JORDAN Clarkson and Team Utah emerged as champions in the 2022-2023 NBA All-Star Skills Challenge on Saturday evening (Sunday in the Philippines) at the Vivint Smart Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Filipino-American guard along with his Utah Jazz teammates Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton ruled the event after topping two of the three competitions played namely the passing and shooting event.
It was the third time Utah players won the event since it was introduced in 2003, joining Trey Burke, who topped the event in 2014 and Deron Williams, who won in 2008.
âDoing it for Utah, man,â Clarkson said. âWe appreciate everybody showing up. You already know. This is putting on for the city and representing. Love.â
The rookies team of Paolo Banchero of Orlando Magic, Jabari Smith Jr. of Houston Rockets and Jaden Ivey of Detroit Pistons finished second, while Team Antetokounmpo of Thanasis and Alex and Jrue Holiday ended third.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Mac McClung, meanwhile, captured the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk title with three of the four dunks he executed generating a perfect 50 points from the judges.
McClung, who was signed by the 76ers recently from the NBA G-League, prevailed over New Orleans Pelicans sophomore forward Trey Murphy III in the tightly-contested finale.
Portland Trail Blazers’ Damian Lillard, on the other hand, took home the Three-Point shootout title after beating Indiana Pacers’ Buddy Hield in the championship round.
Lillard, who participated in the competition for the third time in his NBA career, finished the finale with 26 points, while Hield just fell a point short with his 25 markers.
Hield’s Pacers teammate Tyrese Haliburton, who finished the first round of the three-point shootout with 31 points, ended at third spot in the finale with 17 points./PN
