isn’t suited for the usual high-flying, offensive show that generally typifies this game. However, with the changes to the rules, defense reigned supreme in the 4th quarter, and Lowry showed his unique brand of toughness. Is it any surprise that a baby that looked like Lowry does below plays this way?
3. Charity Kids Courtside
The aforementioned format change was ostensibly made to honor Kobe Bryant, with the proceeds from the winner of each quarter going to different charities depending on which team won. The two teams split the first two quarters, earning 100k each for their charities, and when the third quarter tied, the fourth quarter would determine which charity won an additional 200k. As if this weren’t pressure packed enough, kids benefiting from the charities were not only at the game, but actually court-side. Every basket from their team created cheers, while the opposing team scoring led to the kids being somber. Was it sad and a perfect sign of late-stage capitalism? Yes. A billion dollar league making a big deal out of giving away 400k based on the result of a game drips with a lot of condescension. But it was also darkly hilarious – it made me wonder what might be next. School district budgets being allocated by a baseball game? Put the superintendents right above the dugout. Nadal and Djokovic in another final? We can decide who gets the next transplant that way. God bless America.
4. Bam Adebayo’s Vegas Shout-Out
Bam Adebayo won the skills contest, but his awareness of Vegas odds won my heart. After winning, he first shouted-out his mom, reminiscing on the amazing journey he took to the NBA (for more, read Zach Lowe’s wonderful piece here).
Next… Adebayo went to the mic and started, “I just want to say something. I read a tweet that I was last to win in Vegas. So whoever bet, I hope you got your money. I hope you go buy yourself a Ruth’s Chris, Cheesecake Factory, something in that fashion.”
As someone who liked Bam’s odds enough to throw a little bit on him, thank you for dinner(s), Bam.
5. Nicolo Melli’s Cancelled Vacation
Nicolo Melli had a decade of playing in Europe before signing with the Pelicans this offseason. While he’s not a starter, he has recently been playing more than 20 minutes a game for New Orleans. Last week, he was informed that he would be replacing the injured DeAndre Ayton in the Rising Stars game. Most players would be excited.
Not Melli. His response? “Everybody knows that I wanted to go to the Bahamas on vacation a couple days,” Melli said. “So, I thought he (Pelicans GM David Griffin) was messing with me. I said, “It’s not true. C’mon. I’m going to the Bahamas.”
Completely understandable. Even as an NBA player, having extra work cancel a vacation must be a real bummer.
6. Drunk Isiah Thomas
Chicago native Isiah Thomas was an announcer at the Skills Challenge on Saturday night, and he came fully loaded. Barely able to pronounce the names of certain players, slurring through words, and finally saying “Do it for your daddyyyyyyyyy” when Domantas Sabonis was introduced.
Safe to say that Zeke wasn’t up on stage by the time the 3-pt and dunk contests were taking place.
Bonus: NESCAC to NBA
Also, bonus shoutout to Duncan Robinson. Despite not winning the 3-point contest, he got to compete at All-star weekend. At this time six years ago, he was playing for Williams. Not coach Roy Williams at North Carolina. Preppy, cold, middle of nowhere Williams. And so the dreams of tall, gangly white guys playing in the NBA continue.
