The NBA will hold a scaled-down version of All-Star Game festivities next month, and one event from the traditionally action-packed weekend that won’t be held during the compressed one-night star-studded spectacle is the Rising Stars Challenge.
Multiple reports, including a tweeted dispatch from Fred Katz, Washington Wizards beat writer for The Athletic, also relay that while the annual exhibition that showcases some of the league’s best and brightest young players won’t be played, rosters will be still announced on March 3.
Going forward with All-Star Game festivities despite the NBA previously postponing the event due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has generated a significant amount of controversy.
While the league insists a “mini-bubble” will be implemented on March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta to ensure player safety, several notable stars — including LeBron James, Bradley Beal and Giannis Antetokounmpo, not to mention Karl-Anthony Towns — have questioned the wisdom of holding the event.
Despite the backlash and controversy surrounding the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, some buzz is being generated due to the belief that the Three-Point Shootout and Slam Dunk Contest may benefit from the injection of some serious star power into the annual skills competitions.
