All-Star 2018

Wheat Hotchkiss

The 2021 NBA All-Star Game may still be three years away, but preparations for the weekend are already well underway.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced on Dec. 13 that the league chose Indianapolis to host its 70th All-Star Game, the first time the event will be held in the Circle City since 1985. In the ensuing months, Indianapolis leaders have joined forces to create the 2021 NBA All-Star Local Organizing Committee to plan for hosting the NBA's signature event.

Pacers Sports & Entertainment President and COO Rick Fuson serves as chairman of the committee. The four co-chairs of the committee are Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever legend and current PS&E Director of Player Programs and Franchise Development), Cindy Simon Skjodt (philanthropist and niece of Pacers owner Herb Simon), Aasif Bade (President of Ambrose Property Group), and Rafael Sanchez (President and CEO of Indianapolis Power & Light Company).

That group headed to Los Angeles this weekend to observe and participate in All-Star festivities, gathering insight as they prepare for Indianapolis' turn as host city. Steve Simon and other members of the Local Organizing Committee joined them on the trip.

A similar contingent attended All-Star festivities in Toronto in 2016 and New Orleans in 2017 as the Pacers prepared their bid to the league. The newly-formed committee will also have a presence in Charlotte next year and Chicago in 2020.

"Everybody does things a little bit differently," Fuson said. "And everything that we can pick up — when it comes to signage or some hospitality thing that they do or the transportation or how they treat people in the hotels — it makes it a little easier for us to say, 'Okay, let's elevate to that program' or 'Let's beat it by one more step.'"

No one played a more important role in Indianapolis being awarded the 2021 All-Star Game than Herb Simon. As the NBA's longest-tenured owner, Simon was the driving force behind the franchise deciding to bid on the game.

Pacers co-owner Steve Simon said it was especially important for his father to get the NBA "to shine a light on the city of Indianapolis" after all the city has done for him.

The Simon family continues to play an active role in the planning process for 2021.

"There's incredible excitement, but it's also nerve-wracking, too, because every year at the All-Star Game, the bar is raised higher and higher," Steve Simon said.

"We do big events as well as anyone, so I think we're all confident we're going to raise the bar and bring an incredible event with great activation and great energy. But there's a lot of work left to do."

Fuson said he considers his four co-chairs a "dream team," with each member bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge from a variety of backgrounds.

Simon Skjodt, for instance, worked side-by-side with Fuson when Indianapolis last hosted the All-Star Game in 1985. Much like the city of Indianapolis, the event has grown tremendously over the past three decades, but the lessons learned from that experience still can provide value.

"I think the key is to have really good people," Simon Skjodt said.

That description most certainly applies to Catchings, who herself is no stranger to All-Star Weekend, having represented the Fever and the WNBA in a number of All-Star events over the years.

That experience has allowed Catchings to share insight about what makes for a good host city. She learned firsthand just how exhausting the weekend can be for players, who have numerous commitments between the All-Star events, media obligations, sponsorship appearances, and community service events.

In Catchings' opinion, Indianapolis is naturally a perfect fit with a compact and walkable downtown area, with most of the major hotels, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the Indiana Convention Center, and Lucas Oil Stadium separated by a half-mile or less.

Serving on this committee is a new role for Catchings, one of several committee members who Fuson said represent "a new generation of leaders in our town."

"I'm extremely excited to be representing Pacers Sports & Entertainment and the Fever and the Pacers," Catchings said. "It's not just NBA All-Star, the WNBA and the G League will be represented, as well. I think that's where my level of excitement is, being able to join forces with all of our organizations and put on a show."

This was the first time Sanchez attended All-Star Weekend, but he's no stranger to putting on big events. Sanchez served on the Indianapolis Super Bowl host committee in 2012, an experience that he said helps him "understand the big picture" of all it takes to host a major sports event.

For Sanchez, spending time in Los Angeles has provided invaluable insights into understanding everything that goes into hosting the All-Star Game.

"There's no substitute to seeing and participating and doing it yourself to just kind of visualize how would this work in Indianapolis," Sanchez said.

Bade, another first-time All-Star attendee, marveled at the scope of what transpires at the annual basketball showcase.

The committee attended numerous events while in Los Angeles, including the NBA Cares Day of Service at the LA Regional Food Bank, the Rising Stars Challenge, the Newsmaker Breakfast, All-Star Media Day and Practice, All-Star Saturday Night, the Legends Brunch, and the All-Star Game.

"Obviously as a fan, you're aware of the three or four things that are on TV," Bade said. "But I've been amazed in terms of all of the things going on behind the scenes and the reach that the NBA has…It's unbelievable the reach of the NBA and the WNBA. That's probably been the most eye-opening part."

When they return to Indianapolis, the committee members will compare notes from their time in Los Angeles and continue formulating a vision for what Indianapolis can do to push the envelope in 2021. But each member expressed extreme confidence in the city's ability to put on a great show, citing a long and successful history of hosting major events, including the 2012 Super Bowl and numerous Final Fours.

In fact, the 2021 All-Star Game will be part of a remarkable run for downtown Indianapolis, which in a 13-month span will host two Big Ten football championship games (in Dec. 2020 and 2021), the NBA All-Star Game (Feb. 2021), the Big Ten women's basketball tournament (March 2021), the NCAA men's Final Four (April 2021), and the College Football Playoff National Championship Game (Jan. 2022).

"It's embedded in our DNA," Sanchez said. "I think families come out and support it, they get behind it. People want to volunteer. There's all kinds of public/private partnerships.

"There's so much tremendous opportunity and I think it's just embedded at this point in the Indianapolis culture to put on high-caliber events with exceptional customer service and exceptional engagement from people from all backgrounds. It's what makes our city great."

indianapolis-committee-attends-all-star-weekend-to-gather-insights-for-2021

Indianapolis Committee Attends All-Star Weekend to Gather Insights for 2021

Editor's Note: Pacers.com's Wheat Hotchkiss is in Los Angeles for NBA All-Star Weekend. Each day, he'll be chronicling the Pacers' contingent at All-Star Weekend with a running blog from L.A.

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo realized a lifelong dream on Sunday night at the Staples Center, appearing in his first NBA All-Star Game.

Oladipo played 15 minutes, scoring seven points on 3-of-8 shooting and also collecting two rebounds, three assists, and three steals for Team LeBron in a 148-145 win over Team Stephen.

"Simply amazing," Oladipo said of the experience. "Obviously (it was) my first one, it was a little hectic, but I enjoyed it. It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to next year."

Oladipo checked in for the first time in the latter half of the first quarter and instantly made an impact. On his first possession, Oladipo came up with a steal and threw an impressive full-court bounce pass with his right hand to LeBron James, who then one-timed a dish to Bradley Beal for an easy dunk.

Minutes later, Oladipo knocked down a mid-range jumper on his first attempt of the night. Oladipo missed his next three shots, however, and Team LeBron headed into the second quarter trailing, 42-31.

ALL-STAR CENTRAL: Complete Coverage at Pacers.com/AllStar »

Team LeBron fell behind by 15 points in the second quarter, but then immediately responded with a 13-0 run.

When Oladipo checked back in with 2:21 remaining in the half, his team trailed by 10. But he helped Team LeBron close the half with a 16-8 run to make it just a 78-76 deficit at the break. Oladipo picked up another steal and knocked down a 3-pointer during that sequence.

Oladipo played the second half of the third quarter, dishing out three assists and also showing off the hops that have earned him two invites to the Slam Dunk Contest. Alone in the open court after his third steal of the night, Oladipo rocked the cradle for a two-handed reverse slam that drew one of the louder reactions of any play all night.

Nonetheless, Team Stephen maintained a narrow advantage, taking a 112-109 lead into the fourth quarter.

Oladipo did not appear in the dramatic final period, which saw Team Stephen go up by 13 points before Team LeBron rallied, cutting the deficit to one point on three occasions before finally tying the game at 144 on James' 3-pointer with 1:31 remaining.

Oladipo's teammates got a stop, but couldn't convert any of three looks at the rim on the other end. Former Pacers forward Paul George then fouled DeMar DeRozan, who made one of two foul shots to put Team Stephen back in front with 41.2 seconds to play.

Team LeBron finally moved in front seconds later, as former teammates Kyrie Irving and James connected for the go-ahead layup with 34.5 seconds left. After a DeRozan turnover, James found a streaking Russell Westbrook for a breakaway dunk with 10.7 seconds remaining.

Team Stephen had a look to send the game into overtime against Team LeBron's suffocating defense.

James was voted as the game's MVP after narrowly missing out on a triple-double. He finished with a game-high 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and eight assists.

DeRozan and Damian Lillard led Team Stephen with 21 points each.

"I think we put on a show," Oladipo said. "Obviously the end got very interesting. People were in it, the crowd was in it, the players were in it. That's what it's all about. That's what the fans wanted to see."

This was the first year with a new format to the All-Star Game. Instead of pitting the Eastern Conference against the Western Conference, fans voted for one captain from each conference (James and Stephen Curry) who then drafted teams from the pool of players voted as All-Stars by the fans, media, fellow players, and coaches.

The draft was not televised and the draft order was not publicly revealed, but many players and fans alike have campaigned for the draft to become a TV event next year in Charlotte.

"I don't see why not," Oladipo said. "It's up to the fans. If the fans want to televise it, that would be cool. I think the fans should vote on whether it should be televised or not."

Overall, Oladipo had nothing but positive reviews of his first stint as an All-Star and expressed a strong desire to make it an annual occurrence.

"I didn't know what to expect coming into the weekend, honestly," Oladipo said. "But it was definitely an amazing experience and humbling. It's kind of an infectious feeling. It just makes you want it over and over again. I've just got to continue to keep working hard so I can have that opportunity."

Mad Ants' Jones Wins G League Dunk Contest

Oladipo came up short in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night, but Pacers Sports & Entertainment did have a dunk champion at 2018 All-Star Weekend. Mad Ants forward DeQuan Jones, who was invited to training camp with the Pacers last fall, took home the title in the 2018 G League Slam Dunk contest on Sunday afternoon at the Verizon Up Arena at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Jones and the Iowa Wolves' Michael Bryson both advanced to the finals out of the field of five dunkers. Jones then defeated Bryson in the finals, which was held at halftime of the G League International Challenge.

"It feels good, man," Jones said after his victory. "I'm blessed and fortunate to come out here and represent the Mad Ants here at All-Star Weekend."

Though he seemed confident throughout the competition, Jones admitted afterwards that he did not have a real game plan and freelanced each dunk as the competition progressed.

"It's tough to plan certain dunks because somebody before you may do the same dunk," Jones said. "So you kind of have to have a wide variety of dunks. I was honestly just winging it."

For Jones, the weekend was a welcome escape from the grind of a professional season. His wife joined him in Los Angeles, as did fellow Mad Ants teammate Trey McKinney-Jones, who was initially slated to play in the G League International Challenge, but was a late scratch from that exhibition.

"It's wonderful," Jones said. "I can't really put it into words. Just being in the presence of great players, great coaches, great basketball minds, it's definitely an experience that I'll take with me the rest of my life."

2018-all-star-sunday-oladipo-makes-all-star-debut

2018 All-Star Sunday: Oladipo Makes All-Star Debut

Pacers All-Star guard Victor Oladipo chose to enter the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest out of respect for his injured teammate Glenn Robinson III, hoping to help GRIII defend the title he won in last year's competition in New Orleans.

But it was not to be on Saturday night at Staples Center, where Oladipo did not advance to the finals, finishing with a total score of 71 for his two dunks, putting him in fourth place after the first round behind Utah's Donovan Mitchell (98), Cleveland's Larry Nance Jr. (93), and Dallas' Dennis Smith Jr. (89).

"It was a blast," Oladipo said. "Watching those dunks, going out there competing...It was a good time."

Mitchell defeated Nance in the finals to take home the trophy.

For his first dunk, Oladipo attempted something that would have possibly gotten a perfect score if he converted it on the first attempt. He threw the ball up in the air, then tried to throw down a no-look, two-handed slam off the bounce.

Unfortunately, Oladipo could not convert the slam on any of his three attempts, though he did get impressive air, nearly hitting his head on the rim on his third attempt.

"I was too high," Oladipo said about the ill-fated dunk. "I feel like if I would have made the first dunk, I would have went a little further in the competition. But I was so upset about missing the first dunk, the second one I really didn't have enough energy for it."

The judges gave him a score of 31 for the first round, which put him behind Mitchell (48), Nance (44), and Smith 39).

Oladipo put a Hollywood touch on his second dunk of the night, getting a Black Panther mask from actor Chadwick Boseman (who stars in the title role in the recently released film). After donning the mask, Oladipo converted a two-hand, double-clutch dunk on his second attempt, earning a score of 40 from the judges.

"I'm the Black Panther," Oladipo said. "He's one of my idols. To be able to go out there and kind of send a message and show everybody how meaningful it is to me, I thought it turned out great.

Oladipo said it was easy to get Boseman on board to help him out.

"The power of the NBA, I'm telling you," he said. "You're able to reach out to people and people are willing to help.

"Chadwick was nothing but generous and very willing to help. It was awesome. I've seen the movie already. It was nothing short of amazing. If you haven't checked it out, you should go check it out."

Saturday was Oladipo's second Slam Dunk Contest. He also competed in 2015 in New York, where he finished as runner-up to Zach LaVine. Minutes after the competition ended, Oladipo declared that he will not be making a third appearance in the event.

"I'm done," he said. "This was my second time doing it. I'm finished. I ain't doing it no more."

He then added a self-deprecating joke: "I barely did it today, if you watched."

But this is only just the beginning for Oladipo, who figures to be a mainstay at All-Star Weekend. The 25-year-old will play in his first All-Star Game on Sunday night at 8:00 PM ET on TNT.

Oladipo Entertains at Practice, Media Day

Victor Oladipo is more than just a basketball player.

The 25-year-old has blossomed into an All-Star in his first season with the Indiana Pacers, but his on-court abilities are just a few of his many talents, as he showed once again on Saturday morning at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Between practice with Team LeBron and All-Star Media Day, Oladipo put together quite the performance. He danced with the Laker Girls at center court. He sang a few bars and promoted his EP, "Songs for You." He deftly fielded questions on a variety of topics from the profound to the absurd. And this was all just a precursor to the main event on Saturday night, when Oladipo will take center stage at Staples Center to vie for the Slam Dunk Contest title.

All of this led one reporter to ask Oladipo, "Do you ever feel guilty about having all the talent?"

"I was always taught if you don't share the gifts God gives you, you're wasting your time. So I'm just trying to share all the gifts I've got."

PHOTOS: Victor Oladipo at 2018 All-Star Weekend »

One of those gifts is a natural ability to entertain in interviews. Oladipo didn't disappoint on Saturday at Media Day, impressing reporters with his quick wit and candor for a half hour.

After showing up last night at the Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars game in a Domantas Sabonis World team jersey that even Sabonis didn't know how he procured, Oladipo played coy when asked about the lengths he went to to obtain the custom jersey. But he did confirm Sabonis' story that Oladipo offered his teammate popcorn during the game.

"Just to keep him going," Oladipo said. "He finished with a double-double after that."

Like he has ever since it was announced that he would take part in this year's dunk contest, Oladipo did not reveal much about his plans for Saturday's event. He did, however, acknowledge that he learned from his previous experience in the event (he finished as runner-up to Zach LaVine in New York in 2015) that he needed to prepare more dunks and promised he had plenty in his bag this time around.

"It's going to be fun," Oladipo said. "Just going out there trying to hold it down for my man (Pacers forward and reigning Slam Dunk Contest champion) Glenn Robinson, who couldn't be here (due to injury). I'm looking forward to the opportunity. Just going to go out there and jump as high as I can, see what happens."

Oladipo did reveal that he has discussed strategy with Robinson, who told him to "use my adrenaline to jump higher." He has not, however, scouted his opponents, Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr., Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell, and Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr.

"I already know those guys can dunk," Oladipo said. "I've seen them dunk all year. Some of them dunked on us. I was witness to that."

Since this year's All-Star festivities take place just a few miles from Hollywood, the topic of acting came up a few times on Saturday. Oladipo frequently posts videos of himself watching movies on social media (the "Home Alone" series and "A Goofy Movie" are among his favorites) and has been vocal earlier this season about his desire to be in a Disney movie, something he doubled down on Saturday.

"Hopefully they see this and they're like, 'Yeah, we need him in a Disney movie,'" Oladipo said. "Whenever they're ready, I'm ready, Disney."

Asked later about the script for a movie of his life, Oladipo said it would be called "The Feathery Life" (after his personal catchphrase/mantra) and it "would be an all-of-the-above movie," with equal parts drama, comedy, and action.

While he was up for the jokes and gimmicks typical of an All-Star Media Day (among other topics, Oladipo named his best four-man bobsled team and learned a couple of Japanese phrases), the Pacers guard and former Indiana University All-American was just as thoughtful when discussing more serious topics, like what it means to him to be an All-Star for the first time in his fifth NBA season.

"It's a blessing," Oladipo said. "It's definitely been really cool to come out here and experience this with these guys, some of the best our league has to offer. I'm looking forward to making this an everyday thing."

For Oladipo, it is especially important for him to be able to share this moment with his family, including his parents — both Nigerian immigrants — and his three sisters.

"It's just crazy because they saw me when I was five years old and I was just a kid with a dream," he said. "They've been along the journey, the tough roads.

"Getting traded twice in a year. Not having any college offers until my senior year. Only having one to Indiana. Not being great the first couple years (in college) and kind of just surprising everybody my third year. Then the journey in the NBA. They probably sit back and they're probably just as amazed as anybody else."

This weekend is also a temporary reunion for Oladipo and reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook, who were running mates last season in Oklahoma City. The duo will be teammates once again in Sunday's All-Star Game on Team LeBron and they shared a few laughs together at Saturday's practice.

Oladipo said the practice "brings back a lot of memories" and praised Westbrook's influence on his career, calling it "a blessing" to learn firsthand from one of the NBA's best all-around guards.

"I think the biggest thing I took from Westbrook was just his mentality and his approach to every day," Oladipo said.

Perhaps the most poignant moment on Saturday came when Oladipo was asked about the recent criticism of LeBron James and Kevin Durant by a news anchor, who said they should "shut up and dribble" rather than weigh in on serious matters like politics. Like many of his fellow All-Stars, Oladipo vehemently disagreed with the nature of those comments, expressing his dissent in an eloquent response that lasted nearly two minutes.

"It's like as athletes we can't do anything but play basketball," Oladipo said. "...It doesn't really make any sense to me."

In fact, Oladipo is one of the best examples of the diverse talents NBA stars possess on and off the court. There is seemingly no limit to what he can accomplish.

"Anything is possible," Oladipo said. "It might sound cliché, but I'm living proof of that...I've been proving people wrong all of my life.

2018-all-star-saturday-oladipo-steps-into-spotlight-represents-pacers-in-dunk-contest

2018 All-Star Saturday: Oladipo Steps into Spotlight, Represents Pacers in Dunk Contest

Second-year Pacers forward and the World team dominated Friday's Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars game in Los Angeles, rolling to a 155-124 victory at the Staples Center.

The 21-year-old Lithuanian — who leads the Pacers with 12 double-doubles this season — recorded another on Friday, finishing with 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting, 11 rebounds, and three assists in 18 minutes.

"It was fun," Sabonis said. "We just went out and most importantly, we got the win. It was a great time."

Pacers All-Star guard Victor Oladipo was there to cheer on his teammate, sitting just a few feet away from the World bench in a Sabonis World team jersey. The jersey was a surprise to Sabonis, who marveled at his friend's ingenuity.

"I have no idea," Sabonis said with a laugh when asked about it after the game. "I don't know how he got that because I only got one jersey...I guess he has connections."

Sabonis came off the bench on Friday, playing the second half of the first quarter. Even in an exhibition game, the tough-nosed Pacers center couldn't resist mixing it up a little bit.

Early into his stint on the floor, Sabonis chased down an offensive rebound, then drove to the hoop and drew the game's first foul of the night. He finished the quarter with four points on 2-of-2 shooting, four rebounds, and an assist.

Sabonis put together another strong performance to close the second quarter, throwing down a couple of dunks. He made all four of his shots in the first half and headed into the break with eight points, eight boards, and two assists.

PHOTOS: Domantas Sabonis at 2018 All-Star Weekend »

After checking back in the third quarter, Sabonis quickly grabbed three rebounds and needed just one more basket to get his double-double. That bucket came on a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:30 left in the frame, making the Pacers forward the first player on either team to accomplish the feat.

With Sacramento Kings swingmen Buddy Hield (the game MVP with 29 points) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (26 points) leading the way, the World team dominated all night. The international squad led by 21 at halftime, 30 after the third quarter, and cruised to an easy victory.

Celtics guard Jaylen Brown led all the Americans with 35 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Sabonis spent the fourth quarter on the bench joking with Oladipo, who he said offered him popcorn at one point, and Pacers trainers Josh Corbeil and Carl Eaton, who were the trainers for the World team. Pacers center Myles Turner was also in attendance to cheer on his teammate.

It was the second Rising Stars victory for Sabonis in as many as years. He represented the Oklahoma City Thunder as a rookie last season, when the World squad bested Turner and Team USA.

"Two for two," Sabonis quipped after Friday's victory.

Sabonis plans to stay in Los Angeles for the rest of the weekend. He will return the favor to Oladipo by attending both the Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night and the All-Star Game on Sunday.

"I'm the number one Vic fan from here on out," Sabonis said. "He better win the Slam Dunk Contest and he better put on a show for the All-Star Game."

Sabonis Takes Center Stage at All-Star Friday

All-Star Weekend is officially underway in Los Angeles and Friday is all about second-year Pacers center Domantas Sabonis. The 21-year-old Lithuanian took the court this morning at the Verizon Up Arena at the Los Angeles Convention Center for practice with the World Team in preparation for tonight's Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars game (9:00 PM ET on TNT).

It was familiar territory for Sabonis, who also participated in the game last season as a rookie for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For Friday's practice, Sabonis and his World teammates (headlined by the Philadelphia 76ers trio of Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, and Ben Simmons) took the floor for a lighthearted practice. Their coaching staff (the assistants from the Toronto Raptors) led them through a few offensive sets and shooting drills before the team split up for a halfcourt shooting contest.

Sabonis seemed at ease throughout the proceedings, joking with his international teammates and smiling throughout the day.

It wasn't too long ago that he was a young boy in Lithuania, staying up until 4:00 in the morning with his parents and brothers to watch the All-Star Game and dreaming that he would one day be part of All-Star Weekend. Now he has become a fixture at the league's biggest showcase.

"I'm just excited to be here to represent the Indiana Pacers and Lithuania, my home country," Sabonis said. "It's going to be a fun weekend."

Sabonis saw plenty of familiar faces on Friday. Team trainers Josh Corbeil and Carl Eaton made the trip to Los Angeles this year and were on the sidelines for Sabonis' practice. Sabonis even did a brief in-arena interview with Pacers emcee Kurt Streblow, who was selected by the NBA as one of the All-Star Weekend emcees.

Then after practice, Sabonis and his World teammates headed over to Jr. NBA Day, where they helped lead more than 1,500 youth from the greater Los Angeles area in basketball drills. Sabonis was joined there by his Pacers teammate Victor Oladipo, who will take part in the Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday and play in his first All-Star Game on Sunday.

Sabonis helped kids work on their post moves, while Oladipo led another group through running drills and played a brief game of one-on-one with Demarjay Smith, a young motivational speaker and trainer who frequently appears on "Ellen."

Oladipo and Sabonis share a special bond, having spent a year in Oklahoma City together and then both coming to the Pacers in the trade for Paul George last summer. They affectionately refer to each other as brothers and are particularly excited to both be a part of this year's All-Star festivities.

"It's very fun, just being on this trip together," Sabonis said. "I just saw him out there on the court (at Jr. NBA Day). Having my brother here makes it a lot easier. We're going to see a lot of each other during this weekend."

But Oladipo and Sabonis aren't the only Pacers players in Los Angeles this weekend. Several of their teammates made the trip to Los Angeles to watch and support them.

"I know Myles (Turner) is here, TJ Leaf is here, Alex Poythress," Sabonis said. "Just having them all here to watch us is awesome. That just shows how connected we are as a group."

After Jr. NBA Day, Sabonis spoke with media from across the globe in a 20-minute session. Though he grew up in Lithuania, Sabonis is fluent in both English and Spanish and answered questions in both of those languages throughout the session, transitioning seamlessly between the two.

Though the questions ranged across a wide variety of topics, many of them focused on the surprising success of the Pacers. Though they were essentially a unanimous pick to miss the playoffs after trading away George, the Pacers enter the All-Star break with a 33-25 record, good for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.

"I think it's the group of guys we have," Sabonis said. "We're a family. We come out every night playing really hard and trying to win games. That shows. No matter if we're down or the game's not going our way, we keep fighting."

Sabonis' individual numbers have also improved drastically across the board in his first season in Indiana. After averaging 5.9 points and 3.6 rebounds on 39.9 percent shooting as rookie, the 6-11 center is averaging 12.1 points and 8.2 rebounds on 52.5 percent shooting as a sophomore.

"Last year, I gained a lot of experience as a rookie," Sabonis said. "I played a lot of minutes and I'm just trying to use those minutes and that experience to my advantage this year."

Sabonis also discussed his father, Arvydas, an international legend who played for the Portland Trail Blazers for seven seasons and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. Domantas told reporters he always idolized his father and "wanted to be just like him," so it's especially rewarding to have carved out his own path to the NBA.

As for tomorrow's Slam Dunk Contest, Sabonis said Oladipo won't reveal any details about his plans for the event.

"I have talked to him, (but) he hasn't said nothing to me," Sabonis said. "We'll see. I think it's going to be a big surprise for everyone.

2018-all-star-friday-sabonis-records-double-double-in-rising-stars-victory

2018 All-Star Friday: Sabonis Records Double-Double in Rising Stars Victory

domantas-sabonis-at-2018-all-star-weekend

Domantas Sabonis at 2018 All-Star Weekend

admin

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2018 – Thirteen of the NBA G League's top performers were selected to form NBA G League USA and compete against the Mexico National Team in the 2018 NBA G League International Challenge presented by Kumho Tire. The first international exhibition game to be played during NBA All-Star festivities tips off at the Verizon Up Arena at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live to fans globally on NBA.com, the NBA App and Twitch and in the United States on the ESPN App. The game will also be televised in Spanish language on Univision Deportes Network in the United States and Puerto Rico and Televisa Deportes Network in Mexico.

The Santa Cruz Warriors' Terrence Jones, a first-round selection in the 2012 NBA Draft, headlines the NBA G League USA roster, which includes players from 11 NBA G League teams. Jones is one of seven NBA G League USA players with NBA experience, including Larry Drew II (Sioux Falls Skyforce), Alonzo Gee (Sioux Falls Skyforce), Aaron Harrison (Reno Bighorns), Xavier Silas (Northern Arizona Suns), David Stockton (Reno Bighorns) and Travis Wear (South Bay Lakers). The roster is rounded out by Taylor Braun (Salt Lake City Stars), Trey McKinney Jones (Fort Wayne Mad Ants), Rodney Purvis (Lakeland Magic), Rashawn Thomas (Oklahoma City Blue), Marcus Thornton (Canton Charge) and Devin Williams (Maine Red Claws).

Coached by former NBA head coach Jeff Van Gundy and his USA Basketball World Cup Qualifying team assistant coaches Mo McHone and John Thompson III, NBA G League USA players were selected by the six-member USA Basketball Men’s World Cup Qualifying Committee. The Committee is made up of appointees by USA Basketball and the NBA G League. Members of NBA G League USA will go on to play for USA Basketball in FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Americas Qualifiers against Cuba on Feb. 23 and Puerto Rico on Feb. 26 in Santa Cruz, Calif.

Also on Sunday, Feb. 18, five dynamic leapers will take flight in the 2018 NBA G League Slam Dunk Contest presented by Verizon. The preliminary round will be held at 3:30 p.m. ET before tip-off of the NBA G League International Challenge. The championship round of the two-round event will take place at halftime.

The competition will feature Aaron Best (Raptors 905), Michael Bryson (Iowa Wolves), Ike Iroegbu (Aqua Caliente Clippers of Ontario), DeQuan Jones (Fort Wayne Mad Ants) and Ike Nwamu (Sioux Falls Skyforce). Nwamu, a 2016 NCAA College Slam Dunk Contest finalist, is averaging 14.9 points and 3.2 rebounds this season.

The contest calls for each competitor to complete two dunks in the preliminary round, with each of the five judges awarding six to 10 points for each dunk. Dunkers will have 60 seconds to complete each dunk. The two players with the highest composite scores after the preliminary round move on to the final round, where the time limits and scoring system remain the same. The player with the highest composite score of the possible two dunks in the final round is crowned the 2018 NBA G League Slam Dunk champion.

Tickets for the NBA G League International Challenge presented by Kumho Tire can be purchased at NBATickets.com and start at just $10.

mad-ants-trey-mckinney-jones-dequan-jones-to-represent-g-league-at-2018-all-star-weekend

Mad Ants Trey McKinney-Jones, DeQuan Jones to Represent G League at 2018 All-Star Weekend

NEW YORK AND MIES, Feb. 8, 2018 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) today announced the top 65 boys and girls from 36 countries who will travel to Los Angeles for the fourth annual Basketball Without Borders (BWB) Global Camp. The camp will be held Feb. 16-18 at the Los Angeles Lakers' practice facility as part of NBA All-Star 2018, and Nike will serve as the official partner.

Five-time NBA All-Star Al Horford (Boston Celtics; Dominican Republic) and 2018 NBA All-Star Goran Dragic (Miami Heat; Slovenia), along with Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers; Lithuania), Timofey Mozgov (Brooklyn Nets; Russia) and Sam Dekker (LA Clippers; U.S.), will coach the top high school age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.

Horford, Dragic, Sabonis, Mozgov and Dekker will be joined by NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), former NBA players Adonal Foyle (St. Vincent and the Grenadines), Michael Cooper (U.S.), Acie Law (U.S.), Pops Mensah-Bonsu (England), Bostjan Nachbar (Slovenia), Mamadou N’Diaye (Senegal), Cherokee Parks (U.S.), Tiago Splitter (Brazil), Rod Strickland (U.S) and Ronny Turiaf (France), Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame members Jennifer Azzi (U.S.) and Ann Meyers-Drysdale (U.S.), former WNBA players Lindsey Harding (U.S.), Ebony Hoffman (U.S.), Ruth Riley (U.S.) and Michele Van Gorp (U.S.), as well as select players participating in NBA All-Star 2018.

For the first time in BWB history, the camp will feature nine current prospects from NBA Academies, the league’s network of elite basketball training centers around the world for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S. Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Canberra, Australia; Jinan, Urumqi and Zhuji, China; Mexico City, Mexico; Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India; and Thies, Senegal.

Current NBA assistant coaches John Bryant (Philadelphia 76ers), Ed Pinckney (Minnesota Timberwolves), Jonah Herscu (Los Angeles Lakers) and Will Scott (Los Angeles Lakers), former NBA head coach and 1992 "Dream Team" assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo, former NBA Champion head coach Paul Westhead, and USA Basketball coach Don Showalter will also serve as BWB Global coaches. Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Gersson Rosas (Houston Rockets; Colombia), Marin Sedlacek (76ers; Serbia) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors; Nigeria) will be the camp directors.  Former NBA trainer Wally Blase (U.S.) will serve as the camp's athletic trainer.

Players and coaches will lead the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, positional skill development, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and daily life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication.  One boy and one girl will be named BWB Global Camp MVPs at the conclusion of the three-day camp.

The camp will be officiated by representatives from the NBA’s Referee Development Program, which provides rising professionals and former players with the skills necessary to pursue a career as a referee in the NBA, WNBA or NBA G League.

The campers will attend Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars, State Farm NBA All-Star Saturday Night, and the 67th NBA All-Star Game at Staples Center.

Nike, a BWB global partner since 2002, will outfit the campers and coaches with Nike apparel and footwear.

BWB, the NBA and FIBA's global basketball development and community outreach program, has reached more than 3,000 participants from 133 countries and territories since 2001, with more than 50 former campers drafted into the NBA or signed as free agents. A record 24 former BWB campers were on opening-night rosters for the 2017-18 season, including Dragan Bender (Phoenix Suns; Croatia; BWB Global 2015), Thon Maker (Milwaukee Bucks; South Sudan; BWB Americas 2015/BWB Global 2016), Lauri Markkanen (Chicago Bulls; Finland; BWB Europe 2014/BWB Global 2015), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015) and Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks; France; BWB Europe 2015/BWB Global 2016).

The first-ever Basketball Without Borders camp took place in Europe in July 2001. Vlade Divac (Serbia) and Toni Kukoc (Croatia), together with former teammates from the Yugoslav national team, reunited to work with 50 children from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Serbia and Montenegro at La Ghirada in Treviso, Italy.

The NBA and FIBA have staged 52 BWB camps in 32 cities across 27 countries on six continents. More than 250 current and former NBA, WNBA and FIBA players have joined more than 200 NBA team personnel from all 30 NBA teams to support BWB across the world.

Follow the camp using the hashtag #BWBGlobal on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Find out more about NBA Academies at nbaacademy.nba.com and on Instagram (nbaacademy).

sabonis-to-coach-top-international-prospects-at-fourth-annual-basketball-without-borders-global-camp

Sabonis to Coach Top International Prospects at Fourth Annual Basketball Without Borders Global Camp

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo will compete in the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, the NBA announced Thursday. Oladipo will compete against the Orland Magic's Aaron Gordon, the Los Angeles Lakers' Larry Nance Jr., and the Dallas Mavericks' Dennis Smith Jr.

The Slam Dunk Contest is the final event of All-Star Saturday Night, which also includes the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest. All-Star Saturday Night begins at 8:00 PM ET (5:00 PM PT) on Saturday, Feb. 17 and will be broadcast live on TNT.

Oladipo previously competed in the 2015 Slam Dunk Contest in New York as a member of the Orlando Magic, where he was runner-up to Minnesota's Zach LaVine.

Pacers forward Glenn Robinson III won the Slam Dunk Contest last season in New Orleans, but was unable to defend his title this season as he recovers from left ankle surgery after breaking a bone in the preseason. Robinson's injury was a key motivating factor in Oladipo's decision to participate in this year's Slam Dunk Contest.

"I thought it would be a great opportunity," Oladipo said. "I think the biggest reason is Glenn couldn't really do it this year and I wanted to help him defend his title.

"It's going to be a great experience. It's going to be fun. I've done it before and hopefully this time I can come out with a win."

Last week, the NBA announced that Oladipo was selected by the coaches as a reserve in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game and was drafted onto Team LeBron. It is Oladipo's first All-Star selection in his fifth NBA season (his first with the Pacers).

Oladipo is currently averaging 23.9 points, 4.1 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game this season, all career-best marks. The 6-4 guard is shooting 48.8 percent from the field, 39.2 percent from 3-point range, and 80.2 percent from the free throw line. He ranks 13th in the NBA in scoring and is tied for sixth in steals per game.

He is the ninth Pacers player to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend (Darnell Hillman won a season-long dunk competition over the course of the 1976-77 season). Other past participants include Terrence Stansbury (1984 and 1985), Kenny Williams (1991), Antonio Davis (1994), Jonathan Bender (2001), Fred Jones (2004), Paul George (2012 and 2014), Gerald Green (2014), and Robinson (2017). Jones and Robinson both won in the years they entered.

All‑Star 2018