[akhan786Participant]

1. Stephen Curry

2. Kyrie Irving

3. Tony Parker

4. John Wall

5. Deron Williams

6. Russell Westbrook

Great lineup IMO, I was hoping to see Kyle Lowry in here just so he could get more publicity but maybe next year.

I’m picking either Curry to repeat, or Tony Parker to win. My sleeper is Kyrie Irving. What about you guys?

[akhan786Participant]

Curry to defend title in Taco Bell Skills Challenge

By Official Release

Posted Feb 20 2012 2:26PM

• Official event page

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will defend his Taco Bell Skills Challenge title against a field consisting of Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets. The 2012 Taco Bell Skills Challenge will take place on Feb. 25, at Amway Center in Orlando.

Curry will attempt to join the Phoenix Suns’ Steve Nash (2005 and 2010) and the Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (2006 and 2007) as the only two-time winners in Taco Bell Skills Challenge history. This year’s Taco Bell Skills Challenge will feature an expanded field from five to six participants.

Curry, who leads the Warriors in assists with 6.5 per game and averages 17.2 points and 1.8 steals, won last year’s Taco Bell Skills Challenge with a final-round time of 28.2 seconds to beat Westbrook. Irving, the overall top selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, who also is participating in the BBVA Rising Star Challenge, leads rookies in scoring (18.3 ppg) and ranks second in assists (4.8 apg). Parker, a 2012 NBA All-Star, paces the Spurs in both scoring (19.4 ppg) and assists (7.8 apg). Wall, the No. 1 selection in the 2010 NBA Draft, averages a team-high 7.5 assists to go along with 16.9 points. Westbrook, the 2011 Taco Bell Skills Challenge runner-up and a 2012 NBA All-Star, ranks fifth in the league in scoring (23.2 ppg) and seventh in steals (1.9 spg), while adding 5.5 apg. Williams, the current record holder in the event at 25.5 seconds which he set in 2008 in New Orleans, is a 2012 NBA All-Star, ranks sixth in assists (8.3 apg) and eighth in scoring (21.7 ppg).

This is the third year Taco Bell has offered the Graduate To Go experience for teens at the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. In partnership with NBA Cares and the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens, each Taco Bell Skills Challenge player will be paired with an All-Star teen from an Orlando area Boys & Girls Club who has shown outstanding leadership and determination to stay in school despite personal obstacles. All participating teens will receive the Graduate to Go experience of a lifetime: a behind-the-scenes career tour of NBA All-Star; an opportunity to meet with NBA players; the chance to be on the court during the Taco Bell Skills Challenge to cheer on their NBA player; and an educational scholarship. At the conclusion of this event, $55,000 in educational scholarships will be awarded to the participating All-Star teens. The teen paired with the winning Taco Bell Skills Challenge player will receive a $25,000 educational scholarship.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and features players competing in a two-round timed "obstacle course" consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The three players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, which will also feature the Haier Shooting Stars, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest and Sprite Slam Dunk. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 7 p.m. ET from Amway Center in Orlando. The 61st NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 26, will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio, and in more than 200 countries in more than 40 languages.

Taco Bell Skills Challenge

2012 participants

Participant Team Pos. Ht. Wt. Stephen Curry Golden State G 6-3 185 Kyrie Irving Cleveland G 6-3 191 Tony Parker San Antonio G 6-2 185 John Wall Washington G 6-4 195 Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City G 6-3 187 Deron Williams New Jersey G 6-3 209

Past winners

2003 — Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 — Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 — Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 — Dwyane Wade, Miami
2007 — Dwyane Wade, Miami
2008 — Deron Williams, Utah
2009 — Derrick Rose, Chicago
2010 — Steve Nash, Phoenix
2011 — Stephen Curry, Golden State

[kngojcParticipant]

 I was surprised at how quick Curry was last year, but I don’t know if he can do that again when his ankles are so beat up this year.. I was hoping Rubio would be in it because something tells me he’d throw a behind the back pass just for the hell of it. I think Deron Williams or Kyrie win it this year.

[aamir543Participant]

Curry’s gonna win it again, but I wish they would’ve had Lin in there, but still a great group of players, glad they expanded it from 4-6, Tony Parker could sneak up on Steph IF he knocks down the Jumpshot, lol.

[kngojcParticipant]

That’s why Wall can’t win it, he can’t shoot to save his life this year it seems like. I don’t think Parker can keep up with these guys though, he might get knocked out first round. Westbrook is my sleeper to win it but I bet he tries to dunk fancy and loses out on time because of it (like DRose did a few years back) 

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

 wheres rubio and b jennings??? wow surprised, but i think Curry or Kyrie will win

[NbanflguyParticipant]

I think i read some where that Rubio got an invite, but turned it down. Dont know the reasons for it

[aamir543Participant]

 ^Rubio would dominate the passing and dribbling parts, but like Parker and Wall, the jumpshot would lead to his doom. Westbrook and Curry to me are the favs, but Parker’s midrange game isn’t bad, and he’s controled and he’s my sleeper pick. 

[I May Be WrongParticipant]

 I’ll go out on a limb and pick Wall as an underdog ONLY because I feel like his Rookie/Sophmore status really is going to motivate him and he may try to show out this all-star break (At least I;m hoping it lights a fire)

That jumpshot for Wall is going to be tougher for him than MikeyV trying to tweet his thoughts lol

[M-EazyParticipant]

People actually watch the skills competition?!

[fliptonnParticipant]

dont get too caught up on the shooting part its like one shot isnt it? theyre all nba point guards and shouldnt have a problem hitting an unguarded 18 footer. its just there as an equalizer

[aamir543Participant]

^I honestly like the saturday night festivities just as much as the game itself, of course the dunk contest has to top it all off, last year was absolutly amazing, but in 2010 it sucked balls. I’m waiting for Chase Budinger to steal the show.

[Hi its BenParticipant]

^ Yes, they do.

[IknoBall12Participant]

when mentioning the jump shot why are we putting tony parker in the sorry category with john wall? do any of yall actually WATCH him play? hes reliable from mid range

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

"why are we putting tony parker in the sorry category with john wall? do any of yall actually WATCH him play?"

Thank you.  Finally someone says it.  Tony Parker’s jumpshot is not terrible and it is not in the same sentence, nor the same paragraph as John Wall’s.  Do you guys really think he gets ALL of his 20 points off of layups and floaters?

[Author]

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