For most NBA fans, the week of Valentine’s Day signals the start of the regular season’s home stretch. The All-Star break kicks off festivities with a bang, but fans are also treated to competitions between the players.
The 3-Point Contest, NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and the NBA Skills Challenge all play an equally huge role in making the weekend event a true extravaganza. But who will compete in those challenges in 2025, as the NBA continues its efforts to expand the sport?
List of Players Competing in NBA All-Star Weekend
Dunk Contest Participants
- Stephon Castle | San Antonio Spurs
- Andre Jackson Jr. | Milwaukee Bucks
- Matas Buzelis | Chicago Bulls
- Mac McClung | G League’s Osceola Magic
Over the last few years, the prestige of the Slam Dunk Contest has declined severely. Many of the top stars in the league are unwilling to participate, making it a lesser event. However, with an influx of youth and the G League in the event, perhaps the showdown can regain its earlier glory.
This year, two rookies, Castle and Buzelis, who allegedly prepared his dunk package with Zach LaVine, and a sophomore, Jackson, are competing with McClung who is chasing history with a chance at an unprecedented third consecutive win.
Nate Robinson is the only player in league history with three dunk contest trophies, and McClung could be well on his way to making history.
This season, the NBA experimented with dunk scores on its official website, basing it on multiple factors like jump, power, style, defensive contest, hang time, and takeoff distance, among a variety of other variables as well.
Castle, the electric Spurs rookie, scored the highest mark out of the three NBA representatives at 96.6, while Buzelis and Jackson reached a maximum score under 83. While the same system wasn’t available for McClung, the two-time winner already showed us his capabilities.
But with two victories already under his belt, can he pull off something new and innovative enough to bag a third win?
3-Point Contest Participants
- Jalen Brunson | New York Knicks
- Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons
- Darius Garland | Cleveland Cavaliers
- Tyler Herro | Miami Heat
- Buddy Hield | Golden State Warriors
- Cameron Johnson | Brooklyn Nets
- Damian Lillard | Milwaukee Bucks
- Norman Powell | Los Angeles Clippers
With the prominence the 3-pointer has in today’s NBA, it is not surprising that the 3-Point Contest is the event fans look forward to the most. This season, a deep pool of eight players will battle it out, led by superstar Lillard.
The back-to-back defending champion can join Larry Bird and Craig Hodges in the history books as the only three consecutive 3-Point Contest winners. However, standing in his way are a plethora of specialists and All-Stars.
Powell, Johnson, and Hield all specialize in the long-range shot and Hield even has a previous victory on his résumé (2020). Alongside those three, four All-Stars are also joining the party.
Garland has the best 3-point percentage on the season, at 43.1%, with Powell trailing close behind at 42.6%. However, those numbers don’t always translate to wins in the shootout, as the difficulty of shots and the contest setting create a far different atmosphere.
Skills Challenge Participants
- Draymond Green and Moses Moody | Team Warriors
- Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr | Team Rooks
- Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell | Team Cavs
- Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul | Team Spurs
After two years of going with three teams of three, the NBA made a slight alteration to the teams participating in the Skills Challenge. However, the format for the challenge will remain the same, with no word from the league about potential changes.
Among the teams, the Spurs and the Cavs have to be considered favorites. Both have a versatile young big man alongside a veteran guard, making up for almost any obstacle that might come in their way.
Wembanyama, Green, Mitchell, and Mobley will participate in the second Skills Challenge of their careers, while the veteran Paul will suit up for a record sixth.
