Last Friday and Saturday in Charlotte, the NBA’s 68th annual All-Star Weekend took place. The best basketball players in the world came together for 3 days. They competed in several  competitions among themselves. These included the All-Star Celebrity Game, the Mountain Dew Ice Rising Stars, Taco Bell® Skills Challenge, Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk Contest.

In the All-Star Celebrity Game, many famous people around the world participated in a 48 minute basketball game. The game, sponsored by Ruffles, included a 4-point line that would donate 4,000 dollars per bucket made to the Special Olympics. Coach Dawn Staley went up against Coach Sue Bird. Team Staley defeated Team Bird in a very tight contest that ended 82-80. The game started off with a 4’4” Brad Williams stealing the ball from the referee before sprinting down court to miss a layup. The second-quarter was a 4-point contest; with Team Bird and Team Staley each hitting 2. The 3rd quarter was demolition of Team Bird with Team Staley scoring 19 points in comparison to 7 points. In the last three minutes of the 4th quarter, Team Bird caught up, thanks to several 3 and 4 pointers. Before Ray Allen could attempt a game-winner, he was fouled, making the game out of reach. Famous Los won MVP with 22 points.

The Mountain Dew Rising Stars Game consisted of first and second year players divided into two teams: Team U.S.A. and Team World. Team U.S.A. demolished Team World with a score of 161-144. Lakers’ Forward Kyle Kuzma achieved the MVP award, with 35 points and 6 rebounds. In the first quarter, there was rarely any defense which resulted in many stylish alley-oops and deep three-pointers. In the second quarter, Bogdanovic hit two three-pointers, while Tatum hit three. To start off the second half, John Collins finished a baseline 360 lob from Trae Young, making the crowd go wild. In the 4th quarter, Trae Young hit three three-pointers and did a behind the back pass to Kevin Knox for the easy slam to end the game.

In the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, rising stars competing in an all-around basketball competition. In the first round, Nikola Jokic beat Nikola Vucevic, Jayson Tatum defeated Mike Conley, Trae Young sent home De’Aaron Fox, and rookie Luka Doncic routed Kyle Kuzma. In the next round, Nikola Jokic lost to Jason Tatum and Luka Doncic was defeated by fellow rookie, Trae Young. In the final round, Trae Young took the early lead, but Jayson Tatum hit a half-court shot to win the trophy.

“Trae was already ahead of me, I saw him about to take a shot, and you know I’m just here trying to have fun. I threw one up and it just went in,” said Tatum after winning the challenge.

The Mountain Dew 3-Point Contest featured Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, Devin Booker, Dirk Nowitzki, Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton, Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield, Danny Green, and Joe Harris. Joe Harris started off the contest with 25 points. Seth Curry scored 16, Kemba Walker scored 15, Damian Lillard put up 17 threes which eliminated Kemba Walker, Buddy Hield scored 26, Danny Green fell just short of the championship round scoring 23 and Stephen Curry scored a whopping 27 points to make the finals along with Joe Harris and Buddy Hield. In the finals, Buddy Hield had 19 and Joe Harris scored 26. Curry could not take the trophy however, as he scored 24, making Joe Harris the champion.

Harris said, “Just fortunate to be here, we were talking about it coming in. Just an honor to be here, honor to compete with everybody.”

The AT&T Dunk Contest featured Miles Bridges, John Collins, Hamidou Diallo, and Dennis Smith Jr. In the first round, Miles Bridges scored a 33, John Collins scored a 40, Hamidou Diallo got a 48 and Smith Jr. scored a 45. With his second dunk, Miles Bridges scored a perfect 50 with an alley-oop 360 on the first try. John Collins scored a 42. Hamidou Diallo had a perfect score by jumping over Shaquille O’Neal and putting his arm in the rim. Dennis Smith Jr. also scored a 50 by jumping over J. Cole with Cole’s jersey on. Him and Diallo advanced to the championship round. Hamidou Diallo scored a 43 by putting his eyes over the rim before dunking. Smith scored a 50 by jumping over Dwyane Wade. Hamidou Diallo scored a 45 by jumping over Quavo with a two-handed windmill; winning the dunk contest.

After winning, Diallo said, “I was a little nervous, he [Dennis Smith Jr.] is a great jumper, and he came out here and gave it his all. This was for my mom.”