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NBA All-Star Weekend Preview: Where Can You Catch Kyle Lowry?

By Kevin Nimmock

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Today, Kyle Lowry travelled to New York City to participate in NBA All-Star Weekend. From Feb. 13-15, the brightest stars of the NBA world will gather to compete in a variety of different (heavily sponsored) events. So, let’s gear up for the weekend, with special attention to what Lowry will be doing.

Feb. 13

Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game: Some celebrities who can play basketball and some who simply think they can will duke it out in the NBA’s slowest showcase event. The game is always a fun time, as celebrities mix joking around and seriously competing. This year’s roster has some really interesting names, including Kevin Hart, Mo’ne Davis, Ansel Elgort, Common and Michael Rapaport. Hart is a three-time MVP of the event, know for his competitive grit and passion, despite a general lack of skill. Plus, Davis, who is only in eighth-grade, will be a pleasure to watch. She is arguably the most famous youth-athlete, after she played dominantly during the Little League World Series.

BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge: The best young players from the U.S. will take on the rest of the world, in a showcase of rookie and sophomore skill. The rosters for both teams this year look pretty enticing, with legitimate stars facing-off. The World Team includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dante Exum and Nikola Mirotic. The U.S. Team includes Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel and Victor Oladipo. Also, special shout-out to Canadian up-and-comers Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Olynyk. Hopefully they can make the North proud.

Feb. 14

Degree Shooting Stars: Chris Bosh, Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and four-time WNBA All-Star Swin Cash will attempt to win this event for the third consecutive year. The event includes four numbered shooting locations of increasing distance, with each team attempting to make all shots in numeric order in the fastest time. There are four teams, each of which has a current NBA star, a WNBA star, and a retired NBA legend. Bosh’s biggest competition could come from Steph Curry, his father Dell Curry, and Sue Bird. At what point will we get to see Kyle Lowry compete in this event alongside a (soon to be) retired legend like Steve Nash? 

Taco Bell Skills Challenge: This will be the first chance for Raptors fans to see Lowry in action. He will compete against the likes of Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague and Isaiah Thomas. The event will have a one-on-one, bracket-style structure for the first time ever. Lowry is set to battle Butler in the first round of the event, which is essentially a basketball obstacle course. On speed alone, Lowry should have the leg up.

Foot Locker Three-Point Contest: One of the most cherished All-Star events, the Three-Point Contest offers a rich field this year, full of the potential for captivating storylines. Can Curry comeback from last year’s poor performance? Can Kyle Korver show why he is being called the best 3-point shooter in the league this season? Can Marco Belinelli repeat as champion? Only time will tell. I think Curry has a good shot, though.

Sprite Slam Dunk: As always, Saturday evening will close with some dunks. Thankfully, this year’s contest will return to the classic format, in which contestants will compete individually in front of a panel of five judges. It seems like a weaker field this year, with Victor Oladipo, Mason Plumlee, Zach Lavine and Giannis Antetokounmpo duking it out for high-flying supremacy. Antetokounmpo seems to have the leg up, as he is known for freakish athleticism. Who knows what he will come up with to impress the crowd and the judges? That’s half the fun.

Feb. 15

NBA All-Star Game: Finally, the big show. Raptors fans will get a chance to watch Lowry play with the league’s best and see how he compares. Lowry will be starting for the Eastern Conference team, alongside John Wall, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Pau Gasol. Lowry should have a lot of chances to showcase his elite skills, including his flashy inside finishes and his speed off the dribble. It should be a real coming-out party for the 8-year veteran, since he has spent much of his career being overlooked. This season, he has led one of the NBA’s best teams, earning all the praise he will receive during the game. It will be a pleasure to see him play alongside Wall, who is also having a career-best season in Washington.

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