Bringing Back All-Star Saturday Night
Start writing a post
Sports

Bringing Back All-Star Saturday Night

"Let's go home, ladies and gentlemen!"

4
Bringing Back All-Star Saturday Night
Vaughn Ridley

Once upon a time, people actually got excited to watch the festivities of NBA All-Star Weekend’s Saturday Night, even more than watching the actual All-Star Game. There are so many memories to look back on with a smile, like Larry Bird walking into the locker room and asking, “So, who’s coming in second?” or Vince Carter’s out-of-this-world dunks that led to the famous saying, “Let’s go home, ladies and gentlemen!” by Kenny Smith. But, for the most part, the 21st century has brought us some extremely dull moments that, for the most part, could be entirely forgotten about.

The Slam Dunk Contest, once brought to prominence by the many feuds between Michael “Air” Jordan and Dominique “The Human Highlight Film” Wilkins, became nothing more than a contest of “Who has the best gimmicks?” Dwight Howard came with a Superman cape, Blake Griffin jumped over a car, Jeremy Evans used two balls, and Paul George turned the lights off. While these were surely some great dunks, it couldn’t help but make us all say, “Eh, we’ve seen better.”

Well, it finally seems as if we can stop saying that. Last year, we were blessed with seeing the eventual MVP Stephen Curry break the record for most points in the Three-Point Contest and blow our minds away. At that point, we told ourselves, “There’s no way the Dunk Contest could get any better.” We saw some impressive stuff, but once again, that same old thought crept back into our minds. Then, a scrawny, nineteen-year-old kid playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves took the stage, came out of the locker room, put on a "Space Jam"jersey, and blew our minds away.

Zach LaVine would alley-oop it to himself, he would grab the ball midair from a teammate, get it from the side of the backboard, and he’d finish it all with power that could be felt planets away. He became the youngest since Kobe Bryant to win the contest, and became a household name for the show he put on. Rather than doubt, one question started to creep into our mindset: “Is Saturday Night actually good again?”

Fast forward to the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend. After being treated to a delightful Friday night with the fun Celebrity Game and the fantastic Rising Stars Challenge (in which LaVine won the MVP for), the time finally came for Saturday night. Karl Anthony-Towns made jaws drop as he became the first ever big man to win the Skills Challenge. At this point, it was safe to assume we were in for something special.

Then came the Three-Point Contest. After a long first round, we saw the champion Stephen Curry make it to the next round, followed by his teammate Klay Thompson and a nineteen-year-old rising star Devin Booker. Booker did his best, but he was no match for the true show of the contest, three-point specialists and teammates Curry and Thompson duking it out. Curry played no games, as he put up an extremely impressive twenty-three points. However, that didn’t faze Thompson whatsoever, as he put up twenty-seven points, tying the record, and taking the trophy to go home.

Once the fantastic contest was over, announcers were discussing whether or not the Three-Point Contest should just be the last festivity of the night. With such amazing players actively seeking out to play in that contest, it shouldn’t even be a question. Other than last year, the Dunk Contest was never a must-see. Who could possibly make it exciting again?

Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon, that’s who.

We all knew LaVine would put on a great show, but no one expected Gordon to come out and put on an (arguably) even better show. These two stars wowed the crowd and made me stand up out of my seat for the duration. It was a competition that rivaled that of Jordan and Wilkins, as fans all over the world were treated to back-to-back-to-back-to-infinite dunks that made us jump up and down. It truly felt as if these two dunkers would be dunking until the end of time out there. With a dunk from Gordon that had him sitting in the air over his mascot on a hoverboard...

...and a between the legsdunk from LaVine from the free throw line, this was a contest that left me with no words.

LaVine was ultimately awarded the trophy for Slam Dunk Contest Champion, but there was no question that there should have been two trophies out there. These two stars put on an unforgettable show that made everyone on my Facebook timeline talk endlessly about it. It was nothing we’ve ever seen before, without any gimmicks or lights-off-stadium.

For the first time in a long, long time, we were treated to words we thought we would never hear again: “Let’s go home, ladies and gentlemen!”

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71263
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133386
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments