NBA Celebrity All-Star Game 2018: TV Info and Analysis for Celebrity Showdown

Just like the fact that there are always professional athletes who want to be actors, rappers and singers, there are always entertainers who want to be professional athletes.

Luckily, the NBA has a way for those individuals to scratch that itch: the 2018 Celebrity All-Star Game.

Both sides—athletes and celebs—will converge on Friday, Feb. 16 at the Verizon Up Arena at the Los Angeles Convention Center to play some organized basketball under the bright lights.

The game, presented by Ruffles, will begin at 7 p.m. ET and be shown exclusively on ESPN and the ESPN App.

Not to be outdone, the Celebrity Classic has a few new tweaks to make things interesting.

Team Clippers and Team Lakers will each be led by celebrity coaches and, for the first time ever, players will be able to shoot from a four-point line in the second half.

The four-point line is called "The RIDGE," pun intended. Players will get an opportunity to line up behind The RIDGE in the "4-for-4 Challenge," and for every made shot, the potato chip giant will donate $4,000 to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Ruffles will pay up to $40,000 to the charity (minimum of $20,000).

Now here's a quick look at both teams and coaches:

Coach	Occupation
Katie Nolan	Television Host (ESPN)
Paul Pierce	Retired NBA Player (won championship with Boston Celtics)
Common	Rapper/Actor (Best known for winning the 2015 Academy Award for his song "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma)

Player	Occupation
Miles Brown	Actor (Best known for Black-ish)
Brandon Armstrong	NBA impersonator
Dascha Polanco	Actress (Best known for Orange is the New Black)
Anthony Anderson	Actor (Best known for Black-ish)
Andre De Grasse	Sprinter (Best known for winning bronze in 100 meters and silver in 200 meters at 2016 Olympics)
Jamie Foxx	Actor/Comedian (Best known for Oscar-winning role in Ray)
Bubba Watson	Golfer (Best known for winning The Masters in 2012 and 2014)
Common	Rapper/Actor (Best known for winning the 2015 Academy Award for his song "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma)
Paul Pierce	Retired NBA Player (won championship with Boston Celtics)
Jason Williams	Retired NBA Player (Best known as White Chocolate)
Stefanie Dolson	WNBA Player for the Chicago Sky
Win Butler	Musician (Arcade Fire)

Coach	Occupation
Rachel Nichols	Journalist (Host of ESPN's The Jump)
Tracy McGrady	Retired NBA Player and Hall of Famer
Michael B. Jordan	Actor (Best known for Creed and The Black Panther)

Caleb McLaughlin	Actor (Best known for Stranger Things)
Jerry Ferrara	Actor (Best known for Entourage)
Rachel Demita	Model/Host NBA 2KTV
Nick Cannon	Actor (Best known for Wild N' Out)
Drew Scott	Actor/Host (Best known for Property Brothers)
Kris Wu	Actor/Singer (Best known for XXX: Return of Xander Cage)
Sterling Brim	Actor/Host (Best known for MTV's Ridiculousness)
Terence Crawford	Boxer and former two-weight world champion
Tracy McGrady	Retired NBA Player and Hall of Famer
Nate Robinson	Former NBA Player and 3-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion
Candace Parker	WNBA Player for Los Angeles Sparks
Marc Lasry	Co-owner of Milwaukee Bucks

Players to Watch

Bill Baptist/Getty Images

Now that Kevin Hart has retired from the game, it frees up the MVP Award for another player to win. 

Last year, NBA impersonator Brandon Armstrong took home the hardware, and Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler snagged it the year before that.

With both returning, they have to be the favorites to win it this season.

But there are a few other players who also have game.

Common, who played an All-Star point guard in the movie "Just Wright," can play, so he'll look to establish himself early, as will MTV's Nick Cannon and HGTV's Drew Scott.

Former NBA players Jason Williams and Nate Robinson should put on a show with their passing and dunking abilities, respectively. 

As for the winner, Team Clippers has too much firepower to take an L. They should win by at least 12 points.