Despite the current global pandemic, the NBA All-Star Game will take place this weekend in Atlanta, and a significant number of players, coaches, and team staff will fly to Atlanta to take part in a streamlined version of the annual festivities that will try to pack multiple activities into a single night.
The competitions that are normally part of the All-Star Saturday night extravaganza will now take place during halftime of the game, with the three-point contest and slam dunk competition now rounding out their respective fields of competitors as part of the scaled-down schedule.
On Tuesday, we heard a little more about the dunk contest contestants, beginning with the shocking news that Zion Williamson will not be participating in the showcase, which will also feature Cassius Stanley, Anfernee Simons, and Obi Toppin. And it seems that Zion isn’t the only one who turned down his invitation. Alex Caruso, a favorite of Lakers fans, is also said to have refused to play in Atlanta.
Caruso has wowed fans around the league with his explosive athleticism over the last couple of seasons in Los Angeles. According to the paper, Caruso claimed that the shortened offseason may have affected his decision to rest.
