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 Set to play in his 18th and final All-Star Game on Sunday, a kinder
and gentler Bryant will continue a farewell tour that will conclude
his legendary 20-season tenure in the league.
The Toronto faithful harbor memories of Bryant registering 81 points
against the Raptors in Los Angeles 10 years ago, but in this
exhibition of stars they will cheer him on to rediscover old magic
and perhaps claim a record fifth All-Star MVP award.
In what will be the first All-Star Game played outside the United
States, the 37-year-old Bryant - a five-time NBA champion with the
Los Angeles Lakers - will have many challengers for the spotlight.
Golden State shooting artist Stephen Curry has emerged as the game's
new leading man, and he arrives with team mates Klay Thompson and
Draymond Green from a Warriors squad currently setting a record
winning pace in the league.
Curry and Thompson will also renew their rivalry in the Three-Point
Shooting contest on Saturday night after Curry prevailed in last
year's final.
The Slam Dunk Contest, Skills Challenge and Rising Stars Challenge,
featuring top rookies and second-year players, will also set the
table for Sunday's main event.
Oklahoma City Thunder standouts Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook
are two headliners and former MVPs of the game who will bolster a
Western Conference side that has won four of the last five matchups.
LeBron James will be looking to reverse the fortunes for the Eastern
Conference alongside Carmelo Anthony and his former Miami Heat team
mates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Bosh spent his first seven seasons in Toronto, while current Raptors
guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry will be hometown favorites.
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As much as this weekend will provide a stage for the NBA's most
exciting players, it will also be a showcase of Toronto which has
evolved into a respected NBA market since the Raptors were
introduced in the 1995-96 campaign.
Former high-flyer Vince Carter helped give the Raptors franchise
credibility when he mesmerized the All-Star Weekend dunk contest in
2000.
But the days of Carter being the lone flag bearer in Toronto are
long gone.
The Raptors now have emerging talent, a raucous home crowd and
back-to-back playoff appearances, and are currently second in the
Eastern Conference and poised for a second-half run. But first they
will play host to a weekend of entertainment.
"It will mean a lot to be able to go out there and represent the
home team," said DeRozan. "That's what it's all about: being on the
highest level, being able to have people recognize Toronto for its
sport ... it's something the city deserves."
(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Mark
Lamport-Stokes)
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