NBA: Antetokounmpo brothers team up for All-Star skills competition
FILE – (L-R) Kostas Antetokounmpo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Alexis Antetokounmpo attend the 2019 NBA Awards on June 24, 2019 in Santa Monica, California. Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Turner Sports/AFP
The NBA’s All-Star Game weekend will be a family affair as Giannis Antetokounmpo will join forces with his brothers, Alex and Thanasis, to compete in the skills challenge event, the league announced Tuesday night.
Milwaukee Bucks leading scorer Giannis will highlight the skills challenge which will include three teams of three players each and will test the players’ shooting, passing and dribbling ability.
The league also announced the participants in the slam dunk and three-point shooting contests on Tuesday.
The Antetokounmpo brothers will go head to head with three players from the Cleveland Cavaliers — guard Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Rookies Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons and Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder make up the other team.
First-time winners will be crowned in the three-point and dunk events.
Chicago’s Zach LaVine will be making his third consecutive bid to win the three-point contest. He is seeking to become the first player to win both the three-point event and dunk contest in his career. LaVine won dunk contests in 2015 and 2016.
Orlando’s Cole Anthony, Houston’s Jalen Green and Golden State’s Juan Toscano-Anderson will all take part in the dunk competition for the first time, while the New York Knicks’ Obi Toppin returns after finishing second last season.
Cleveland is hosting the All-Star Game on February 20. The skills contests are slated for February 19.
