All Star Competition | A few things to eat

This afternoon’s contest in Los Angeles was perfectly summed up in an exchange between Jalen Brunson and one of the NBC anchors. When he asked the Knicks star if he was having fun afterwards a victory for Team New York in the Shooting Starsthe leader answered with a simple “no”…

If there was enough irony, even provocation, in this response for someone who mocked his father’s involvement as New York’s official passer, many viewers would have responded the same way as they left the Intuit Dome.

As the California sun beat down on Los Angeles, 18,000 people (or nearly) decided to spend the afternoon inside the Clippers’ indoor arena to watch the 3-point shooting contest, the Shooting Stars and dunk contest. With the exception of the 3-point contest, the rest of the festivities lacked energy and spectacle.

Les + : Oakland, Jesus and Ludacris

The rivalry between Southern and Northern California has been invited to the All-Star Game. Damian Lillard and Keshad Johnson, both of Oakland, won the 3-point and dunk contests.

Kesha Johnson brought “The Town” style to Los Angeles, featuring legendary local rapper and Warriors super fan E-40 and busting out the Oakland dance moves after each of her dunks.

Damian Lillard, who wears No. 0 in the shape of an O for Oakland, was less expansive, but his return to the NBA courts for this contest was nice story of the day. A victim of a ruptured Achilles tendon during the first round of the last playoff against Indiana, the Portland star fed off the adrenaline of the competition.

“It was important for me to be here and participate in the competition, to feel a little pressure, to do something that I haven’t had the opportunity to do for almost a year,” he said after his victory. “Every day I get up early, warm up and do all kinds of shooting. I take hundreds every day, so I knew I could perform.”

Another image to remember from this Saturday is Keshad Johnson’s energy and infectious good humor. Uncommitted out of college, the Heat rookie credited his faith in Jesus Christ for getting him this far. Whether you’re a believer or not, his message of confidence and positivity is universal.

Finally, Ludacris treated us to a “mashup” of his biggest songs before the dunk contest to shake the crowd out of their lethargy.

–: Dunk Contest and Sequence of Events

Each year, the success of Saturday’s festivities hinges heavily on the dunk contest. If Mac McClung managed to breathe new life into the legendary competition during the last three editions, this year’s will reopen the debate about its interest if no star deigns to participate…

In addition to the lack of creativity, with several missed or uninspired dunks, Jace Richardson’s hard drop on the second dunk could have turned into a nightmare.

Jace Richardson nails a dunk like we’ve never seen before

Bouncing your head off the floor is INSANE

THE ENTERTAINMENT COMPETITION IS BACK

pic.twitter.com/JMiNKSp4hjm

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) February 15, 2026

For several years now, the 3-point contest has been the only real interest on Saturday. This season, the NBA decided to start the day with this competition.

Instead of building to a crescendo, we were treated to a roller coaster ride. Shooting Stars, with players progressing in slow motion, should be the first. The 3-point contest should be the highlight of Saturday’s events, at least until the dunk becomes a safe bet again.

The many parties planned for Saturday in Los Angeles should help drown out the mediocrity of the afternoon.

Comments collected in Inglewood.