When NBA All-Star Weekend takes places from Feb. 14-16 in New Orleans, NBA stars like Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Paul George and Damian Lillard will be showing off their skills. Although they might not be participating in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest or Sprite Slam Dunk competition during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, they all certainly could. Here’s a look at some pro athletes from other sports who could probably handle themselves quite well if given a chance.
Evan Bleier is a freelance writer based out of wherever he can plug in his laptop. You can send him questions, comments and Buffalo wing suggestions @itishowitis or "like" CraveOnline Sports on Facebook
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NBA AS Weekend - Other Athletes
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Alex Morgan – Forward –Women’s National Team
Taco Bell Skills Challenge: We know one thing for sure about this Olympic gold medalist – she can definitely dribble. The number one pick in the 2011 WPS Draft and the youngest player on the U.S. roster at the FIFA Women's World Cup in the same year; Morgan is fast, tenacious and smart, assets that would serve her well if she were fortunate enough to get an NBA All Star game invite.
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Calvin Johnson - Wide Receiver – Detroit Lions
Sprite Slam Dunk: At 6’5” and 239 lbs, Johnson is a straight-up beast on the football field. If Johnson was inclined to, he could use his rare combination of speed, size and power to really put on a show with a basketball in his over-sized hands. Johnson is so gifted that even one of the world’s other infamous physical specimens, LeBron James, finds him quite impressive. “MEGATRON IS UNREAL OUT THERE BY THE WAY!!” James tweeted back in October. “AMAZING TO WATCH HOMIE.” Whatever Johnson was able to accomplish in the Sprite Slam Dunk challenge would also likely have “The King” rushing to social media.
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Floyd “Money” Mayweather – Boxer
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest: One of the most confident athletes in sports today, Mayweather has no problem asserting himself in the ring or making noise outside of it. Don’t let his size (5' 8", 151 lbs) fool you -- Mayweather would be just fine, especially if he bet $10 million on himself like he boasted about doing.
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Harry Douglas – Wide Receiver – Atlanta Falcons
Taco Bell Skills Challenge: The brother of Miami Heat guard Toney Douglas, the Falcons wideout is coming off a career year when he paced Atlanta with 85 catches for 1,067 yards and two touchdowns. A solid punt- returner, Douglas has the ability to shift directions quickly and possesses soft enough hands to handle the precision-passing drills that the Skills Challenge requires.
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Julius Thomas – Tight End – Denver Broncos
Sprite Slam Dunk: A converted basketball player, Thomas emerged this year as one of the top Red Zone targets in the NFL. A four-year player at Portland State, the 6-foot-5 power forward made it to the NCAA tournament twice before being picked in the fourth round in the 2011 NFL draft. "This isn't something that I imagined doing when I was 20 years old, getting ready to play in the NCAA tournament," he said prior to the Super Bowl. Maybe he could imagine taking part in the Sprite Slam Dunk challenge as well.
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Lolo Jones – Sprinter/Bobsledder- Olympic Team
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest: Jones would have to head back from Sochi for the event, but the dual Olympian obviously has no problem competing in an athletic event that is a little out of her wheelhouse. Jones’ skills as a sprinter would help her move from station to station during the Three-Point Contest and her experience as a bobsledder would help her cope with the pressure of the event.
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Mike Trout – Outfielder – LA Angels of Anaheim
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest: A true five-tool player, Trout is one of the most well-rounded players in Major League Baseball. While attending high school in New Jersey, Trout was an all-league forward who averaged a double-double per game and “could dunk from a standing start in street clothes.” Chances are he can probably shoot the rock as well too.
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Russell Wilson – Quarterback – Seattle Seahawks
Taco Bell Skills Challenge: As anyone who has ever seen Wilson scramble out of the pocket can attest, the guy can really move. He’s also a good enough second baseman that he’ll be attending spring training with the Texas Rangers in February. If Wilson is smooth enough to handle turning the 6-4-3 double play at a professional level, it’s a solid bet he’d acquit himself nicely in the Skills Challenge.
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Zdeno Chára - Defensemen – Boston Bruins
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest: As Chára shows during the rare times when he fights in the NHL, he can really, really throw it down. At 6' 9", Chára is the tallest player to ever play in the NHL so he certainly has the height thing covered, and the Bruins captain is undoubtedly intense enough to will himself to toss down a couple rim-shaking dunks.
