3 things to watch for during NBA All-Star Sunday festivities

1. Who’s taking home the Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player award?

Though certainly not as meaningful as its regular-season or Finals contemporary, the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP is not without its value.

For any player to stand out amongst a crowd of the game’s best is not an accomplishment to take lightly, even in an exhibition. That increases quite a bit when considering the excess of talent the league has been blessed with at every level, including the top. Though such a deep pool makes it difficult to predict who will claim MVP honors because the case can legitimately be made for many.

Before the fight for league MVP honors can be decided, can Nikola Jokic seek a psychological edge with a showstopping performance?

Can Stephen Curry avenge previous All-Star struggles to fill up the scoring column with a hot shooting night? Would Giannis Antetokounmpo have any interest in adding to his MVP hardware? Will Bradley Beal, the league’s leading scorer, have a say? What will be the interest level of the reigning winner Kawhi Leonard or a three-time honoree in LeBron James?

Not to mention James Harden, Luka Doncic or any number of other names in either the starting lineup or off the bench who could make a legitimate bid with the right type of night.

The All-Star Game is a yearly showing of the NBA’s top talent. The MVP trophy is simply a game within the game that will be worth monitoring throughout, especially as the intensity of the Elam Ending kicks in come the fourth quarter.