Kori Ellis
01-29-2007, 03:45 PM
NEW YORK, Jan. 29, 2007 – Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will defend his PlayStation® Skills Challenge title against three of the league’s biggest stars on Feb. 17 as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The competitors hoping to deny Wade’s quest for a repeat are the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Phoenix Suns’ Steve Nash.
The PlayStation Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and consists of four players competing in a two-round timed “obstacle course” consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
Wade, who defeated James in the finals of the 2006 PlayStation Skills Challenge in Houston, is tied with Bryant for third in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.4 points per game. Nash, who won the event in 2005 in Denver, currently leads the league in assists with 11.8 per game. James, who was the leading vote-getter for this year’s All-Star game, is seventh in the league in scoring at 27.2 points per game.
The PlayStation Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk and Haier Shooting Stars. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from the Thomas & Mack Center. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the PSP system and the PS3 system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Attached are the participants for the 2007 PlayStation Skills Challenge:
2007 PLAYSTATION SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers G 6-6 220
LeBron James, Cleveland F 6-8 240
Steve Nash, Phoenix G 6-3 195
Dwyane Wade, Miami G 6-4 212
PLAYSTATION SKILLS CHALLENGE YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS
2003 – Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 – Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 – Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 – Dwyane Wade, Miami
The PlayStation Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 in Atlanta and consists of four players competing in a two-round timed “obstacle course” consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. All players must observe basic NBA ball-handling rules while completing the course. The two players with the fastest times from the first round advance to the finals with the order of competition determined by inverse order of the first round times. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.
Wade, who defeated James in the finals of the 2006 PlayStation Skills Challenge in Houston, is tied with Bryant for third in the NBA in scoring, averaging 28.4 points per game. Nash, who won the event in 2005 in Denver, currently leads the league in assists with 11.8 per game. James, who was the leading vote-getter for this year’s All-Star game, is seventh in the league in scoring at 27.2 points per game.
The PlayStation Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk and Haier Shooting Stars. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from the Thomas & Mack Center. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 18, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and the ground-breaking PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system. Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the PSP system and the PS3 system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Attached are the participants for the 2007 PlayStation Skills Challenge:
2007 PLAYSTATION SKILLS CHALLENGE COMPETITORS
Participant, Team Pos. Ht. Wt.
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers G 6-6 220
LeBron James, Cleveland F 6-8 240
Steve Nash, Phoenix G 6-3 195
Dwyane Wade, Miami G 6-4 212
PLAYSTATION SKILLS CHALLENGE YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS
2003 – Jason Kidd, New Jersey
2004 – Baron Davis, New Orleans
2005 – Steve Nash, Phoenix
2006 – Dwyane Wade, Miami