The 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend is underway with a jam-packed slate in Indianapolis.
In Friday’s celebrity game, Team Shannon, coached by Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, 50 Cent and Peyton Manning will take on Team Stephen A, coached by Stephen A. Smith, Lil Wayne and A’ja Wilson. Micah Parsons, Jewell Loyd, Metta World Peace, Natasha Cloud and C.J. Stroud are among the names that may stand out to sports fans.
Following the celebrity game, Team Pau, Team Tamika, Team Jalen and Team Detlef will compete in the Rising Stars challenge. Victor Wembanyama, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren and reigning slam dunk contest champion Mac McClung are among the players that will take the floor for Friday’s mini tournament.
On Saturday, Team Top Picks, Team Pacers and Team All-Stars will start the day’s action in the skills challenge. Reigning 3-point contest winner Damian Lillard is back to defend his title against a field that includes 2022 champion Karl-Anthony Towns. 2023 slam dunk contest winner McClung will also look to repeat against Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jacob Toppin.
Following the traditional 3-point contest, Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu will go head-to-head in a special edition of the long range competition.
The weekend will conclude with the marquee event on Sunday: the 73rd NBA All-Star Game. Unlike last year, which used a playground draft format that included team captains making their selections before the game, a traditional East vs. West matchup will be played for the first time since 2017.
Last year, Jayson Tatum was named MVP after dropping 55 points, the most ever in an All-Star Game. He’s back again as a starter and hopes to lead the Eastern Conference to a win alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tyrese Haliburton. The Western Conference starting lineup is headlined by LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic.
Here are the top moments from the NBA’s signature midseason showcase:
This story originally appeared on ESPN
