What did the NBA’s stars consider All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City_
ent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Damian Lillard, Portland Path Blazers (0) wins the 3-Level Contest as a part of NBA All-Star Weekend, in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.
When Michael Jordan turned the main vote-getter for the 1993 NBA All-Star Sport, His Airness aired a grievance: He didn’t actually need to spend his midseason break in Utah.
A number of issues have modified within the 30 years since then, although.
Jordan acquired about 1 million votes (on paper ballots) because the league’s largest star that 12 months. This 12 months, LeBron James obtained about 8 million from all over the world.
“When it comes to the magnitude of All-Star, that is our largest in our historical past,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned, touting all-time information for the weekend’s estimated financial influence, the variety of lodge nights for the occasion, and the variety of followers in attendance.
Salt Lake has modified somewhat in these 30 years, too.
“I like shedding gentle on cities that lots of people most likely don’t perceive,” mentioned DeMar DeRozan, the All-Star guard from this 12 months’s Chicago Bulls squad. “It’s a nice metropolis. It’s cool to have the ability to expertise it. ”
Late on a Friday night time, within the aftermath of the Rising Stars sport, Sacramento Kings taking pictures guard Kevin Huerter stood out within the chilly plotting his vacation spot for the night time.
What does an NBA participant do in Salt Lake Metropolis on an evening off?
Admittedly, Huerter mentioned he didn’t have a lot expertise in Utah apart from a staff dinner at Valter’s Osteria. So he went with what he knew, spending his night time down the road from Vivint Enviornment on the Italian restaurant that has lengthy been beloved by NBA personalities, together with Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr.
“It’s actually the one place I do know right here,” Huerter mentioned. “However Salt Lake has been nice. It has been enjoyable.”
Huerter was like many NBA gamers this weekend who had been attempting to navigate life in Salt Lake for All-Star weekend. It’s a metropolis that has notoriously drawn criticism from NBA gamers for an absence of nightlife prior to now. Sure gamers on the Golden State Warriors as soon as mentioned they wished to play the Los Angeles Clippers reasonably than the Jazz within the 2017 playoffs due to an absence of leisure.
On TNT’s broadcast of Sunday night time’s All-Star sport, NBA legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal appeared to agree with that concept.
“These folks going to heaven,” Barkley mentioned. “Ain’t nothing to do on this boring a– metropolis.”
O’Neal seemingly agreed, saying he by no means “ate a lot room service in [his] life.”
However because the league’s mid-season showcase converged onto Utah for the primary time in 30 years, different gamers mentioned the status didn’t totally match actuality.
“The love is intense right here,” Memphis All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. mentioned. “They positively care concerning the gamers. The ovation for [Jazz player Walker Kessler] was loopy. Everyone has been very welcoming.”
DeRozan spent his nights in Utah along with his youngsters. “I’m a chill individual, don’t actually exit,” he mentioned.
However there was loads to do and see in downtown Salt Lake Metropolis over the previous few days.
The rapper Travis Scott hosted a snowboarding competitors at The Gateway. There have been concert events that includes artists Wiz Khalifa and Chloe Bailey, and a comedy present placed on by former Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
Jazz proprietor Ryan Smith made it clear he wished this weekend to change the notion of the state.
“I believe we need to present each child that different folks suppose their state’s cool,” Smith mentioned.
One one that didn’t want convincing was Portland Path Blazer Damian Lillard.
“I imply, actually, it’s enjoyable for me,” mentioned Lillard, who wore a Weber State jersey whereas profitable the weekend’s 3-point contest. “I believe I at all times make my approach again right here as a result of I spend a lot time right here. I do know so many individuals right here, so many nice reminiscences right here. To have the ability to be in my eleventh 12 months and to be a seven-time All-Star and to have this expertise right here the place loads of the folks that noticed me form of blossom from the start, for them to see me at this level and at this stage of my profession and as a person, it’s fairly particular.”
It was additionally particular for Utah Jazz rookie Walker Kessler, who together with teammates Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, received the NBA’s expertise problem on Saturday night time.
“It’s cool to listen to your title referred to as and the Salt Lake Metropolis crowd cheer. I couldn’t ask for a greater fanbase — tremendous, tremendous grateful it’s right here. Humorous how one thing works like that. I’m getting somewhat choked up,” Kessler mentioned.
Depend Scoot Henderson, who many anticipate to be the second participant taken on this 12 months’s NBA Draft, among the many younger stars who loved his time in Utah.
“It’s been an superior weekend in Salt Lake. It was an ideal expertise,” Henderson mentioned. “I’ve been right here most likely as soon as. You already know, I didn’t actually, , exit of the lodge then. So simply having the All-Star weekend right here. I believe it was fairly good. It turned out properly.”
Indiana Pacers rookie Andrew Nembhard indicated he was wanting ahead to coming again to Utah. Relationship again to his dent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Damian Lillard, Portland Path Blazers (0) wins the 3-Level Contest as a part of NBA All-Star Weekend, in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.
When Michael Jordan turned the main vote-getter for the 1993 NBA All-Star Sport, His Airness aired a grievance: He didn’t actually need to spend his midseason break in Utah.
A number of issues have modified within the 30 years since then, although.
Jordan acquired about 1 million votes (on paper ballots) because the league’s largest star that 12 months. This 12 months, LeBron James obtained about 8 million from all over the world.
“When it comes to the magnitude of All-Star, that is our largest in our historical past,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned, touting all-time information for the weekend’s estimated financial influence, the variety of lodge nights for the occasion, and the variety of followers in attendance.
Salt Lake has modified somewhat in these 30 years, too.
“I like shedding gentle on cities that lots of people most likely don’t perceive,” mentioned DeMar DeRozan, the All-Star guard from this 12 months’s Chicago Bulls squad. “It’s a nice metropolis. It’s cool to have the ability to expertise it. ”
Late on a Friday night time, within the aftermath of the Rising Stars sport, Sacramento Kings taking pictures guard Kevin Huerter stood out within the chilly plotting his vacation spot for the night time.
What does an NBA participant do in Salt Lake Metropolis on an evening off?
Admittedly, Huerter mentioned he didn’t have a lot expertise in Utah apart from a staff dinner at Valter’s Osteria. So he went with what he knew, spending his night time down the road from Vivint Enviornment on the Italian restaurant that has lengthy been beloved by NBA personalities, together with Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr.
“It’s actually the one place I do know right here,” Huerter mentioned. “However Salt Lake has been nice. It has been enjoyable.”
Huerter was like many NBA gamers this weekend who had been attempting to navigate life in Salt Lake for All-Star weekend. It’s a metropolis that has notoriously drawn criticism from NBA gamers for an absence of nightlife prior to now. Sure gamers on the Golden State Warriors as soon as mentioned they wished to play the Los Angeles Clippers reasonably than the Jazz within the 2017 playoffs due to an absence of leisure.
On TNT’s broadcast of Sunday night time’s All-Star sport, NBA legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal appeared to agree with that concept.
“These folks going to heaven,” Barkley mentioned. “Ain’t nothing to do on this boring a– metropolis.”
O’Neal seemingly agreed, saying he by no means “ate a lot room service in [his] life.”
However because the league’s mid-season showcase converged onto Utah for the primary time in 30 years, different gamers mentioned the status didn’t totally match actuality.
“The love is intense right here,” Memphis All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. mentioned. “They positively care concerning the gamers. The ovation for [Jazz player Walker Kessler] was loopy. Everyone has been very welcoming.”
DeRozan spent his nights in Utah along with his youngsters. “I’m a chill individual, don’t actually exit,” he mentioned.
However there was loads to do and see in downtown Salt Lake Metropolis over the previous few days.
The rapper Travis Scott hosted a snowboarding competitors at The Gateway. There have been concert events that includes artists Wiz Khalifa and Chloe Bailey, and a comedy present placed on by former Utah Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
Jazz proprietor Ryan Smith made it clear he wished this weekend to change the notion of the state.
“I believe we need to present each child that different folks suppose their state’s cool,” Smith mentioned.
One one that didn’t want convincing was Portland Path Blazer Damian Lillard.
“I imply, actually, it’s enjoyable for me,” mentioned Lillard, who wore a Weber State jersey whereas profitable the weekend’s 3-point contest. “I believe I at all times make my approach again right here as a result of I spend a lot time right here. I do know so many individuals right here, so many nice reminiscences right here. To have the ability to be in my eleventh 12 months and to be a seven-time All-Star and to have this expertise right here the place loads of the folks that noticed me form of blossom from the start, for them to see me at this level and at this stage of my profession and as a person, it’s fairly particular.”
It was additionally particular for Utah Jazz rookie Walker Kessler, who together with teammates Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, received the NBA’s expertise problem on Saturday night time.
“It’s cool to listen to your title referred to as and the Salt Lake Metropolis crowd cheer. I couldn’t ask for a greater fanbase — tremendous, tremendous grateful it’s right here. Humorous how one thing works like that. I’m getting somewhat choked up,” Kessler mentioned.
Depend Scoot Henderson, who many anticipate to be the second participant taken on this 12 months’s NBA Draft, among the many younger stars who loved his time in Utah.
“It’s been an superior weekend in Salt Lake. It was an ideal expertise,” Henderson mentioned. “I’ve been right here most likely as soon as. You already know, I didn’t actually, , exit of the lodge then. So simply having the All-Star weekend right here. I believe it was fairly good. It turned out properly.”
Indiana Pacers rookie Andrew Nembhard indicated he was wanting ahead to coming again to Utah. Relationship again to his d