Sixers’ Joel Embiid to headline NBA Skills Challenge field

By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 

Already named as an Eastern Conference All-Star and a member of the World team in the Rising Stars Game, Sixers center Joel Embiid will get the chance to show what he's got in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge on Saturday, February 17.

Embiid headlines a field that included defending champion Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis, center Al Horford of the Boston Celtics, guard Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets, guard Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers, guard Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, guard Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets, and forward Lauri Markkanen of the Chicago Bulls.

The Skills Challenge rules are explained in an NBA.com article.

The three-round, obstacle-course competition, which tests dribbling, passing, agility and three-point-shooting skills, will feature a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament format.  The four big men will be on one side of the bracket and the four guards will be on the other side of the bracket.  First-round matchups will be announced at a later date.

Two players compete simultaneously on identical courses and the fastest finisher reaches the next round.  In the first round, the eight players are paired to participate in four head-to-head competitions.  The four winners advance to the second round, where two more head-to-head showdowns determine the two finalists.

This is the first skills challenge in event history to feature four big men in addition to the guards. Center Karl-Anthony Towns won the competition in 2016, before Porzingis won in 2017.

 

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