By Terrence Hinds, Staff Writer

Published in print Feb. 4, 2015

Of all the major sports, the NBA has the most entertaining All-Star break.

Their events every year are always the most exciting and this year should be no different.

Currently the NBA is enjoying a major talent boom. The league is so competitive right now, especially in the Western Conference, that some media members are even clamoring that the All Star rosters be expanded to 15 players instead of 12. Personally I see no problem with the current set up.

Of course there were some awesome players left off the rosters, but there are always talented players who do not make the roster. That is just how it goes. The three days of events will be interesting and will be featuring competitions from the most casual to the most die hard of fans.

Commissioner Adam Silver has not been shy about making adjustments to the structure of the NBA.

From changing the NBA Finals format to extending the length of the All-Star break itself, Silver has always been looking for ways to keep the game fresh and interesting.

This year the Rising Stars challenge game, which normally pits rookies versus second year players, is dramatically different this time around.

This year features a USA versus World concept. So all-first and second year American players will take on all first and second year international players. It is an interesting change that will likely make the game even more competitive, a benefit for fans. Some of the headliners for the USA team roster include Victor Oladipo, Nerlens Noel, and Michael Carter Williams. The international team this year is intriguing as well. Andrew Wiggins, the “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Mirotic headline their team. This should be an exciting game that I think the international team will win.

The next major event is the Three-Point contest. I must stay this year’s contest may be more anticipated than the dunk contest which is not typically normal. The participants this year are some of the best shooters of all time. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Marco Belinelli, Kyle Korver, Wesley Matthews, and JJ Reddick will be raining down three point bombs on Valentine’s Day night.

One of my favorites for me is Kyle Korver who is currently shooting over 50 percent from distance which is insane! Steph Curry will be another favorite since he has one of the quickest releases in all of basketball. Though, the winner to me will be Klay Thompson. His jump shot is perfect for this event and I think that he will try the hardest to win the event which some players may not take seriously.

Before the game, the Slam Dunk contest is the main event for NBA All-Star Saturday night.

This year’s competition features some of the most explosive young athletes the NBA has to offer. Victor Oladipo, Mason Plumlee, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Zach Lavine are these years’ dunkers.

Let me just be up front about this.

Unless Zach Lavine cracks under the bright lights he should win this competition easily. If you haven’t seen this kid dunk a basketball, just type his name into Youtube and witness his theatrics. The kid is simply incredible. A lot of fans complain that they would like to see some of the bigger names in the dunk contests. I would not object to it but I do believe this years participants will put on a great show. Victor Oladipo is another dunker to watch. He’s pretty competitive and I can see him taking it serious.

The Sunday showcase between the two conferences is the finale of the weekend, where the best of the best in the league play in a highly entertaining basketball game. This year’s contest will be no different. The Western conference is loaded with talent. Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson come off the bench! I fully expect the West to win this basketball game. I also predict James Harden to win the MVP. His style of play of jumpshots and drives is perfect for the All Star game.