Honestly, there’s something kind of chaotic and beautiful about watching a guy who won an Emmy three years ago try to box out a Hall of Fame wide receiver while a TikToker with 20 million followers calls for a screen. That’s the NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game in a nutshell. It is the only place on earth where the stakes are non-existent, yet every single person on that court is playing like there’s a Larry O'Brien trophy on the line.
People love to clown on it. They say the basketball is bad. And yeah, sometimes it’s objectively terrible. But if you’re looking for pure, unadulterated entertainment to kick off the weekend, this is basically the gold standard.
What Actually Happened in the 2025 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game?
If you missed the 2025 game in Oakland, you missed a weirdly competitive track meet. We had Team Bonds—coached by the Home Run King himself, Barry Bonds—going up against Team Rice, led by NFL legend Jerry Rice. It felt like a 90s Bay Area fever dream.
Rome Flynn was the story. The guy wasn't just "good for a celebrity"; he was actually hooping. He dropped 22 points, grabbed 8 boards, and handed out 5 assists. He had this one-footed fadeaway that honestly looked like he’d been watching old Dirk Nowitzki tapes in his trailer between takes. He walked away with the MVP, leading Team Bonds to a 66-55 win.
But let’s talk about Shelby McEwen. The man is an Olympic high jumper, and it showed. He didn't score as much as Flynn, but he threw down a left-handed windmill dunk that had the entire arena—and half of Twitter—losing their minds. You don't usually see that kind of verticality in a game where half the participants are just happy to make it up and down the court twice without needing an oxygen tank.
The 2025 Rosters Were Wild
The mix was fascinating. You had:
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- Streamers and Creators: Kai Cenat and Druski brought the energy (and the comedy).
- Music Stars: Shaboozey, Noah Kahan, and Walker Hayes.
- Athletes: Terrell Owens (who is 51 and still looks like he could play on Sundays), plus WNBA stars like Allisha Gray and Kayla Thornton.
- International Flavor: Dylan Wang returned, proving that the celebrity game has a massive global footprint that most people in the States don't even realize.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Celebrity Game in Los Angeles
The circus is heading to Southern California for 2026. The NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game is set to tip off on Friday, February 13, at the historic Kia Forum in Inglewood.
If you thought the Oakland game had star power, just wait until the league brings the festivities to the shadow of Hollywood. The Forum is a legendary venue with a lot of "Showtime" ghosts in the rafters, and the NBA is clearly leaning into that nostalgia. Tickets are already surfacing on secondary markets, and the buzz is that the guest list for the 2026 rosters might be the most "A-list" we've seen in a decade.
We don't have the official rosters yet—the NBA usually holds those close to the vest until a few weeks before the break—but the rumor mill is already churning with names of LA-based actors and musicians who want to "protect their home court."
Why This Game Actually Matters (No, Really)
Most people get it wrong. They think the Celebrity Game is just filler. It’s not. It’s a massive marketing engine. When someone like Kai Cenat or a K-pop star joins the roster, the NBA reaches a demographic that might not watch a single minute of a regular-season game between the Magic and the Pistons.
The Ruffles 4-Point Line and "Crunch Time"
The rules are where things get truly unhinged. You’ve got the 4-point line sponsored by Ruffles, which incentivizes people who have no business shooting from 30 feet to "let it fly." Then there's the "Crunch Time" mechanic. If a coach activates it, every bucket counts for double for a set period.
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It’s gimmicky? Sure. Is it fun? Absolutely. It forces teams to actually strategize. In the 2025 game, Team Bonds used their crunch time to basically put the game out of reach while Team Rice was struggling to find a rhythm. It adds a layer of "video game logic" to real-life sports that you just don't get anywhere else.
The E-E-A-T Factor: Real Skill vs. Fame
One of the most nuanced parts of this game is seeing the gap between "celebrity good" and "pro good."
When you see a WNBA star like Rickea Jackson or a retired NBA vet like Baron Davis step on the floor, the speed difference is jarring. They aren't even trying 100%, and they still look like they're playing a different sport. It gives the average fan a much better appreciation for how fast the actual NBA game is. Even a 51-year-old Terrell Owens, who is a freak of nature, looks human compared to a current pro.
Historical Moments You Probably Forgot
The game has some legitimate lore.
- Kevin Hart’s Dynasty: The man won four MVPs in a row (2012-2015). He was loud, he was annoying, and he was surprisingly effective until Arne Duncan showed up and reminded everyone what a former D1 player looks like.
- Arne Duncan’s Masterclass: In 2014, the then-Secretary of Education dropped 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. He had a behind-the-head no-look pass that belongs in a museum.
- The Bieber Year: Back in 2011, Justin Bieber won MVP mostly because the fan vote was a landslide. He wasn't the best player on the floor, but that’s the beauty of the event—it’s a popularity contest as much as a basketball game.
How to Get the Most Out of Watching
If you're planning to watch or attend the 2026 game in LA, keep a few things in mind.
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First, don't take the first quarter seriously. Everyone is just trying to make sure they don't trip over their own feet. The real game starts in the fourth quarter when the "trash talk" gets personal and someone—usually a rapper who thinks they should've been in the league—decides they aren't leaving without the trophy.
Second, watch the sidelines. Half the fun is seeing which NBA superstars are sitting courtside laughing at their famous friends. Seeing LeBron or Steph heckling a comedian from the front row is peak All-Star energy.
Practical Steps for Fans
If you’re trying to follow the action for the upcoming 2026 cycle:
- Set Alerts for Late January: This is when the NBA typically drops the official rosters.
- Check the "Rising Stars" crossover: Often, the celebrity game is the lead-in to the Rising Stars tournament on Friday night. It’s a long night of hoops, so pace your snacks.
- Follow the Coaches: The coaches often have more fun than the players. Seeing someone like 50 Cent or Stephen A. Smith try to draw up a play on a clipboard for a Disney Channel star is worth the price of admission alone.
The NBA All-Star Weekend Celebrity Game isn't about the box score. It’s about the culture. It’s the one night a year where the wall between "fan" and "athlete" gets a little bit thinner, and we all get to realize that, deep down, every celebrity just wants to be a hooper.