NBA Special: Taco Bell Skills Challenge 2011
So the guards are up for putting their skills on test. Here comes the Taco Bell Skills Challenge 2011. Following the ritual of the contest, the Challenge will take place on Saturday of the All-Star Weekend, 19 February, 2011 at the Staples Center, Los Angeles.
This year’s contest is more exciting as it comes with a charitable element in it. The contest will be held in collaboration with NBA Cares plus Boys & Girls Clubs of the USA. It comes with a noble cause and the cause is that the contest will support Taco Bell Foundation for Teens called “Graduate To Go”. All five participants will have one teenage student paired with them. The lucky teen paired up with the winner of the contest will receive a college scholarship worth $30,000. The remaining four students will also receive an educational scholarship.
The All-Star Skills Challenge was introduced back in 2003 in Atlanta. Since then the competition is held among the best guards of NBA.
The game is a thrilling contest that is held to see the potential and skills that the guards exhibit.
Rules: Basic ball handling rules are observed in the game.
Format
There are four participants in the contest. Each participant has to go through a series of challenges to make it to the finals. The first thing that comes up in their way is to clinch a layup. After struggling and stumbling between three obstacles blocking his way, the player dribbles the ball and comes in front of the first net. He has to throw the shot into the first net in a way it does not touch the ground. However, the second shot must touch the ground before being thrown into the net. After that comes a jump, not 1, 2, or 3 but it comes from 20-feet off the basket. A long pass awaits the player after the jumper. He has to throw that from near the basket to a third net. Done? No. Three more obstacles lie ahead and the player must dribble between them before finishing with a layup or shot.
The timer stops after the completion of the given challenges. Two players who were the fastest make it to the finals. The final round is the same with just those two players who compete each other and the fastest of both the players is the winner of the contest.
NBA and Taco Bell introduced a very exciting opportunity for fans this year. The fans were delighted to know that they can choose their own squad. The fans were allowed to vote for and select from eight players by visiting the official site of NBA. The program was called “Choose Your Squad”. Here is list of the eight participants from whom fans chose their own squad:
Baron Davis- Los Angeles Clippers
Chris Paul- New Orleans Hornets
Derek Fisher- Los Angeles Lakers
Derrick Rose- Chicago Bulls
John Wall- Washington Wizards
Russell Westbrook- Oklahoma City Thunder
Stephen Curry- Golden State Warriors
Tony Parker- San Antonio Spurs
Tyreke Evans- Sacramento Kings
Out of these eight players, the fans selected Curry (Warriors), Rose (Bulls), Wall (Wizards) and Westbrook to compete Paul (Hornets).
Last year Steve Nash was the winner of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge as the guard finished the final round in blistering 29.9 seconds to finish all the tasks. Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) was his competitor in the final round.
NBA Taco Bell Skills Challenge 2011 Squad
Stephen Curry, Age: 22, Jersey no: 30
Derrick Rose, Age: 1, Jersey no: 22
John Wall, Age: 20, Jersey no: 2
Russell Westbrook, Age: 22, Jersey no: 0
Chris Paul, Age: 25, Jersey no: 3
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