Four ex-Cats to compete in NBA skills challenge

Four of the eight players entered in this year’s NBA skills challenge are former University of Kentucky players.

Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Washington’s John Wall and Phoenix’s Devin Booker will compete in the event Feb. 18 as part of All-Star Saturday night in New Orleans. The non-UK players in the field announced Thursday are New York’s Kristaps Porzings, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Boston’s Isaiah Thomas and Utah’s Gordon Hayward.

Four players are entered in the slam-dunk contest: Aaron Gordon of Orlando, DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers, Glenn Robinson III of Indiana and Derrick Jones Jr. of Phoenix.

The field for All-Star Saturday’s three-point contest was also released Thursday. Defending champion Klay Thompson of Golden State will face 2013 champion Kyrie Irving of Cleveland, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Houston’s Eric Gordon, Dallas’ Wesley Matthews, Portland’s CJ McCollum and Nick Young of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Golden State’s Stephen Curry, who won the three-point contest in 2015 and was runner-up to Thompson last year, is not competing in the event this year.

The All-Star Game is Feb. 19.

This story was originally published February 2, 2017 at 9:30 PM with the headline "Four ex-Cats to compete in NBA skills challenge."