The NBA All-Star game has been an annual basketball tradition since 1951, but in 2017 there was a real risk that the famous event would not find a home. Originally planned to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, basketball fans everywhere panicked when it was announced that the game had been cancelled due to the HB2 “bathroom bill” imposed by state officials in North Carolina, which prohibited transgender people from going to the bathroom of their choice. Ultimately, the decision was made to hold the event in New Orleans, Louisiana, a city well-known for its extravagant festivals and party culture.
The All-Star game promised to be an enjoyable event, and the build-up and voting for the contests had the same air of excitement. Zaza Pachulia, the Golden State Warriors center, was an unlikely candidate for All-Star status. An icon in his home country of Georgia, Pachulia overcame poverty and great adversity in a fractured post-Soviet state and achieved his dream of being a professional athlete. Georgians turned up in droves to cast votes for their national hero, and as many non-Georgians learned about his difficult past, they also voted for Pachulia to be a participant in the All-Star game. Their hopes were dashed, however, by the newly-enforced “Zaza rule,” which put a decreased emphasis on fan voting and gave press and players the final say on the All-Star participants, and that led to Pachulia narrowly missing out on representing his country in the event.
photo courtesy of Keith Allison via Flickr
The contests leading up to the big game, a mainstay of All-Star Weekend, did not live up to expectations. The high-flying Zach Lavine, who brought attention to the slam dunk contest last year, weeks before this year’s contest decided not to attend in order to keep his legs fresh for the second half of the season. Although Orlando Magic star Aaron Gordon, who also soared in last year’s event, suffered a right foot injury, he still participated in the dunk contest. However this year, Gordon wasn’t finishing his dunks and was visibly frustrated when he wasn’t able to recapture last year’s magic. However, new competitors such as Glenn Robinson of the Indiana Pacers and Derrick Jones Jr, the undrafted rookie from the Phoenix Suns, had breakout performances and brought some life to the crowd in New Orleans. Commentator Reggie Miller described Derrick Jones Jr. as “the best dunker you’ve never heard of.”
In the three-point contest, former champion Stephen Curry decided not to participate, also citing the need to rest before a tough upcoming schedule in the regular season. Similarly to the dunk contest, the three-point match didn’t seem to reach the same heights as previous years in the absence of some of the game’s biggest stars. In a shock result, the Houston Rockets’ new signing Eric Gordon walked home with the winner’s medal after an impressive shooting display.
The All-Star game itself was an exciting occasion, and was as high-scoring and frantic as in previous years. Though many had expected the Western Conference to dominate due to the relative superiority of its teams, the game was a close affair. The West took an early lead through the efforts of 2016 All-Star MVP Russell Westbrook, who scored 41 points in just 20 minutes. The East responded strongly, and before the second half actually was able to stake a slim advantage. The West was able to rally, however, largely due to the heroics of Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis, who netted 26 of 39 shots on the night to help the his team battle to a 192-182 win. With an astounding 52 points himself, Davis usurped Wilt Chamberlain’s 55-year old record for most points scored in an All-Star game, and his exceptional performance won him the MVP award and a standing ovation. A memorable event sure not to soon be forgotten, the 2017 NBA All-Star game showed the world again that New Orleans knows how to throw a party.
