NBA All-Star Weekend 2022: Dates, TV Schedule, Event Info and Preview
The dog days of the 2021-22 NBA season have had their distractions.
First, it was the frenzied trade deadline that witnessed the blockbuster swap of James Harden for Ben Simmons, plus several other exchanges that included the likes of Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Haliburton, Norman Powell and CJ McCollum.
Now, the league is on the doorstep of All-Star Weekend, a three-day celebration of the world's greatest game based, this year, in Cleveland, Ohio.
To help grease the gears for the exhibitions and events, we'll run through the particulars of each day's festivities.
Friday's Festivities
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Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
Time, TV: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
This is always an interesting event, as different generations of basketball's vast fanbase experience it differently. For younger viewers, it's a chance to see their favorite comedians, recording artists and entertainers hit the hardwood. For the older crowd, it's a time to have Google at the ready to find out who these players are and why they are famous.
Coaches Bill Walton and Dominique Wilkins will oversee rosters that include rappers Quavo and Jack Harlow, comedian Tiffany Haddish, Las Vegas Aces forward Dearica Hamby, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, Cleveland Cavaliers legends Daniel "Booby" Gibson and Anderson Varejao, among others. Visit here for a full list of the rosters.
Clorox Rising Stars
Time, TV: 9 p.m. ET on TNT
This familiar event received a facelift this year, with four coaches—Rick Barry, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas and James Worthy—drafting and overseeing rosters comprising 12 rookies, 12 sophomores and four members of the NBA G League Ignite. The resulting teams will compete in a three-game tournament, with the first two being a race to 50 points and the final being a race to 25 points, a race-to-75 nod to the Association's 75th anniversary.
The rosters, which can be found in full here, include rookies Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley, sophomores Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball and 2023 top draft prospect Scoot Henderson, who skipped his senior high school season to join the G League Ignite.
All-Star Saturday Night
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Taco Bell Skills Challenge
The lead event of this three-round heavy-hitter tips off Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
This has also had a format refresh, as three teams of three players will lock horns in a four-round test of their shooting, passing and dribbling ability. The three teams are the: Antetokounmpos, which feature Giannis and his brothers Thanasis (both of the Milwaukee Bucks) and Alex Antetokounmpo (G League's Raptors 905); Cavs, featuring Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley; and Rooks, made up of Cunningham, Scottie Barnes and Josh Giddey.
MTN Dew 3-Point Contest
The snipers will hold down the mid-point of the night's slate, as an eight-player group of sharpshooters will put their net-shredding to the test in this two-round timed event. This contest will again feature The DEW Zone, two shots between the top of the key and wing that are six feet beyond the arc and worth three points each. There are also two-point money balls, one apiece at four racks and five at the shooting location of the player's choosing.
The featured long-range assassins are Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Zach LaVine, CJ McCollum, Patty Mills, Karl-Anthony Towns, Fred VanVleet and Trae Young.
AT&T Slam Dunk
If you're looking for some bounce, you're in business here.
The highest of high-flyers in the hoops world will close out All-Star Saturday night with a dunk-off for the ages. Obi Toppin, last year's runner-up, will go for the gold against first-timers Cole Anthony, Jalen Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson.
Sunday's Showdown
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71st NBA All-Star Game
Time, TV: 6 p.m. ET on TNT
This one is for all the marbles or, more accurately, sizable donations to the charity of each captain's choice. LeBron James is playing for the Kent State I Promise Scholars Program, while Kevin Durant is representing the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
The rosters, drafted by James and Durant, the recipients of the most fan votes in their respective conferences for the second consecutive year, will compete for bragging rights in the world's greatest pickup game. The event will again feature the Elam Ending, meaning the teams will compete to reach a target score—not on a timed game clock.
James grabbed Giannis Antetokounmpo with the first overall pick and rounded out his starting lineup with Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Jokic. Durant, who will miss the event because of injury, filled his opening group with Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum, Andrew Wiggins and Trae Young.
Injuries to Durant, Draymond Green and James Harden opened spots that have since been filled by LaMelo Ball, Dejounte Murray and Jarrett Allen.
