The NBA All-Star 2024 is set to take place in Indianapolis from February 16 to 18, 2024. The event will showcase the best players and talents from the league, as well as celebrate the history and culture of basketball in Indiana. Here are some of the highlights and details of the NBA All-Star 2024.
The 73rd NBA All-Star Game: East vs West
The main attraction of the NBA All-Star 2024 is the 73rd NBA All-Star Game, which will feature the return of the East-West matchup and traditional scoring system. The game will be played on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers. The game will be broadcasted on TNT at 8 p.m. ET.
The starters and reserves for the East and West teams were announced earlier this month, based on a combination of fan, player, and media votes. The East team will be led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Trae Young, and Jaylen Brown, while the West team will be headlined by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Paul George. The coaches for the East and West teams will be determined by the best records in each conference as of February 11, 2024.
The NBA All-Star Game will also honor the legacy of two of the greatest players in NBA history, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell, who were both born on February 17. Jordan, who played for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards, is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, with six NBA championships, six Finals MVPs, five regular-season MVPs, and 14 All-Star selections. Russell, who played for the Boston Celtics, is the most decorated player in NBA history, with 11 NBA championships, five regular-season MVPs, and 12 All-Star selections.
State Farm All-Star Saturday Night: Skills, 3-Point, and Dunk Contests
The State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. The event will feature three exciting competitions: the Kia Skills Challenge, the Starry 3-Point Contest, and the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest. The event will be broadcasted on TNT at 8 p.m. ET.
The Kia Skills Challenge will test the participants’ dribbling, passing, agility, and shooting skills in a timed obstacle course. The participants for the 2024 Kia Skills Challenge are: De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings), Malcolm Brogdon (Indiana Pacers), LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), and Candace Parker (Chicago Sky).
The Starry 3-Point Contest will showcase the participants’ shooting prowess from beyond the arc, with five racks of five balls each, including one “money ball” rack worth two points each. The participants for the 2024 Starry 3-Point Contest are: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves), Duncan Robinson (Miami Heat), and Buddy Hield (Sacramento Kings).
The AT&T Slam Dunk Contest will feature the participants’ creativity, athleticism, and flair in performing spectacular dunks, with four judges scoring each dunk on a scale of 6 to 10. The participants for the 2024 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest are: Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Mac McClung (Los Angeles Lakers), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), and Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves).
As a special feature, the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night will also include a “Stephen vs. Sabrina” 3-Point Challenge, where Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, two of the best shooters in the NBA and WNBA, will go head-to-head in a 3-point shootout for charity.
Panini Rising Stars: The Future of the NBA
The Panini Rising Stars is a showcase of the best rookies and sophomores in the NBA, who will compete in a tournament format. The event will be held on Friday, February 16, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will be broadcasted on TNT at 9 p.m. ET.
The participants for the Panini Rising Stars were selected by a draft conducted by NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, who served as the honorary general managers. The draft results are as follows:
Team Shaq: Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jalen Green (Houston Rockets), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic), Tyrese Haliburton (Sacramento Kings), James Wiseman (Golden State Warriors), Patrick Williams (Chicago Bulls), Isaac Okoro (Cleveland Cavaliers), and Aleksej Pokusevski (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Team Wade: LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans), Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies), RJ Barrett (New York Knicks), Cole Anthony (Orlando Magic), Saddiq Bey (Detroit Pistons), Kira Lewis Jr. (New Orleans Pelicans), Isaiah Stewart (Detroit Pistons), and Precious Achiuwa (Toronto Raptors).
The Panini Rising Stars will consist of three games: two semifinals and a final. The semifinals will be played on Friday, February 16, 2024, at 9 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET, respectively. The final will be played on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 2 p.m. ET.
HBCU Classic: A Celebration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
The HBCU Classic is a new addition to the NBA All-Star 2024, which will feature a men’s basketball game between two historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Winston-Salem State University and Virginia Union University. The event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will be broadcasted on NBA TV, TNT, and ESPN2 at 2 p.m. ET.
The HBCU Classic is part of the NBA’s efforts to support and celebrate the HBCUs, which have produced many notable NBA players, coaches, and executives, such as Earl Monroe, Ben Wallace, Avery Johnson, Sam Jones, and Robert Covington. The NBA will also donate $3 million to support scholarships, internships, and career development programs for HBCU students and alumni.
The HBCU Classic will also feature musical performances by Grammy Award-winning artists Jennifer Hudson and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, who are both HBCU alumni. Hudson graduated from Langston University in Oklahoma, while Edmonds attended Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
Other Events and Activities
In addition to the main events, the NBA All-Star 2024 will also include other events and activities for the fans and the community, such as:
- NBA All-Star Practice presented by AT&T: The East and West All-Star teams will hold their practice sessions on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will be broadcasted on NBA TV at 11 a.m. ET.
- G League Up Next Game presented by AT&T: The top prospects from the NBA G League, the NBA’s official minor league, will showcase their skills and potential in a game on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the Indiana Convention Center. The event will be broadcasted on NBA TV at 1:30 p.m. ET.
- Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game: The celebrities from various fields, such as music, film, television, sports, and social media, will play a friendly game of basketball on Friday, February 16, 2024, at the Lucas Oil Stadium. The event will be broadcasted on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET.
- Panini Rising Stars Practice: The participants of the Panini Rising Stars will hold their practice sessions on Friday, February 16, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will be broadcasted on NBA TV at 12:30 p.m. ET.
- Basketball Hall of Fame News Conference: The finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 will be announced on Friday, February 16, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will be broadcasted on NBA TV and NBA App at 5:30 p.m. ET.
- NBA Legends Awards: The NBA will honor some of the legends of the game, such as Oscar Robertson, Reggie Miller, Tamika Catchings, and Bobby Leonard, on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The event will be broadcasted on NBA TV and NBA App at 11:30 a.m. ET.
- NBA Cares and Social Impact Events: The NBA and the Indiana Pacers will host more than 50 events and programs to support the local community and address social issues, such as education, health, and inclusion. The events will involve the NBA players, coaches, legends, partners, and volunteers, as well as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis and the Special Olympics Indiana, who are the charity beneficiaries of the NBA All
