Saturday night makes for some of the most exhilarating moments of the entire All-Star Weekend, as players assemble for some of the more unique basketball displays that fans see all season.
From the dunk contest to the three-point contest to the skills competition, there are plenty of exciting moments for the fans to enjoy. Another one of those special events is the Shooting Stars Challenge, which Russell Westbrook performed in this season alongside former four-time NBA All-Star Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and Tamika Catchings of the WNBA.
The trio had to hit shots from four spots on the floor – the block, above the free throw line, a wing three-pointer and a halfcourt shot. There were three other teams filled with a current NBA star, a WNBA star and an NBA legend, and the team who made all four shots in the shortest amount of time was the winner.
In the first round, Westbrook hit a three-pointer after Catchings and Hardaway made their shots, and Hardaway knocked down the halfcourt shot soon after, completing the drill in just 35.2 seconds, advancing to the finals. Unfortunately in the next round, Westbrook’s squad knocked down the first three shots but couldn’t hit the halfcourt shot in the allotted 90 second time limit. Despite falling short in the finals, Westbrook had a great time during his All-Star Saturday night, and vowed to try again next season.
“It’s not always good to start off well,” Westbrook said, with a cheerful tongue-in-cheek nature to his demeanor. “You have to be able to finish. Next year hopefully we can come back and try to get a title. I’m a sore loser. I don’t like losing. I’ll take this one on the chin and move on.”
Another special part of the night was the NBA legends that were in attendance that the Thunder’s four-time All-Star point guard had the chance to meet. Westbrook spent a considerable amount of time with Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell, and after the event, Hardaway offered his insight into Westbrook’s game and personality.
“Russ is very explosive,” Hardaway said. “He’s an attack guard and the type of point guard that attacks the entire game. He’s relentless. You see the way he throws his body around. He defends anybody, ones, twos or threes and if a bigger guy tries to post him, he’s going to fight him.”
“The way he plays on the court is different from when he’s off the court,” Hardaway continued. “He’s a very funny guy. He tells a lot of jokes, goes with the flow and switches it on when he gets on that court.
All-Star Saturday Kicks Off with Practice
No matter how many times the Thunder has players in the All-Star game, there’s still something special about seeing the incredible collection of talent on the floor all at once.
On Saturday morning at Madison Square Garden, fans got a sneak preview into what to expect during the All-Star Game on Sunday night, as the Western Conference All Stars held a practice and interacted with kids and families before speaking with the media. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were together on the floor, getting some shots up, going through drills and talking to everyone in sight. A big part of the celebration that is All-Star Weekend is the way the players not only enjoy being with one another, but how they give back to others who love the game so much.
“Really it’s just to give the fans a look into what we do besides just playing the game,” Durant explained. “They always enjoy it and its fun giving back.”
The Thunder duo learned a few plays for special situations and got some direction from the Western Conference coaches, but most of the practice was a fun display for the fans. Much like the show Sunday night will be, practice is about seeing the skills each player possesses and showing off a bit for everyone in attendance.
While the All-Star Game isn’t typically known for playoff-level defense, these games often come down the wire. One player often will get hot and start to dazzle the crowd, then the other team will try to step up and cool them down. When the fourth quarter rolls around, the competitive juices kick in and both teams go all out to try to win the game. Even though the game will be fun, up-tempo and light, it’s hard to quell the lurking drive and desire to win that exists within each player.
“We appreciate being here,” Durant said. “Everybody here is competitive but we also want to have fun. By the time the second half hits, you’ll see some tough, physical basketball.”
After practice, Westbrook ventured back out to Brooklyn to attend an event hosted by True Religion, a clothing line that recently named him creative director. The Thunder duo will then get a chance to rest in the afternoon before making their way to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for All-Star Saturday night, where Westbrook will be participating in the Shooting Stars Challenge, with Durant cheering him on.