NBA All-Star Weekend is set to electrify the Bay Area, thanks to basketball’s biggest names and an innovative format. This go ‘round will be San Francisco’s first time hosting since 1967 and marks the debut of such festivities at the Chase Center. Oakland last welcomed the celebration in 2000, when Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan shared MVP honors. So, what does the schedule look like?
The excitement officially begins on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which will showcase a lively mix of athletes, musicians and entertainers in a fun yet competitive contest. Later that night, the Rising Stars Game will highlight the league’s top young talent alongside standout NBA G League prospects. For the first time, the victorious squad from these matchups will earn a place in Sunday’s All-Star Game as Team Candace, led by WNBA legend and TNT analyst Candace Parker.
On Saturday (Feb. 15), fans can catch an up-close look at their favorite players during an All-Star practice session. The momentum continues with the NBA HBCU Classic, a matchup showcase and celebration of historically Black colleges and universities. Following that, All-Star Saturday Night takes center stage, beginning with a special performance from Gelo. The 3-Point Contest will see marksmen Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Darius Garland, Tyler Herro, Buddy Hield, Cam Johnson and Norman Powell vying to unseat two-time defending champion Damian Lillard.
Closing the evening, the Slam Dunk Contest will feature reigning back-to-back champion Mac McClung, who looks to make history as the first player to claim three consecutive dunk titles. He’ll be challenged by San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle, Chicago’s Matas Buzelis and Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr.
The NBA’s boldest All-Star experiment yet
The weekend culminates on Sunday (Feb. 16) with the highly anticipated 74th NBA All-Star Game. This year introduces a groundbreaking format, transforming the traditional game into a mini tournament featuring four squads and three games. Twenty-four All-Star selections were divided into three teams, each named after a TNT analyst — Team Shaq, Team Chuck and Team Kenny. The aforementioned Team Candace will make the fourth squad to take the floor. Each contest will have a target score of 40 points, with the two semifinal winners advancing to the championship showdown.
As always, the lineups are stacked with top-tier talent. Team Shaq features dominant stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Lillard, while Team Chuck is built around reigning MVP Nikola Jokić, rising sensation Victor Wembanyama and dynamic scorers such as Donovan Mitchell and Trae Young. Meanwhile, Team Kenny will center everyone’s focus on the league’s brightest young standouts, including Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham.
More than just basketball
Beyond the hardwood’s main events, entertainment will be a major attraction throughout the weekend. Kevin Hart will make history as the first-ever All-Star Game emcee, and the Philly star is sure to keep the energy up with his signature humor and charisma. DJ Cassidy will present a Bay Area edition of Pass the Mic Live!, featuring performances from Hip Hop and R&B legends E-40, Saweetie, Too Short and En Vogue. Additionally, Raphael Saadiq will lead a 14-piece band for a special player introduction segment.
All in all, this weekend of hoops and hoopla is shaping up to be a must-watch event.