Column: All-Star events fun for fans
Published Feb. 19, 2008
Last weekend’s NBA All-Star Weekend marked every reason as to why star-studded extravaganzas are good for sports. It also signaled how a rejuvenated league intends to take back the national spotlight it has been missing since Michael Jordan retired in 1998.
It is hard to find value in MLB All-Star events, where sluggers slam slow-pitched baseballs, celebrities engage in a softball challenge and an exhibition game holds World Series implications. It is equally difficult to defend the Pro Bowl, where starters incur injuries and superstars bow out at the last minute because their feelings were hurt in the Super Bowl. But the NBA All-Star Weekend offers so much more.
Between the Three-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge and the Slam Dunk Contest, an array of different players and skills are showcased. Add a Shooting Stars Competition, including NBA alums and NBA and WNBA stars, a Rookie Challenge, featuring top rookies against second-year players, and a high-scoring, fast-paced, veteran All-Star Game. And for the frosting on the cake, the league drew the world to New Orleans, a city still in disarray three years removed from Hurricane Katrina.
Typical of regular season play, the All-Star game was high in shot count and loose with defense. 12 players scored in the double-digits, including local hero Chris Paul, who added 14 assists to his 16 points. Most Valuable Player LeBron James stole the show, however, leading the Eastern Conference with 27 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
And while each specialty contest did not disappoint, the Sprite Slam Dunk contest surpassed our wildest imaginations. A combination of creativity and absurd athletic ability made for the most exciting dunking contest in recent memory. Defending champion Gerald Green started the bonanza, blowing out a lit birthday cupcake resting on the same rim through which he later dunked the basketball. Six-foot-11-inch Dwight Howard, who became the tallest champion in the history of the event, soon stole the crowd.
In addition to three astonishing dunks, it was Howard’s “super” second dunk that will be forever remembered. While sporting a Superman cape and shirt, Howard took off, almost parallel with the floor, and threw the ball into the hoop.
More important than any athletic contest was the attention given to the city of New Orleans. Unlike last year’s debacle in Las Vegas, the NBA used 2008 as an opportunity to give back to the community. New Orleans’ All-Stars and fan-favorites Chris Paul and David West addressed, recognized and thanked the crowd of 13,500. Additionally, in unusual fashion, the halftime show did not feature pop stars or rock bands but instead acknowledged the city’s jazz roots and included several famous, hometown musicians.
The NBA finally gave fans what they desired: a humble flair and showboating on the court and a taste of a host city that still needs our attention.