Daequan Cooked Up Some Fun During NBA All-Star Weekend

One thing I’m certain Daequan Cook wasn’t thinking about as he sank his last money-ball during this past weekend’s All-Star Three-Point Shootout contest was how he had just secured Miami’s All-Star Weekend Festivities dominance.

Now, granted, Miami has never had a player be named MVP of the All-Star Game itself (and being a still relatively new franchise lessens the pain of this for fans—along with the NBA title the Heat won in 2006), but they have been rather dominant when it comes to the festivities surrounding the game.

For instance, Miami is one of only three teams that have had a player win all three of the major events (the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Shootout, and Slam Dunk Contest) hosted during All-Star Weekend—the other two being the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns.

The Heat are also only one of two teams to have had players win such events a total of seven times—the other being the Chicago Bulls. However, they are the only team in the NBA to have had players win multiple times in each event.

As stated above, Miami has had players win seven events; three Three-Point Shootouts (Glen Rice, Jason Kapono, and Daequan Cook this year), two Slam Dunk Contests (Harold Miner both times), and two Skills Challenges (Dwyane Wade both times).

Also notable is that Jason Kapono tied a record with his score (which he subsequently topped last year as a Raptor), and Dwyane Wade set a record for the fastest time in his event.

Chicago has had players win seven events; four Three-point Shootouts (Craig Hodges three times and Steve Kerr once), two Slam Dunk Contests (Michael Jordan both times), and one Skills Challenge (Derrick Rose this year).

The Suns have had players win four events; one Three-Point Shootout (Quentin Richardson), two Slam Dunk Contests (Larry Nance and Cedric Ceballos), and one Skills Challenge (Steve Nash).

The Celtics have only had players win in two events, but they have had those players win five total events, so in essence they top the Suns in that regard; three Three-Point Shootouts (Larry Bird), and two Slam Dunk Contests (Dee Brown and Gerald Green).

Other notable teams are the Utah Jazz who’ve had players win three events; two Three-Point Shootouts (Jeff Hornacek), and one Skills Challenge (Deron Williams), the Atlanta Hawks who’ve had players win four events; four Slam Dunk Contests (Dominique Wilkins twice, and Spud Webb and Josh Smith once each), and the New York Knicks who’ve had players win three events; three Slam Dunk Contests (Nate Robinson twice, including this year, and Kenny Walker).
Now, of course all of this is rather silly, and if the Miami Heat were as storied a franchise as say...the Lakers, then if I had anything to write about my team connected to the All-Star Weekend I’d be touting their players winning ten All-Star Game MVP Awards.

If they had the history of the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers I’d be talking about their players winning eight All-Star Game MVP Awards.

Heck, if they’d been in the league as long as the Kings, I might even talk about the six All-Star Game MVP Awards (garnered mostly when they were a franchise in Cincinnati with a star named Oscar) their players have won.

But, since the Miami Heat aren’t as storied as the Lakers, don’t have the history of the Celtics or 76ers, and haven’t been in the NBA as long as the Kings (formerly Royals) franchise, I have to settle for talking about what I’m talking about; the NBA All-Star Weekend Events.

And as silly as it is, it’s still fun to note that when Daequan Cook sunk that last money-ball, he secured for the Heat a place among the Bulls, the Pistons, the Suns, the Lakers, the Celtics, the 76ers, and all the other teams mentioned when it comes to talking about who’s won what on All-Star Weekend; even if it is simply winning silly events.

Until Miami secures a dynasty by enticing LeBron James to Miami in 2010, I’ll settle for things like this to make me feel good about the franchise I love so dearly—although I’d prefer a title.

So, thanks Daequan—you’ve given at least one Miami Heat fan something to talk about.