Better skill set
Middleton improves in all-star competition
CHICAGO - For Khris Middleton, his first entry into the NBA’s Taco Bell Skills Challenge was all about taking baby steps.
The Milwaukee Bucks forward had twice competed during all-star Saturday night, bowing out in the opening round of the three-point contest in both 2016 and 2019. He didn’t win the Skills Challenge on Saturday at the United Center, but he improved on his previous appearances in all-star competitions, reaching the semifinals.
“A little bit better. Step in the right direction,” Middleton said. “It was fun to be out there. To make it past the first round and be right there close to getting to the final round.”
Middleton opened the eight-man competition against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder with a near-flawless run. He weaved through the obstacles, fired a perfect chest pass through a tight window, ran the court for a layup, then ran back to the other end and missed a three-pointer before making the second one.
Missing that first triple wasn’t too big of an issue for Middleton because Gilgeous-Alexander had been off the mark on all three of his pass attempts, stalling him for a few seconds.
“Tougher than I thought it was going to be,” Middleton said. “That shot’s a little bit different, that three-point shot.”
Middleton was one of four forwards to make the semifinals, joining Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Toronto’s Pascal Siakam
and his opponent, Indiana’s Domantas Sabonis. As well as the first round went for Middleton, the second was totally opposite.
“The second round was just all bad,” Middleton said, chuckling as he shook his head.
To start, Middleton slipped off the starting line. He was moving through the course well until he lost the ball dribbling across the court for a layup. “It just didn’t go with me,” he said.
When he caught up with Sabonis for the final three-point shot, Middleton followed Sabonis’ miss with one of his own. Then their balls collided on shot No. 2. Knowing he was a little behind Sabonis on the third shot, Middleton fired his ball at Sabonis’, hoping to knock it off course. That desperation toss missed and Sabonis’ ball went through the net, ending the contest.
Sabonis ultimately lost to Adebayo in the finals. Middleton, even in the loss, was all smiles afterward, especially when his media session was interrupted by Bucks mascot, Bango, who offered a consolation hug.
“It’s fun,” Middleton said. “Any part of all-star weekend is fun. It’s actually something as a kid I always wanted to be a part of because you get to see all the great players, all the star players come out, compete and have fun with it . ...
“I can’t go 0-2 on the weekend, so hopefully, we get a win tomorrow. That would make things a lot better.”
MVP trophy will now bear Kobe’s name
In the city where Michael Jordan reigns supreme in a god-like basketball tier all his own, the celebration of the 69th NBA All-Star Game is actually painted purple and gold in honor of the late Kobe Bryant, who along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others died in a helicopter crash last month.
Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys were among the most popular worn by fans at Wintrust Arena during Saturday’s media day and all-star practices. Parking attendants outside the United Center wore “KOBE” scarves, the referees will have Bryant’s numbers on their whistles and before Saturday night’s activities, commissioner Adam Silver announced that the All-Star Game MVP trophy will now bear Bryant’s name.
“That’s pretty cool,” Middleton said when he learned of the trophy re-naming. “He was a player that all of us watched. Definitely watched all of his All-Star Games. To have an MVP trophy named after him is going to mean a lot to a lot of players.”
Every player was asked about Bryant at some point Saturday. That includes team captains Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, whose all-star teams will honor Bryant and his daughter during the game Sunday. Antetokounmpo and his teammates will wear No. 24 in Bryant’s honor while Team LeBron players will wear No. 2 in honor of “Gigi.”
“Wearing 24 and LeBron wearing No. 2, it’s a big honor,” Antetokounmpo said. “I wouldn’t want it any other way representing Kobe and Gigi in tomorrow night’s game.”
The two superstars also offered their own insights when asked about Bryant on Saturday during media day.
“For us to be able to honor Kobe Bryant and his legacy, it’s a beautiful time,” James said. “Even in loss, it’s a beautiful time. … We know that he’s watching over us.”
Antetokounmpo, who also discussed Bryant’s impact on his life a few days after the tragedy, further addressed what Bryant meant to him Saturday.
“A guy that mentored me in the last few years of my career, a guy that was always there for me,” he said. “In the regular season, the playoffs, a guy that told me that whenever I need something, I could just reach out to him, and he was really always there. If I needed something, he would text me back, call me.
“Growing up, he was my idol. Not just my idol, probably the whole generation, a lot of people my age. For us, he was the Michael Jordan of our generation. He was one of those guys that gave back to the game so much, gave back to the players. A lot of people when they’re so great, they don’t do that. There was a quote that said that talent is worthless if you’re not willing to share it, right? And he was one of those guys that was sharing his talent with us, and he’s going to be definitely missed.”
Quotables
Antetokounmpo was asked if he felt “unstoppable” after his son, Liam, was born on Monday. He replied: “So now that I have a baby, I kind of feel sleepy. I need some rest. I need sleep. But, obviously, you’re in a good place. When you have a baby, it’s the best thing that could ever happen to you. It’s the biggest blessing, like bringing a life into this world.” ...
Middleton will make his second successive all-star appearance Sunday and was asked what he learned from last year’s experience. He responded: “The first year, it’s a whirlwind. You sign yourself up for everything and don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. This year, I tried to dial it back a little bit so I could enjoy it a little bit more and not get exhausted.”