The most awaited weekend on the National Basketball Association (NBA) calendar is finally here, as super stars gather in Chicago for yet another All-Star games.
For the third time in history, the Windy City, Chicago will host the three-days event, having done so in 1973 and 1988.
The last time Chicago hosted NBA All-Star festivities was in 1988, when the Bulls’ Michael Jordan famously soared from the free throw line in the dunk contest.
This year, the NBA festivity will be characterized by a celebrity game, dunk and three-point shooting contests, before the stars even take to the court for the game.
This year, a record eight international players from seven countries have been named 2020 NBA All-Star team.
They are; Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Luka Dončić (Slovenia), Joel Embiid (Cameroon), Rudy Gobert (France), Nikola Jokić (Serbia), Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania), Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) and Ben Simmons (Australia).
#2020NBAALLSTARWEEKEND
— All Sports Live (@hd_allsports1) February 14, 2020
2020 NBA Rising Stars Challenge line: Picks for #TeamUSA vs #TeamWorld
LIVE 📺📺🥊🥊 https://t.co/s6xa7WPUJB pic.twitter.com/lLwsJ6tKVK
Nine of the 2020 NBA All-Stars are under 24, the highest record since the league’s first All-Star Game, in 1951 (nine).
The under-24 players, from the youngest to the oldest are, Luka Dončić (20), Trae Young (21), Jayson Tatum (21), Brandon Ingram (22), Bam Adebayo (22), Devin Booker (23) Donovan Mitchell (23), Ben Simmons (23) and Domantas Sabonis (23).
The 2020 NBA All-Star will also see Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, who is the career all time scoring leader with 362 points, set the record as the NBA All-Star Game starter, with 16 appearances.
Team captains @chancetherapper & @common headline #RufflesCelebGame rosters for coaches @stephenasmith & @RealMikeWilbon! pic.twitter.com/juQHOpCSF9
— 2020 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) February 5, 2020
On Friday, February 14, 2020, the will be an All-Star celebrity event which will emanate from the Wintrust Arena , home of the WNBA Chicago Sky.
Mark Jones will return as the play-by-play voice with analyst and WNBA superstar Chiney Ogwumike and commentator Peter Rosenberg. Reporter and Chicago native Cassidy Hubbarth will join Jones, Ogwumike and Rosenberg to round the telecast.
The tribute patches to Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant & Calabasas crash victims & stripe for David Stern on 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend jerseys pic.twitter.com/AqXdH2r2AP
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 14, 2020
Players on Team Giannis will be wearing Kobe Bryant's No. 24, while Team LeBron players will wear No. 2, which was Gianna's number on her youth basketball team, in honor of the two who died in a helicopter crash last month.
The All-Star jerseys will also feature a patch honoring all nine people who died in the helicopter crash as well as a black band for former NBA commissioner David Stern, who died on January 1, 2020.
One exciting feature of the NBA All-Star game is the slam dunk contest, and this year, four of the league's best dunkers will descend upon Chicago to put on a show for the fans and try and etch their names among some of the game's greatest to ever compete in the contest.
Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks, Aaron Gordon of Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers and Derrick Jones Jr., who plays for the Miami Heat, will be the four delightful men for the 2020 NBA All-Star slam dunk.
On Sunday night, the All-Star Game will feature a pair of teams captained by Lakers forward LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
