NBA All-Star Weekend 2017: The Future Is Bright

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Feb 17, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; World Team guard Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets (27) celebrates winning the MVP during the Rising Stars Challenge at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Farewell Kobe. Goodbye Timmy. See ya’ later KG. The pillars of the NBA whom we all grew to love (and hate) have moved on. With that, they’ve taken the last of a generation. The transition from the Jordan era lead to these legends taking over and providing new life to the league. Now that they’ve retired, we look the LeBron James’, Stephen Curry’s and Kevin Durant’s of the world to give the people what they want.

In a few years, it’ll be time to wave goodbye to our present-day superstars and welcome in the young studs. As with age, it becomes incredibly difficult to imagine a league without those we grew up watching. But don’t worry ladies and gentlemen, this transition should be just as smooth as the last with this new group of budding stars. Their talent was on full display last night in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge. Although we witnessed a lack of defense (as per the usual during All-Star Weekend) we saw these “kids” do what they do best.

KAT’s versatility, Jamal Murray’s shooting ability, Kristaps Porzingis’ length and Jonathon Simmons’ athleticism were bright spots on the evening. We continue to see the evolution of the game from ‘back to the basket’ big men to those who can do it all. When a 6’11” Frank Kaminsky is nailing 9 threes, it opens up the lanes for the guards to do damage. We’re in the age of pace and space basketball where everyone must effectively do their job for offensive success.

We usually see Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis put up huge numbers for their teams on a nightly basis. It was good to see Buddy Hield (28 pts), Jamal Murray (36 pts, 11 assts – MVP) and Jonathon Simmons (19 pts) shake loose. During All-Star weekend, we’re lucky to get a glimpse into the personalities of these newcomers. We also get to witness the interactions with both their fans and their peers. Our “old-school” may be slightly fading, but the future is bright!

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