This year’s NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco is sure to make Valentine’s Day even more sweet.
The weekend is so much bigger than Sunday night’s big game, and it truly is a showcase of the best of basketball.
From the NBA/WNBA junior basketball clinics and the Special Olympics showcase to the historically Black colleges and universities programming, fans are encouraged to both grow the game and see themselves in it.
The player-involved games and skills competitions follow five days of social impact and youth basketball events in the Bay Area sponsored by the NBA, NBPA and Golden State Warriors.
On Friday night, the finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2025 class will be announced ahead of the Celebrity Game and Rising Stars Tournament.
I will be sure to shed tears if Carmelo Anthony emerges as a finalist, and will do so again once it’s official at the Enshrinement Ceremony in September.
I’m also pulling for Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles to make the cut as the WNBA — and women’s basketball at large — wouldn’t be the same without their contributions.
In previous years, I didn’t care much for the All-Star Celebrity Game, but Druski and Kai Cenat’s guaranteed foolishness may be exactly what I need for a few laughs.
The Rising Stars competition will conclude the night’s televised events. New this year, the winner out of four teams competing in the mini-tournament will secure a place in the All-Star Game.
Bay Area natives Amen and Ausar Thompson were selected to the competition after promising starts to their rookie seasons with the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, respectively.
All three members of the legendary “Run TMC” trio of former Warriors players will serve as honorary coaches, while Jeremy Lin — the Bay Area-raised namesake of “Linsanity” — will coach the G-League team.
In 2021, the NBA bolstered its commitment to HBCUs, including adding the HBCU Classic during All-Star weekend among other social justice initiatives.
Watching the HBCU Classic between rivals Morehouse College and Tuskegee University is an excellent way to celebrate Black History Month, honoring the contributions and culture of HBCUs.
Oakland — where the Black Panther Party was founded — is an undeniable site of African American history and culture, which the host Golden State Warriors will display through performances and prize competitions for students and entrepreneurs from the Bay Area.
After the Classic, and before the skills competitions begin, I’ll be sure to catch league commissioner Adam Silver’s news conference. During last year’s presser, he addressed concerns from fans and the media regarding officiating and LeBron James’ legacy, and there is plenty for him to choose from this year.
The skills challenge is always a great opportunity to see who’s emerging and who still has it — seeing participation from Draymond Green, Chris Paul and other seasoned stars alongside young talent.
The 3-point contest won’t see sharpshooter Steph Curry this year, but it will be headlined by Oakland’s own Damian Lillard, the 2-time defending champion of the contest.
Two-time champion Mac McClung will also defend his title in this year’s Slam Dunk Contest.
On Sunday, the most exciting players of the G-league will compete in the Up Next Game.
All eyes will be on the All-Star Game that has undergone further experimentation, thanks to feedback-inspired changes from the commissioner.
One compelling reason for the 2024 ASG not being as memorable is the controversial, yet ultimately entertaining, Elam Ending was removed in favor of returning to “the game at its roots.”
Instead, this year’s ASG will be split into three games of a mini-tournament in a format similar to the Rising Stars competition.
Even if the endings have reverted to reflect what’s traditional, this year’s participants will bring their individual flair to the rapidly evolving landscape.
The All-Star starters were selected by a formula reflecting the wants of fans (50% of the vote), current players (25%), and media members (25%).
The reserves were selected by head coaches, and replacements for injured players were selected based on who had the next-most votes from head coaches.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis are sidelined with injuries, granting Trae Young and Kyrie Irving their fourth and ninth call-ups, respectively.
Irving averaged nearly 24 points, five rebounds and five assists in the first half of the season, contributing greatly to the Mavericks’ offense alongside his former teammate Luka Dončić.
Young currently leads the league in assists, averaging 11.4 per game for the Hawks.
Even though I’ll miss watching Giannis and AD, I’m looking forward to seeing seasoned All-Stars Kevin Durant and James Harden team up with Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokić.
Anthony Edwards and Jaren Jackson Jr. sharing the court will be a sight to see, and I anticipate electric moments from MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and last season’s unanimous Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama.
I’m even more excited to see LeBron and Curry repeat the magic they made last summer leading the USA men’s basketball team to gold in the 2024 Olympics at 39 and 36-years-old, respectively.
If the NBA’s efforts to revitalize All-Star Weekend are successful, then this year’s Valentine’s Day will give us two reasons to celebrate love — for the game, and for one another.
