{"id":203263,"date":"2021-03-03T10:44:07","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T09:44:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/?p=203263"},"modified":"2021-03-03T10:44:44","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T09:44:44","slug":"covington-doncic-paul-randle-sabonis-and-vucevic-to-participate-in-skills-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportando.basketball\/en\/covington-doncic-paul-randle-sabonis-and-vucevic-to-participate-in-skills-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Covington, Doncic, Paul, Randle, Sabonis and Vucevic to participate in Skills Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

What:<\/strong>\u00a0Taco Bell Skills Challenge
\nWhen:<\/strong>\u00a0Sunday, March 7 | Prior to the tip-off of the 2021 All-Star Game
\nTV:<\/strong>\u00a0All-Star coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT
\nParticipants:<\/strong>\u00a0Robert Covington, Luka Don\u010di\u0107, Chris Paul, Julius Randle, Domantas Sabonis, Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107<\/p>\n

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NEW YORK \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0NBA All-Stars Luka Don\u010di\u0107 of the Dallas Mavericks and Chris Paul of the Phoenix Suns will display their vast array of talents in the 2021 Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge will take place before the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, airing on TNT.<\/p>\n

Joining Don\u010di\u0107 and Paul as 2021 NBA All-Stars in the field are New York Knicks forward Julius Randle, Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis and Orlando Magic center Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107. The six-player competition also features Portland Trail Blazers forward Robert Covington.<\/p>\n

The 19th Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge is an obstacle-course competition that tests players\u2019 dribbling, passing, agility and 3-point shooting skills. The event is part of NBA All-Star 2021, which will take place on one night. TNT\u2019s NBA All-Star coverage on March 7 will begin at 5 p.m. ET with TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, followed by the Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge and MTN DEW\u00ae 3-Point Contest starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. NBA All-Star Game coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET, with AT&T Slam Dunk taking place at halftime.<\/p>\n

Don\u010di\u0107, who was named an NBA All-Star Game starter for the second year in a row, joins Sabonis (the 2020 runner-up) and Vu\u010devi\u0107 as second-time participants in the Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge. Paul, an NBA All-Star selection for the 11th time, will make his record fifth appearance in the Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge and his first since 2011. Randle and Covington will make their event debuts.<\/p>\n

Covington is in his eighth NBA season after not being selected in the 2013 NBA Draft. In the 2017-18 season, he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team and ranked 11th in the league in 3-pointers made (203). Covington attended Tennessee State, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Nashville, Tenn. As part of NBA All-Star 2021, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will commit more than $2.5 million in funds and resources toward HBCUs and support and awareness around equity and access to COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines. On March 7, the league will also pay tribute to the vital role of HBCUs through music, content and storytelling.<\/p>\n

The Taco Bell\u00ae Skills Challenge is a three-round competition with a single-elimination tournament format. Two players will compete simultaneously on an identical course and the winner of each headto-head matchup will advance to the next round. Two of the six participants, as chosen by the NBA, will receive a bye in the first round and automatically advance to the second round. First-round matchups will be announced at a later date.\u00a0Click here<\/a>\u00a0for a complete explanation of the rules.<\/p>\n

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Taco Bell Skill Challenge Winners<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 2003 \u2013 Jason Kidd, New Jersey<\/li>\n
  • 2004 \u2013 Baron Davis, New Orleans<\/li>\n
  • 2005 \u2013 Steve Nash, Phoenix<\/li>\n
  • 2006 \u2013 Dwyane Wade, Miami<\/li>\n
  • 2007 \u2013 Dwyane Wade, Miami<\/li>\n
  • 2008 \u2013 Deron Williams, Utah<\/li>\n
  • 2009 \u2013 Derrick Rose, Chicago<\/li>\n
  • 2010 \u2013 Steve Nash, Phoenix<\/li>\n
  • 2011 \u2013 Stephen Curry, Golden State<\/li>\n
  • 2012 \u2013 Tony Parker, San Antonio<\/li>\n
  • 2013 \u2013 Damian Lillard, Portland<\/li>\n
  • 2014 \u2013 Trey Burke, Utah and Damian Lillard, Portland<\/li>\n
  • 2015 \u2013 Patrick Beverley, Houston<\/li>\n
  • 2016 \u2013 Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota<\/li>\n
  • 2017 \u2013 Kristaps Porzingis, New York<\/li>\n
  • 2018 \u2013 Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn<\/li>\n
  • 2019 \u2013 Jayson Tatum, Boston<\/li>\n
  • 2020 \u2013 Bam Adebayo, Miami<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n