2023 NBA All-Star Game weekend: everything you need to know
The NBA All-Star weekend is about more than just the All-Star game. The whole weekend is full of events to keep you busy in Salt Lake City, Utah.
There’s no better time or place to see the full showcase of the NBA’s talent than its annual All-Star Weekend. From the up and coming stars of the future, to skills challenges and of course the All-Star Game itself, there is a something for everyone during the three-day event.
The 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend is loaded
The 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend will NBA All-Star Weekend will tip off on Friday, February 17th, with the celebrity game and Rising Stars Challenge (see rosters below). NBA All-Star Saturday will feature the skills challenge, 3-point contest and slam dunk contest. This year will also feature the NBA HBCU Classic with a game between Grambling State and Southern on February 18th and of course on Sunday 19th, we’ve got the NBA All-Star Game itself. Here’s a look at the full schedule for the weekend:
2023 NBA All-Star schedule
Friday, Feb. 17
- NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN and the ESPN App)
- NBA Rising Stars Challenge, 9 p.m. ET (TNT)
Saturday, Feb. 18
- NBA HBCU Classic: Grambling State vs. Southern, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN2 and the ESPN App)
- NBA All-Star Saturday (skills challenge, 3-point contest, dunk contest), 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Sunday, Feb. 19
- 74th NBA All-Star Game, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
From Janelle Monae, to Calvin Johnson, Kane Brown and Simu Liu, get ready for a slew of famous faces in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which will see set for Friday, February 17th at 7 p.m. ET. While it’s always a fun time, there is a new element this year which should make things extra interesting. Indeed, each team captain will be allowed to activate “Ruffles Crunch Time,” which starts a two-minute period in which point values are doubled. Additionally, the Celebrity Game’s “Unlock a Legend” feature will return in 2023, giving a team the ability to add an NBA player to its roster midgame.
Rising Stars Challenge
Later in the evening on Friday, we’ve got the Rising Stars Challenge at 9:00 p.m. ET. The event will feature a mini-tournament consisting of four teams and three games. To that end, 21 NBA players have been drafted onto three teams, while seven G League players make up the fourth and final team. Honorary coaches for this year’s games are Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Jason Terry and Deron Williams. Each game will be played to a Final Target Score: two semifinal matchups to 40, and a championship game to 25. For a look at the full rosters, keep on reading:
TEAM PAU GASOL
- Jose Alvarado, G, New Orleans Pelicans
- Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic
- Jaden Ivey, G, Detroit Pistons
- Bennedict Mathurin, G, Indiana Pacers
- Keegan Murray, F, Sacramento Kings
- Andrew Nembhard, G, Indiana Pacers
- Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors
TEAM JOAKIM NOAH
- Josh Giddey, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Jalen Williams, F, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Jalen Duren, F, Detroit Pistons
- Quentin Grimes, G, New York Knicks
- Evan Mobley, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Jeremy Sochan, F, San Antonio Spurs
- Jabari Smith Jr., F, Houston Rockets
TEAM DERON WILLIAMS
- Walker Kessler, C, Utah Jazz
- Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets
- Trey Murphy III, G, New Orleans Pelicans
- AJ Griffin, F, Atlanta Hawks
- Jalen Green, G, Houston Rockets
- Bones Hyland, G, Denver Nuggets
- Franz Wagner, F, Orlando Magic
TEAM JASON TERRY (G League)
- Scoot Henderson, G, Ignite
- Sidy Cissoko, G, Ignite
- Mojave King, F, Ignite
- Kenneth Lofton Jr., F, Memphis Hustle
- Leonard Miller, F, Ignite
- Mac McClung, G, Delaware Blue Coats
- Scotty Pippen Jr., G, South Bay Lakers
The NBA All-Star Game
Last but most definitely not least, we come to the NBA All-Star Game itself. Set to tip off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 19th, the game will feature - as we know - the best of the best in the league. An interesting point to note, is that both teams will be playing for charities. Team LeBron will play for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah and Team Giannis will play for Raise the Future. In total, the game is expected to raise more than $750,000 for the Utah community.
Where the game itself is concerned, there are unfortunately a few noteable absences such as Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson and of course Steph Curry, all of whom are out due to injury. Your team captains are LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, with coaches Michael Malone of Nuggets and Joe Mazulla of the Celtics respectively. Here’s a look at the full rosters for the big game.
STARTERS
Eastern Conference
- Coach: Joe Mazzulla and staff, Boston Celtics
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, C, Milwaukee Bucks
- Kyrie Irving, G, Brooklyn Nets
- Donovan Mitchell, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Kevin Durant, F, Brooklyn Nets (Out due to injury)
- Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics
Western Conference
- Coach: Michael Malone and staff, Denver Nuggets
- LeBron James, F, Los Angeles Lakers
- Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
- Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors (Out due to injury)
- Luka Doncic, G, Dallas Mavericks
- Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans (Out due to injury)
RESERVES
Eastern Conference
- Jaylen Brown, G, Boston Celtics
- Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers
- Demar DeRozan, G, Chicago Bulls
- Julius Randle, F, New York Knicks
- Jrue Holiday, G, Milwaukee Bucks
- Tyrese Haliburton, G, Indiana Pacers
- Bam Adebayo, F, Miami Heat
- Pascal Siakam, F, Toronto Raptors (Injury replacement)
Western Conference
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Damian Lillard, G, Portland Trail Blazers
- Paul George, G, Los Angeles Clippers
- Lauri Markkanen, F, Utah Jazz
- Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies
- Jaren Jackson Jr., F, Memphis Grizzlies
- Domantas Sabonis, F, Sacramento Kings
- Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves (Injury replacement)
- De’Aaron Fox, G, Sacramento Kings (Injury replacement)