NBA All-Star Weekend
Encyclopedia
The National Basketball Association
(NBA) holds an All-Star Weekend every February, the festival has a variety of basketball
-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night.
game was held at US Airways Center
in Phoenix
, Arizona
, and the 2010
was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington
, Texas
and the 2011 NBA all-star game was held in Los Angeles,California home of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers
Additionally, the NBA Jam Session, a "theme park of basketball", has been a part of the All-Star festivities since 1992, with fans able to take part in numerous interactive basketball related activities from Thursday through Monday. The Jam Session is usually targeted to young fans.
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) holds an All-Star Weekend every February, the festival has a variety of basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night.
The All-Star Game
The All-Star Game, held on Sunday, is the main event of the weekend. The 20092009 NBA All-Star Game
The 2009 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game played on February 15, 2009 at US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Phoenix Suns. The game was the 58th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was played during the 2008–09 NBA season...
game was held at US Airways Center
US Airways Center
US Airways Center is a sports and entertainment arena located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It opened in 1992, and is the home of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association, the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena...
in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, and the 2010
2010 NBA All-Star Game
The 2010 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game between players selected from the National Basketball Association 's Western Conference and the Eastern Conference that was played on February 14, 2010 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. This game was the 59th edition...
was held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and the 2011 NBA all-star game was held in Los Angeles,California home of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers
Friday
- NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity GameNBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity GameThe NBA All-Star Celebrity Game takes place annually during the NBA All-Star Weekend and features retired NBA players, WNBA players, actors, musicians, and athletes from sports other than basketball...
: First held in 2004, the game features retired NBA players, WNBA players, actors, musicians, and athletes from sports other than basketball. - Rookie Challenge: From 1995 until 1999, the event was called the "Rookie Game," and composed entirely of first-year players. Since the year 2000, the game has featured a team of first-year players ('Rookies') against a team of second-year players ('Sophomores').
- D-League Dream Factory Friday Night: First held in 2008, the events includes a slam dunkSlam dunkA slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
contest, a three-point shootout and a H-O-R-S-E competition. These events were modeled after the NBA All-Star Saturday Night events.
Saturday
- D-League All-Star GameNBA Development League All-Star GameThe NBA Development League All-Star Game is an annual exhibition basketball game held by the National Basketball Association Development League . The D-League was founded in 2001 as the National Basketball Development League . The league adopted its current name at the start of the 2005–06 season...
: First held in 2007, this game features the best players from the NBA Development LeagueNBA Development LeagueThe NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
(D-League). The First winner was the East by a score of 114-100. The D-League All-Star game was not held in the same arena as all the other All-Star Saturday activities. Instead, it was held on NBA Jam Session's practice court. Pops Mensah-BonsuPops Mensah-BonsuNana Papa Yaw Dwene "Pops" Mensah-Bonsu is a British professional basketball player of Ghanaian descent.-Amateur career:...
won the MVP award of the game with 30 points and 7 rebounds. - Slam Dunk Contest: This competition showcases the creativity and athletic ability of some of the league's youngest best dunkersSlam dunkA slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
. The specific rules of the contest are decided each year, but the competition is always judged subjectively. After each dunk, or attempted dunk, competitors are awarded a mark out of 10 from five judges, giving a possible high score of 50. The usual rules of 'traveling' and double dribbling do not apply. - Three-Point Shootout: The league's best three point shooters shoot five basketballs from five different spots around the three point line. Each shot is worth one point except the last ball of each rack (informally called 'money balls'), which is worth two points. The highest score available in one round is 30 points.
- Skills Challenge: Making its debut in 2003, the Skills Challenge pits selected players in a timed obstacle course of dribbling, shooting and passing. Agility, quickness and accuracy all come into play.
- Shooting Stars Competition: A retired NBA player, a current NBA player and a WNBAWomen's National Basketball AssociationThe Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
player, representing their teams' cities compete together in a shooting competition.
Former events
- Legends ClassicLegends ClassicThe NBA All-Star Legends Game was an NBA Legends game from 1984 to 1993 that featured retired players. It was held during the NBA All-Star Weekend and consisted of two teams, East and West...
: Held from 19841983-84 NBA season-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Houston Rockets*Defensive Player of the Year: Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks...
to 19931992-93 NBA season-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns*Rookie of the Year: Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic*Defensive Player of the Year: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets...
, the Classic was a game featuring retired NBA players. As in the All-Star Game, the teams were designated East and West. The Legends game opened the Saturday program. The NBA canceled the Legends Classic after 1994 due to the players' frequent injuries from the game, perhaps due to the large range in fitness levels among younger and older alumni. The Rookie Challenge is its replacement. - 2Ball Contest: Held 1998, 2000-2001
- Hoop-it-up All Star Tournament: Held 2002-2003
Additionally, the NBA Jam Session, a "theme park of basketball", has been a part of the All-Star festivities since 1992, with fans able to take part in numerous interactive basketball related activities from Thursday through Monday. The Jam Session is usually targeted to young fans.