One of my fondest NBA All-Star memories comes from 2007, when then Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis turned the Rookie-Sophomore Game into his personal slam dunk contest.
The second-year guard put on an absolute show, with highlight after highlight leading to a 28-point performance. It was mesmerizing.
As a fan, it felt like the Warriors finally had nice things. Like their time to shine was waiting on deck. Here was the future of the franchise, balling out at All-Star weekend - how could this end in any way other than stardom for both the team and the player?