Participants Announced For NBA All-Star Saturday Contests

The best basketball players from the NBA will be heading to New Orleans this month for the annual All-Star Weekend.

Participants for the All-Star Saturday contests have been revealed for Verizon Slam Dunk, All-Star Three Point Contest and Taco Bell Skills Challenge.

Aaron Gordon (Orlando Magic) will return this year for the slam dunk contest and will be up against DeAndre Jordan (Los Angeles Clippers), Glen Robinson III (Indiana Pacers) and Derrick Jones Jr (Phoenix Suns). 

Going back-to-back for the three point challenge is Eric Gordon (Houston Rockets), Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors), Wesley Matthews (Dallas Mavericks), CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Klemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets) and Nick Young (Los Angeles Lakers). 

The skills challenge has been reworked to feature guards against big men, pitting them in a test of their speed, ball-handling and shooting. We'll see Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz), Isaiah Thomas (Boston Celtics), John Wall (Washington Wizards), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Kristaps Porzingis (New York Knicks) and Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) compete against each other.   

The NBA All-Star Saturday Night events will take place 18 February.