NBA Celebrity All-Star Game 2017: TV Info and Analysis for Celebrity Showdown
In case you weren't aware, the 2017 NBA All-Star Game is Sunday. The annual celebration of the league's season should be a lot of fun, too—but perhaps not as entertaining as the other all-star exhibition this weekend.
On Friday night, the NBA will host this year's edition of the All-Star Celebrity Game. It's going to be a night for former basketball stars, cross-sport athletes and celebrity wanna-be ballers to come together on the court.
This year, ESPN‘s Michael Smith and Jemele Hill will coach the West and East teams, respectively. Hill will be assisted by Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry and rapper Fat Joe. Meanwhile, Golden State Warriors standout Draymond Green and TV celebrity Rocsi Diaz will help coach alongside Smith.
We're here to run down everything you need to know about the 2017 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game, including television information, rosters and what to watch for.
What: East vs. West
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome
When: Friday, February 17
Time: 7 p.m. ET
National TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Rosters
| Brandon Armstrong | Former D-League Player/Impressionist |
| Win Butler | Musician |
| Nick Cannon | TV Personality/Actor |
| Rachel DeMita | NBA2K TV Personality |
| Ansel Elgort | Actor |
| Marc Lasry | Milwaukee Bucks Owner |
| Caleb McLaughlin | Actor |
| Peter Rosenberg | Media Personality |
| Oscar Schmidt | Former Olympic Basketball Player |
| Lindsay Whalen | WNBA Player |
| Jason Williams | Former NBA Player |
| Kris Wu | Actor/Musician |
| Miles Brown | Actor |
| Tom Cavanagh | Actor |
| Mark Cuban | Dallas Mavericks Owner |
| Baron Davis | Former NBA Player |
| Andy Grammer | Musician |
| Jiang Jinfu | Actor/Model |
| Anthony Mackie | Actor |
| Romeo Miller | Actor |
| Hasan Minhaj | Actor/Comedian |
| Master P | Actor/Musician |
| Candace Parker | WNBA Player |
| Aaron Sanchez | Celebrity Chef |
What to Follow
Mark Cuban Making Return
Dallas Mavericks owner and celebrity billionaire Mark Cuban seems to be everywhere. From television to media appearances to, of course, courtside at Mavs games. On Friday, he'll be playing on the court alongside other celebrities, athletes and fellow NBA owner Marc Lasry.
Lasry, who owns the Milwaukee Bucks, played for Team USA in last year's celebrity game.
Cuban, though, hasn't appeared since the 2010 game. However, this doesn't mean the 58-year-old won't add some flair to the proceedings.
“He can shoot—a lot,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said, per Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “He’ll add a lot to that game. He’ll add a level of skill, and certainly he’ll add personality to that game, too.”
Cuban himself, though, seems to be keeping his expectations low.
“I’m just trying to get out there and have fun," he said, per Price. "If you get older and you don’t do it, you’re never going to do it, so I figure I’ve got to do it.”
Given Cuban's massive personality and profile, it should be fun for fans to see him out on the court, too. His Mavericks players should get a kick out of it, too.
Parker and Whalen Could Dominate
While the game is mostly comprised of celebrities and former players, it will feature two premier players from the WNBA—Candace Parker of the L.A. Sparks and Lindsay Whalen of the Minnesota Lynx.
The Lynx and the Sparks were the two teams in the 2016 WNBA Finals.
Don't be shocked if Parker and Whalen steal the show for at least stretches of the game. Parker averaged 15.3 points per game last season to go with 7.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists. Whalen averaged 9.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.
However, not everyone is excited to see Parker and Whalen in the game. Some will argue that including them alongside ex-players and celebrities somehow cheapens the achievements of the WNBA.
Adi Joseph of USA Today recently wrote the following:
"It just seems a little cheap to put active pros in a celeb game, especially when it only happens with women these days. In 2004, Richard Jefferson and Mark Jackson played despite being active NBA players. That made the WNBA inclusion feel more natural. But here, we have a chance to grab some WNBA legends instead.
"
Fans, though, may end up perfectly content as long as they get to see Parker dunk on someone before the night is over.
Butler's Second Shot at MVP
Unfortunately, we won't be seeing four-time celebrity MVP and comedian Kevin Hart in this year's game. Hart, who coached in (and later played in) last year's game, is out barring a surprise appearance. However, last year's MVP, Win Butler, will be back for a third consecutive year.
The Arcade Fire star produced 15 points and 14 rebounds in last year's game. Now he's back for another shot at the biggest individual award the exhibition has to offer.
Should Butler win the MVP again this year, he would join Hart and former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens as the only celebrities to win the award more than once.
If we're lucky, perhaps Butler can win the award and, in doing so, convince Hart or Owens to return to the game next year.
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