Since the beginning of the season Buzz City was alive with the idea of being well represented at All Star weekend. This was the first time since 1991 that Charlotte had hosted the game. The Hornets put on a wonderful PR campaign to raise the profile and unite the fanbase around getting starting Point Guard Kemba Walker in the All Star game.
Kemba entered the weekend averaging 24 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds a
game. He without a doubt has had an incredible year, cementing himself at 28 years old as the future of the franchise should be the Hornets convince him to stay. Kemba cemented his All Star starting roll and later received word that his was invited into the MTN DEW 3 Point Shootout.
Walker ended the contest with a disappointing 15 points and did not escape the first round of a loaded field that included Steph and Seth Curry, Devin Booker, Dirk Nowitzki, and eventual champion Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris. Harris edged out Curry in the finals by one point to take
home the trophy.
This wasn’t a contest that Walker was set up to win.
“I was a little nervous, I can’t lie, but I had fun,” said Walker. “It was great to watch those three guys at the end put on a show.”
Kemba had a Saturday filled with cameo pop ups in Charlotte. He started the day at 9:30 at media day and wasn’t finished at Bojangles arena until 3 in the afternoon with his team practice. In addition, this wasn’t really an
event aside from homecourt advantage that played to Walker’s strengths. Kemba is more of a jump shooter and relies on creating his own shot, as opposed to the many spot shooters in the line-up.
Bridges burst onto the scene in Las Vegas, and the dunk contest chatter began almost imediately. He combines his quick moves to the basket along with his thundrerous power to create electrifiying dunks. This too was a big a big stage for the Rookie from Michigan State.
His first dunk attempt included bouncing the ball of the backboard and trying to go under his right leg catching the ball of the rebound and finish with one hand. Bridges made several attempts but just didnt look like he had the hops to complete the dunk. Bridges scored a 33 on the first round dunk.
In his second attempt, Bridges paid homage to Larry Johnson with a gold tooth, and throwback Johnson jersey. He took at lob off of the side of the backboard, did a 360 and threw down a hammer of a dunk that earned a 50 score from the judges.
The star of the of night was clearly fellow Rookie Hamidou Diallo who should have ended the dunk contest after his dunk over Shaquille O’Neal , that ended with him hanging on the rim by his elbow and unveiling the Superman shirt he had underneath his Okalahoma City Thunder jersey, leaving the crowd and commentators in awe.
Diallo, ended up with the trophy overall as NC State product Dennis Smith failed to convert on his first attempt in the finals. Overall between the major upset by Harris in the 3 point shoot out and Diallo surprising folks as well, the NBA had a PR win Saturday night in Chartlotte.
