NBA Skills Challenge Odds, Picks & Participants

• The 2023 Kia Skills Challenge is scheduled for Saturday as part of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City
• There will be three teams in the competition, with the likes of Lauri Markkanen, Paolo Banchero, and Giannis Antetokounmpo expected to participate
• Read on for the NBA Skills Challenge odds, preview, and picks

The 2023 Kia Skills Challenge is one of three events as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. It’s expected to get started at 8pm ET. Find the NBA Skills Challenge odds below.

There are three teams in total in the competition. Team Antetokounmpo, consisting of all three brothers, although Giannis did suffer a sprained wrist on Thursday, which could complicate things.

Then there’s Team Rookies, with Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith Jr, and Jaden Ivey. And lastly, Team Jazz, with three players from the hometown team: Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and Walker Kessler.

NBA Skills Challenge Odds

Odds as of February 17th at Caesars. Claim the Caesars promo code to bet on this event.

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Team Jazz is the favorite at -120, while Team Rookies sits at +165. Team Antetokounmpo is last with +450 odds, most likely because of The Greek Freak’s health.

Format

The format of this year’s event is slightly different than in the past. There are three rounds in total with a championship round to determine the winner.

First is a relay, where each player must complete a course consisting of a 35-foot pass into a moving target, dribble through pylons, a short jumper in the lane, a corner triple, then dribble down the opposite end of the floor, and finish with a lay-up.

Next is a passing drill where all three team members participate together where they have to complete a 35-foot inbound pass, a 20-foot bounce pass, and a 25-foot chest pass. Note: All the targets will be moving. To finish things off is a shooting challenge, with five different spots on the court. Most of them are from beyond the arc.

NBA Skills Challenge Preview

Team Jazz will be the hometown favorite here. All three players, Sexton, Clarkson, and Kessler have proven to be important pieces of the puzzle for Utah in 2022-23, who are just half-game out of the final play-in spot in the West.

Clarkson is the main star, averaging over 21 PPG, while Sexton is putting up 14.3 PPG off the bench. As for Kessler, he’s a very promising rookie who can score and rebound at a high level with 8.2 PPG and 7.7 RPG.

NBA Skills Challenge participants pic.twitter.com/zTe7dHU92m

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 15, 2023

Team Rookies has no shortage of star power, either. Banchero is the current Rookie of the Year favorite as he continues to show out for the rebuilding Orlando Magic.

Ivey is a high-flying guard from the Detroit Pistons who has Ja Morant-type bounce and profiles to be a key part of their future in Motown. Smith Jr, meanwhile, is a regular starter for the lowly Houston Rockets and while he does have a beautiful shooting stroke, he’s draining just 30% of his threes in Year 1.

Team Antetokounmpo is the real question mark. Giannis said Friday he wants to do everything imaginable to play on Sunday in the ASG because, after all, he is the East captain. That being said, he’ll likely participate in the Skills Challenge, but don’t expect the superstar to go all out. As for his brothers Thanasis and Alex, they aren’t exactly NBA regulars.

Skills Challenge Prediction

It was Team Cavs who won last year in Cleveland. I expect the hometown boys to win again here with the Jazz crowd behind them.

Pick: Team Jazz (-120)