Fans merciless over disappointing Skills Challenge and 3-pt contest at 2023 NBA All-Star: "Ban the Antetokounmpo family", "No skills involved"
NBA fans basted the 2023 All-Star Skills and 3-point contests as they turned out to be major disappointments. The Skills Challenge featured three teams, the Antetokounmpos, Team Jazz and Team Rooks (Rookies). The event's marquee attraction, Giannis Antetokounmpo, pulled out shortly before the start due to an undisclosed reason.
Meanwhile, the 3-point shooting contest had multiple superstars, but it wasn't as exciting apart from a few moments. Damian Lillard won the contest. However, he got little to no competition in the final round from his counterparts, Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton.
Fans vented their frustrations with a disappointing 2023 NBA All-Star on Saturday night.
One fan wrote on Twitter:
"Ban the Antetokounmpo family"
@BR_NBA Ban the Antetokounmpo family from the NBA
Another added:
"Pretty sure this was just a Challenge, with no skills involved."
@ESPNNBA Pretty sure this was just a Challenge, with no skills involved.
Here are some more reactions:
@BR_NBA Watching the skills challenge https://t.co/GJZaBc2z7v
Run at Venice beach is literally better than the skills challenge
@NBA More like still developing skills challenge!!!
@ESPNNBA middest team won
@ESPNNBA Run & dunk family really bums😂😂
@ESPNNBA giannis and his bros are gonna keep doing this until they win huh
Team Jazz after winning the worst skills challenge in NBA all star history https://t.co/HO8BhpPWc9
@ESPNNBA Fans deserve a refund after watching that
Watching the skills challenge #NBAAllStar https://t.co/2zNbdWCoYD
watching the NBA skills challenge https://t.co/ZIRw7dOt8p
The rookies shooting in the skills challenge: https://t.co/ucJgRsBWkd
I'm Laughing At This 3pt All-Star Game🤣🤣🤣🤣 Just Crazy Nobody Popping Off TO ME
@Bulls_Jay Kevin Heurter made the same number of shots as Michael Jordan did in the 1990 All-Star 3PT contest. 😬
Probably would have been nice to see the current best 3pt shooter in the league in the All-star weekend 3pt shooting contest.
But hey, what do I know twitter.com/ThunderFilmRoo…
Skills Challenge and 3-pt Contest a massive letdown on NBA All-Star 2023 on Saturday night
Fans weren't impressed with how things played out during the Skills Challenge and 3-pt contest. The initial issues were with the participants. The Skills Challenge has featured the Anetokounmpos for two consecutive years.
Meanwhile, the tradition of the Rookie Team being participants also continued. Team Utah won the tie, but the lack of competition and skill level the fans craved wasn't on display. Participants struggled with the challenges, missing shot after shot and failing to get a clinical shift in during the competition.
The 3-pt contest was frowned upon when the lineup got announced. The NBA didn't pick players who led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentages. The invites were sent out to star players who didn't perform as expected.
Jayson Tatum disappointed after going first, bagging 20 points. Heat star Tyler Herro had 18. Julius Randle, a replacement for the injured Anfernee Simons, could only secure 13, while Kevin Heurter, one of the best marksmen in the NBA right now, could only get eight points.
Tyrese Haliburton tied Steph Curry's 3-pt contest record with 31 points in the first round. However, he went cold in the final, with only 17 points to his name. His Pacers teammate Buddy Hield and Trail Blazers' All-Star Damian Lillard were the only consistent performers in both rounds.
The Slam Dunk contest was the last event of the night and the most scrutinized before leading up to the All-Star weekend. However, Philadelphia 76ers guard Mac McClung and New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy salvaged the competition with an excellent showing. The former won the contest, bagging 50 points on three separate attempts.