• The 2024 Kia Skills Challenge takes place during NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 17th at 8pm ET
• All-Stars Anthony Edwards, Trae Young, and Tyrese Haliburton are among those participating
• The Skills Challenge will be a duel between Team Pacers, Team All-Stars, and Team Top Picks

Though the All-Star Events will already be in full swing, it’s the 2024 Kia Skills Challenge that truly opens the star-studded talent show that is NBA All-Star Weekend. The Skills Challenge is scheduled to begin at 8pm ET at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The team drawing the most attention is sure to be Team Top Picks, made up of three former first-overall draft picks: Paolo Banchero, Anthony Edwards, and Victor Wembanyama.

Next up is the aptly named Team All-Stars, consisting of Scottie Barnes, Tyrese Maxey, and Trae Young. Incidentally, this weekend also marks the first all-star selections for Barnes and Maxey.

And finally, we have the hometown favorites, Team Pacers: all-star Tyrese Halliburton; Rising Star participant Bennedict Mathurin; and Myles Turner, the Pacers’ second-leading scorer.

NBA Skills Challenge Odds

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Team Top Picks is the favorite going into the weekend, with odds to win averaging at +138 across four sportsbooks. Team All Stars is not far behind at +176, while the hometown Team Pacers at +198.

NBA Skills Challenge Format

Like last year, the 2024 Skills Challenge is a three-round affair, with “challenge points” awarded in relay, passing, and shooting events.

In the Team Relay, each player must complete a 35-ft outlet pass, a dribble through moving pylons, a shot in the lane & left corner, and a basket at the opposite end of the court. The team with the fastest time is the winner and earns 100 challenge points.

Next up is Team Passing, where players hit moving targets with a 35-ft outlet pass, 20-ft bounce pass, and 25-ft chest pass. Each type of pass is worth 2, 4, and 6 points, respectively. The team with the most points wins and earns an extra 100 challenge points.

The Team Shooting competition finishes off the challenge. One at a time, teams will shoot from five different spots on the floor. Each shooting location offers different point totals and degrees of difficulty. Teams and players must alternate shot locations, and everyone has to shoot at least once. Once again, the most points wins and this time earns 200 challenge points.

If two teams are tied after all three rounds, a half-court shot will determine the overall winner. Game goes to whoever can hit the fastest shot from center.

NBA Skills Challenge Preview

Team Top Picks are the early Skills Challenge favorites and it’s hard to disagree with a team of former first overall picks who are thus far living up to their NBA potentials. Edwards and Banchero are behind the strong performances in Minnesota and Orlando, respectively leading their teams to first and eighth place in the standings at the break.

Add in Wembanyama, the presumptive NBA Rookie of the Year, and you’ve got a stacked three-man team.

Presenting the #StateFarmSaturday participants… starting with the 2024 #KiaSkills field!

Team Top Picks: @Pp_doesit, @theantedwards_ and @wemby

Team Pacers: @TyHaliburton22, @BennMathurin and @Original_Turner

Team All-Stars: @ScottBarnes561, @TyreseMaxey and @TheTraeYoung… pic.twitter.com/LCObd7VG9v

— NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2024

That’s not to say there are slouches on Team All-Star; they’re all-stars for a reason, after all. Young is a distribution machine, Maxey is a breakout star who continues to demand attention with his play, and Barnes is a former ROY and leader of his team north of the border. Ignore Team All-Star in the Skills Challenge at your own peril.

Neither should you ignore Team Pacers and their stalwarts, Haliburton, Mathurin, and Turner. These three are part of the coalescence that’s driving a bounce-back season, potentially to the Pacers’ first playoff berth since 2020.

NBA Skills Challenge Prediction

Though the sample size is small, the hometown team just keeps winning the NBA Skills Challenge. Team Cavs took home the 2022 gold in Cleveland and Team Jazz did likewise last year in Salt Lake City. Stands to reason Team Pacers can do it again this year, right?

To be fair, I don’t see why not. Haliburton & Turner represent the top two FG percentages in the competition and, per NBA Advanced Stats, the team boasts the best Average Speed on Offense at 4.74.

There’s a surprising amount of “big man” athleticism in Team Top Picks and Team All Stars screams dynamism, but Team Pacers carries the right blend of skills to take the Skills Challenge.

Besides, can you really argue against hometown hype?

• Pick: Team Pacers (+220)

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