Wildcats in the Pros -- Feb. 17

The NBA held its All-Star festivities last weekend, and it seemed as though there was a former Kentucky Wildcat in the middle of every event.

The action started in the BBVA Rising Stars challenge, where former Kentucky standout and current Phoenix Sun Devin Booker was hot from outside, scoring 23 points in the game. His former teammate, and Kentucky’s latest number one overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns, scored 18 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out four assists. Those two players led Team USA to a 157-154 win over Team World.

In limited action, Trey Lyles of the Utah Jazz had two points, two rebounds and one assist for Team World. Another former Cat, Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers, was unable to play due to injury.

Booker, the youngest player in the league, continued his hot shooting in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, where he placed third behind the defending NBA MVP Steph Curry and his Golden State Warriors’ teammate Klay Thompson, the winner of this year’s contest.

Towns was the surprise winner of the Taco Bell skills challenge, defeating Boston’s Isaiah Thomas in the finals. On his way to the championship, Towns eliminated another former Wildcat, DeMarcus Cousins.

In Sunday’s All-Star game, New Orleans forward and former Cat Anthony Davis had an impressive game, helping the West to a 196-173 victory. Davis hit 12-of-13 from the floor, had 24 points and six rebounds for the West. The victorious West squad also got 11 points and four rebounds from Cousins, who was a perfect five-of-five from the floor, one of only two players to make all of his field goals in the game.

Yet another former Kentucky standout, John Wall, had a strong showing for the East team. Wall hit 10-of-14 from the floor and had 22 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal in the game.

J.B. Holmes continued his streak of outstanding play at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last weekend. Coming off of consecutive sixth-place finishes in the Farmers Insurance Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Holmes finished in 11th place at Pebble Beach.

His hot streak has moved him from 138th to 40th in the latest FedEx Cup Standings. For the 2016 season, Holmes has already earned $642,825.