INDIANAPOLIS -- In his new role of captain of the Eastern Conference for All-Star Saturday, Dwyane Wade is applying some peer pressure to Miami Heat teammate LeBron James to take part.
Wade, who has input on whom the NBA selects to take part in the popular events, tried to get James to re-consider his long-standing policy of saying no to the slam dunk contest, which will take place Feb. 16.
"I tried to convince LeBron," Wade said Friday before the Heat took on the Indiana Pacers.
"On the dunk contest?" James said when Wade asked him. "Oh no, that's out."
"I told him I'd throw him a lob and we'll win," Wade said. "He turned me down; I think he got nervous."
Wade also tried to get James to consider taking part in the 3-point shootout for the first time. James is shooting a career-high 40 percent from 3-point range this season.
"I went 0-for-2," Wade said. "He said he didn't want to shoot."
When asked Friday, though, James said he hadn't ruled out the 3-point contest. Wade said former Marquette teammate and New York Knicks forward Steve Novak would be in the contest and that current Heat teammate Ray Allen declined in order to have some time off.
The NBA is revamping its popular All-Star Weekend festivities, and Wade and Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul have been chosen as captains in a new format that will pit the conferences against each other. The league will get final say on the participants, but Wade and Paul have been consulted.
All-Star Weekend is Feb. 15-17 in Houston.