The Knicks won’t have any participants in either the Slam Dunk Contest or the 3-point shooting competition Saturday night at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, but the organization will be represented in an event that is returning to the NBA showcase after a 10-year absence.
The Shooting Stars is back for the first time since 2015, and a Knicks squad featuring current All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will be joined by team executive and former All-Star Allan Houston among four teams competing in the returning event Saturday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.
First introduced in 2004, the Shooting Stars features the three players on each team attempting shots of different difficulty and point levels at seven locations from around the court.
The top two of the four teams will advance beyond the opening round and square off in the championship round.
Each team will consist of two current NBA players and one league “legend,” with this year’s groups representing a specific NBA team (the Knicks), as well as All-Star connections, college affiliations and one with family ties.
Interestingly, Houston also was part of the previous all-New York squad to win this competition, with then-Knicks guard Landry Fields and Cappie Pondexter of the Liberty in 2012.
In addition to the Brunson/Towns/Houston trio, wing Scottie Barnes of the Raptors will join forces with Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and Pistons great Richard Hamilton on Team All-Star.
The others will be Team Cameron with former Duke players Jalen Johnson (Hawks), Kon Knueppel (Hornets) and Corey Maggette and Team Harper featuring Dylan Harper (Spurs) and Ron Harper Jr. (Celtics) with their father, Ron Harper Sr.
Saturday’s other events include the annual Slam Dunk Contest, although Mac McClung will not be taking part after winning the event each of the previous three years.
This year’s competitors will include Carter Bryant of the Spurs, Jaxson Hayes of the Lakers, Keshad Johnson of the Heat and Jase Richardson of the Magic.
Brunson had participated in the 3-point contest in each of the previous two years, getting knocked out in the first round both times, but the All-Star starter will not be in the eight-player field this weekend.
The eight contestants will be Devin Booker (Suns), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (76ers), Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers), Jamal Murray (Nuggets), Norman Powell (Heat) and Bobby Portis (Bucks).
Lillard, a two-time winner in 2023 and 2024, has not played this season for Portland after suffering a torn Achilles in the playoffs last spring with the Bucks. Tyler Herro of the Heat took the trophy one year ago.
The All-Star Game on Sunday also will come with a new format, with the players split into three teams: two rosters of American players and one “World” team.
Towns was born in New Jersey, but he will play for the World squad because he represents the Dominican Republic in international play.
The Nets were represented Friday night in the Rising Stars tournament by rookie lottery pick Egor Dëmin, the first of their record five first-round picks at No. 8 overall.
The 6-foot-8 Dëmin, who is averaging 10.8 points and 3.3 assists in 46 games (39 starts) for Brooklyn, scored four points in 12:28 over two games for Vince Carter’s team, which defeated Carmelo Anthony’s squad, 25-24, in the championship game.