The NBA All-Star Weekend that took a weird turn for the Brooklyn Nets

Just over a week ago the Brooklyn Nets went from having two starters in Sunday’s All-Star game to having Deron Williams being the closest thing to a former, root-able Net throughout the entire weekend.

Remember when Bob put up all ALL CAPS breaking news banner about Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving being named starters? Those were fun times. Now both are playing for the Suns and Mavericks, respectively.

Here, though, is what you have to look forward to this weekend - i.e. a whole lotta nostalgia.

2023 NBA All-Star Schedule

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

NBA Rising Stars Challenge, 9 p.m. ET, TNT

Here’s your roster for the four-team tournament featuring head coach and Brooklyn Nets legend Deron Williams - and, yes, the most substantial Net in attendance is D-Will, who is possibly the most hated misunderstood star in team history.

I guess it’s kind of cool for boxing fans, though, to see heavyweight legendary boxer Deron Williams get to coach in a basketball game?

Team Joakim Noah

• Josh Giddey, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Jalen Williams, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
• Jalen Duren, F, Detroit Pistons
• Quentin Grimes, G, New York Knicks
• Evan Mobley, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
• Jeremy Sochan, F, San Antonio Spurs
• Jabari Smith Jr., F, Houston Rockets

Team Deron Williams

• Walker Kessler, C, Utah Jazz
• Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets
• Trey Murphy III, G, New Orleans Pelicans
• AJ Griffin, F, Atlanta Hawks
• Jalen Green, G, Houston Rockets
• Bones Hyland, G, Denver Nuggets
• Franz Wagner, F, Orlando Magic

Team Pau Gasol

• Jose Alvarado, G, New Orleans Pelicans
• Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic
• Jaden Ivey, G, Detroit Pistons
• Bennedict Mathurin, G, Indiana Pacers
• Keegan Murray, F, Sacramento Kings
• Andrew Nembhard, G, Indiana Pacers
• Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors

Team Jason Terry, G League

• Scoot Henderson, G, Ignite
• Sidy Cissoko, G, Ignite
• Mojave King, F, Ignite
• Kenneth Lofton Jr., F, Memphis Hustle
• Leonard Miller, F, Ignite
• Mac McClung, G, Delaware Blue Coats
• Scotty Pippen Jr., G, South Bay Lakers

Go team D-Will?

Here’s what Saturday night looks like:

NBA HBCU Classic: Grambling State vs. Southern, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2

NBA All-Star Saturday (skills challenge, 3-point contest, dunk contest), 8 p.m. ET, TNT

No Joe Harris in the 3-point contest, sadly. But in looking at the DraftKings Odds it appears as if Damian Lillard and Buddy Hield are the favorites at +425 while Julius Randle is the long-shot at +700.

In the Slam Dunk contest Nets fans can/should root for Kenyon Martin, Jr. The son of a legitimate Nets legend, Kenyon Martin.

Grainy highlights below! Let’s gooooo!

K-Mart was so much fun to watch.

SUNDAY, FEB. 19

74th NBA All-Star Game, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)

And of course the main event on Sunday: Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis.

The Nets went from having two starters to having two-plus hours worth of heartburn. Kevin Durant won’t be playing but he’ll certainly be in attendance and we’ll have to hear a million times about his new teammates and the expectations they carry as the league favorites to win the title this year.

Man-o-man, I’ll say it again, this weekend is a wild and weird one for Nets fans.

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