The Skills Challenge has become a staple of the NBA All-Star weekend since being introduced in 2003. Some of the league's most accomplished guards and wings have participated, with past champions including Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade and Stephen Curry.
NBA Skills Challenge 2016: TV schedule, participants, start time and more
Big men will finally get a shot at showing off their skills in the competition.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA introduced a twist for this years edition: Big men have been invited to participate. Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Draymond Green and Karl-Anthony Towns will battle for a spot in the final round, where they will face one of Isaiah Thomas, C.J. McCollum, Jordan Clarkson and Emmanuel Mudiay, a late replacement for defending champion Patrick Beverley.
The event consists of an obstacle course designed to test dribbling, passing and shooting ability, including from beyond the arc. Until this year, the closest thing to a big man participating was the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2014 edition. But this season, the league's most versatile power forwards and centers will finally get a chance to prove their skills.
Green, who is shooting 42 percent on three-pointers, averages over seven assists per game and is used to running the break for the Warriors, is the favorite to advance in the big man part of the bracket. Anthony Davis appears to be his biggest threat, as he grew up playing point guard and has the edge on agility, but he lacks a three-point shot. Towns has showed that he can do it all during his rookie season, so he could be a dark horse contender. Cousins seems like a long shot to advance, but stranger things have happened.
Among the guards, Thomas and Mudiay will face each other in the first round. It will be McCollum’s and Clarkson’s first appearance in the event. Thomas is an All-Star and McCollum and Clarkson have made huge leaps in their games. Anyone could advance to the finals on that side and it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Here’s the bracket for this year’s Skills Challenge. Note that Mudiay replaced Beverley.
How to watch the Skills Challenge
Time: Saturday, Feb. 13. 8 p.m. ET (second event)
Place: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV: TNT
Streaming: Watch TNT
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