In the first All-Star game of the shot clock era, the Celtics’ Sharman took home the MVP trophy by scoring 15 points, collecting four rebounds and handing out two assists in just 18 minutes of play off the Eastern Division’s bench. Based on this performance, it’s fair to say his Chuck Taylors did their job. Because his game was predicated on getting into tight spaces, Cousy relied on the flexibility of the canvas upper to allow him to maneuver around defenders and get to the basket. The rubber outsole’s traction, a primary feature of the shoe, allowed the point guard to zoom up and down the floor with ease as he poured in 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while also dishing out four assists. The Celtics’ shifty point guard was on fire at the 1954 All-Star game, setting up both his teammates and himself thanks to his Converse All Stars en route to the MVP award. The flexibility afforded by the canvas upper of his Pro-KEDS Royals allowed Mikan to maneuver around the paint at will, and his defense forced the East’s three primary big men into a dreadful 8-for-24 shooting night. Standing at 6‘ 10” and weighing a then-unheard of 245 pounds, Mikan was the Shaq of his era, and on this night it showed as he took home All-Star MVP honors after a 26 point, 16 rebound performance. The evolutionary big man of the NBA, Mikan was an absolute beast back in the 1950s NBA. Thanks in part to his shoes Arizin drained shots from all over the floor, going 9-for-13 from the field and also 8-for-8 from the free throw line. The shooting guard was able to shake his defenders and get plenty of good open looks thanks to his Converse All Stars, whose molded rubber outsole provided him with the traction necessary to create space to shoot. This time, though, Paul Arizin of the Philadelphia Warriors took home the MVP award on the strength of his 26 points and eight rebounds. Like most players at the time, Macauley wore Converse All Stars for this fine performance, utilizing the breathable canvas upper to stay cool as the 6’ 8” forward backed down Hall-of-Famers like George Mikan and Vern Mikkelsen in the post.Īfter the success of the first All-Star game in Boston, the league decided to return for the 1952 edition. He dropped 20 points and grabbed six rebounds, edging out teammate Dolph Schayes (15 points/14 boards) for the MVP award. Played in the historic Boston Garden, 1951’s inaugural NBA All-Star game saw Celtic Ed Macauley lead the way for the Eastern Division. RELATED: The 10 Best Performances in the Air Jordan III RELATED: The 10 Best Sneakers Worn in Rookie Game History These are The Complete Sneaker History of All-Star Game MVPs. No fear, by the '70s style and performance benefits started to influence player's choices for other game day sneakers. From Converse's (appropriately named) original All Star sneaker to today's ASG edition exclusives, Sneaker Report provides a snapshot of how far basketball footwear has come since the twenty year domination of the original Converse All Star. All-Star weekend is upon us, which means it's time to take a look back at the history of this sixty-two year old game and what the best players of the day chose to take to the hardwood.
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