Skills Challenge to feature battle between bigs, smalls

The NBA All-Star Skills Challenge is set to take on a new life.

Instead of fielding a host of pint-sized guards, this year's field will feature four bigs in DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Draymond Green, and Anthony Davis.

Opposing them will be four guards: C.J. McCollum, Jordan Clarkson, Isaiah Thomas, and reigning champion Patrick Beverley.

Traditionally, the Skills Challenge has mostly featured point guards and the occasional swingman. The tallest player to have taken part in the event is 6-foot-10 swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo, who flamed out in the first round in 2014.

However, with the league increasingly embracing a position-less style, skilled bigs like Towns, Davis, Cousins, and Green should be able to hold their own in a test of dexterity and pace.

The timed course involves a layup, followed by dribbling through three obstacles, then a chest pass through a hoop. The player is then asked to hit a 20-footer and dribble through another two obstacles before either hitting another shot or relaying to a teammate (the final task has varied over the past few seasons).