NBA Skills Challenge Odds: Format, Rosters, More for Saturday NBA All-Star Event

NBA Skills Challenge Odds

Saturday night's All-Star festivities tip off with the always entertaining Skill Challenge. The action begins at 8 p.m. on TNT and the home team is the slight favorite to take home the trophy, following in the footsteps of the Cleveland Cavaliers last season.

Here's a look at the skills challenge odds, rosters and rules for Saturday's showcase.

Skills Challenge Rosters

Team Antetokounmpo

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
• Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
• Alex Antetokounmpo, Wisconsin Herd

The Antetokounmpo brothers return for their second stint in the Skills Challenge. Last year, the Antetokounmpos had the longest odds and failed to make the final round.

Team Jazz

• Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
• Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
• Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz

The Jazz get their own team as the hosts of NBA All-Star Weekend. Clarkson leads this group and is second on the Jazz in points per game (21.0) and first assists (4.2) since Mike Conley was traded.

Team Rookies

• Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
• Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
• Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets

Banchero, Smith and Ivey went No. 1, No. 3 and No. 5 in the 2022 NBA Draft. Banchero leads all rookies in points per game (19.9), Smith ranks third in rebounds per game (7.0) and Ivey leads the class in assists per game (4.6).

Skills Challenge Format

Round 1 (Team Relay)

The first round is a timed relay, involving all three participants of the team. Each member must complete five tasks in this obstacle course:

1. Make an outlet pass at a moving target from the baseline (max: three attempts)
2. Dribble downcourt through three moving pylons.
3. Make a short shot in the lane (max: three attempts)
4. Make a left corner 3-point shot vs. automated defender (max: three attempts)
5. Dribble to opposite goal and make a basket

The team with the fastest time wins the relay round and 100 Challenge Points. If there is a tie, teams will choose one player to repeat the course.

Round 2 (Team Passing)

All three members of each team participate in the second-round passing challenge.

Over the course of 30 seconds, teams pass the ball through moving targets, which vary in both size and distance from the passers. Players cannot complete a pass into the same target on consecutive passes.

• 35-foot outlet pass, forward and back moving target (2 points)
• 20-foot bounce pass, side to side moving target (4 points)
• 25-foot chest pass, forward and back moving target (6 points)

The winning team takes the round’s challenge and 100 Challenge Points.

If there is a tie, first place goes to team with total number of passes made, second goes to total number of chest passes, third goes to total number of outlet passes.

Round 3 (Team Shooting)

All three players participate together with one ball and each team has 60 seconds to shoot from five different spots on the court.

Teams start from Spot 5 and must alternate shot locations, they cannot repeat the same shot consecutively. Each player must attempt at least one shot. Shots made from each shooting location have different values:

• Spot 1: Right side 10-foot shot outside the lane (1 point).
• Spot 2: Left elbow extended (2 points).
• Spot 3: Top of the key 3-pointer (3 points).
• Spot 4: Left corner 3-pointer (4 points).
• Spot 5: Right slot 30-foot deep 3-pointer (5 points).

The team with the highest Team Score wins the round and 200 Challenge Points. If there is a tie, teams will choose one player to shoot from Spot 5. Each player gets to attempt at least one shot. If neither player makes a shot, both participants get an additional attempt until one player makes it.

If two teams are tied with 200 points after Round 3, they go to the tiebreaker round to determine the Skill Challenge champion.

Tiebreaker (Half-Court Shot)

The first team get up to 90 seconds to make a half court shot and sets the time for Team 2 if they go under that time. If the second team can hit a half-court shot in less time than Team 1, then Team 2 is the champion.