From humble beginnings to Mt. Olympus, Wai Sallas takes us through a time warp. From Dr. J to The Beard, Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!
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Much like the three-point line and the afro, All-Star Saturday night was one of the cultural phenomenons that followed the ABA to the NBA.
It all started in the 70s, when an unknown medical school drop out stumbled onto the court during the ABA All-Star game halftime show. The man, they called Dr. J disobeyed every ordinance in the rule book. He spit in the face of Sir Isaac Newton. He did not acquiesce to the laws of gravity.
Of course, none of that is true. Except for the part where Julius Erving – in a moment that shall live forever- did defy gravity for a few split seconds. His free throw line dunk spawned what we now know as All-Star Saturday Night.
While the level of talent has dropped off a lot since its heyday. The Slam Dunk Competition was must watch TV from its inception in 1984.
It gave us such names as the Human Highlight Film.
Air.
And Vinsanity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16gt6uAai9U
To this day, people still speak of Vince Carter’s appearance in the dunk contest with the same reverence as Neil Armstrong’s first steps and Michael Jackson’s moonwalk.
Somewhere along the way though, NBA’s elite decided the Slam Dunk competition on Saturday Night should be thrown out, like Friendster and Betamax.
Now we’re left with this:
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To make up for the lack of star power, the NBA has tried numerous attention grabbers to keep the viewer interested. Who could forget the race of the century?
We’ve had legend’s games, which had to be stopped because too many people were ending up in the hospital. The NBA tried a game of H.O.R.S.E. It seems though the NBA has finally dialed in on its set list. The finale still being the Slam Dunk Competition. The night begins with Shooting Stars competition where an NBA legend, a current NBA player and a WNBA player attempt to make shots from everywhere including half court. It’s absolutely riveting. Here’s a shot of the crowd at last year’s game. (Hey! Wake up Notorious RBG!)
Then we have the Skills Challenge, where the league’s top perimeter players go through a set of obstacles, including dribbling, passing and making a layup.
Here’s last year’s winner
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The one event that has gotten better as the year’s have passed is the one event that hasn’t changed its format. The Three Point Contest is now the Heavyweight Champion of the World. A contest that used to feature share shooter role players who made threes like free throws…
…now intrigues the best from the NBA, and it all started wit The Legend.
This year will be no different as arguably the best backcourt in the NBA, Golden State’s Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry (AKA “The Splash Brothers”) will gun from long range. Joining them will be the best shooting guard in the NBA, James Harden. All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kyle Korver will also be lacing them up for the marquee event.
Then after that’s over, watch this instead of this year’s slam dunk competition.
Like there’s anything else happening on February 14th.
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Photo Credit: flickr/tuki_knicks