How to watch Kia Skills Challenge on TV, date, time, contestants

The Kia Skills Challenge will kick off the action during All-Star Saturday Night. The Skills Challenge is often the forgotten even during NBA All-Star Weekend, but fans should all tune in because it is very entertaining and encompasses all skills of the game of basketball. In this article, we will explain how you can watch it.

When and where is All-Star Weekend?

NBA All-Star Weekend will be taking place from Friday, Feb. 16, until Sunday, Feb. 18. The Skills Challenge will be the first even of All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 17, and it will begin at 8 p.m. ET.

The Indiana Pacers are hosting All-Star Weekend, and while the All-Star Game is at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Skills Challenge will be at Lucas Oil Stadium.

How to watch the Kia Skills Challenge

All of the events for All-Star Saturday Night, including the Skills Challenge, will be broadcast on TNT.

Date: Saturday, Feb. 17 | Time: 8 p.m. ET

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium

TV channel: TNT

Skills Challenge participants

Team Pacers:

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

Team All-Stars:

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Team Top Picks:

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

Skills Challenge format

Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, Jordan Clarkson after winning the Kia Skills Challenge — Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports

First held in 2003, the Skills Challenge has seen significant changes to his format throughout the years, but it has always been a competition to display speed, ball handling, shooting, and passing abilities.

From 2003-2001, the format had two players go through the course at the same time, with the first to finish being the winner of the round and advancing to the next round. Players would start by dribbling between five obstacles before completing a pass through a net. They would then dribble the length of the court and score on a layup before dribbling down the court again to hit a three-pointer. Front court players would take on guards in this event starting in 2016.

Since 2022, three teams of three players compete against each other in four rounds. The previous two editions of the event featured Team Antetokounmpo (with the Antetokounmpo brothers), Team Rooks (with top rookies) and a team of the franchise hosting the All-Star Weekend. This year, a team of All-Stars and a team of former number one overall picks will replace the rookies and the Antetokounmpo brothers. The Pacers will have a team has they are the hosts.

The first round is a relay similar to the old format of the Skills Competition. Round two is a passing competition, and round three is a shooting competition. Originally, the highest scoring teams would advance to a fourth-round half-court shootout, but now that is only used in the case of a tie-breaker. In addition, the order of the rounds were reversed last year.