OKC Thunder: 2019 NBA schedule of All-Star weekend events and what to watch for
Friday, February 15:
All the NBA players participating in the weekend converge on Charlotte, North Carolina. Throughout the day players will interact with various pundits in shows. NBA TV will be featured prominently as they broadcast the interviews. Make a point of tuning in to NBA TV as they begin airing All-Star content at 9:30 a.m. ET. Tune in at 2:00 p.m. ET as the network airs the interviews.
MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars:
- First practice: MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars, 9:30 a.m.
- Second practice: MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars Practice, 11:00 a.m
- Game: MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars, 9:00 p.m. (on TNT)
Watch for a Thunderous Intentions preview of the event coming later today.
Media Day:
Throughout the course of the day NBA All-Stars, rookies and sophomores in the MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars game and players participating in State Farm All-Star Saturday Night events will meet with the media throngs and appear on special TV shows. Although the majority of interviews will be highlighted at 2:00 p.m on NBA TV watch throughout the day for on-going interviews.
Who’ll have the best hot take? Which player will lower the gauntlet making a wild claim? Who’ll be the Westbrook this year by avoiding questions? And, will Kevin Durant have decided to be friendly with media for the weekend?
Keep an eye on @thunderousInt as we note hot takes all day and be sure to follow us so you don’t miss any tweets.
Hall of Fame Finalists Announcement:
At 5:00 p.m the list of 2019 Hall of Fame Inductee Finalists will be announced. For a full list of nominees visit the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame website.
Some former players who are on the nominee list and arguably expected to make the cut are three Pistons – Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, and Ben Wallace. Also a tie to the Charlotte Hornets Muggsy Bogues. Other potential favorites are Jack Sikma, Chris Weber, Tim Hardaway, Becky Hammon and coaches Rudy Tomjanovich, George Karl and Rick Adelman.
NBA TV will air the announcement of the finalists.
NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles:
This is often a hit or miss event with former players, celebrities and other athletes usually featuring specific participants from the host team.
Some of the participants this season are former American Idol singer Chris Daughtry, rappers Rapsody and Quavo, comic JB Smoove, and former NBA player Ray Allen. For the full list of participants click here.
Many have presumed Ray Allen is one of the former players who could walk onto a court and fit right in with the focus on perimeter shooting. Aside from the typical hi-jinx these games tend to produce, keep an eye for Allen heating up and dropping multiple treys for the fans.
Something else to keep an eye on is the official sponsor Ruffles will have a special 4-point line called “The Ridge” and donating $4,000 for each shot hit from that location. The NBA provides the full clarification below:
"Ruffles, the Official Chip of the NBA, will go all-in again this year as the presenting partner of the 2019 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. For the entire game, celebrity players can score big by shooting from the potato chip brand’s 4-point line, “The RIDGE,” resembling the ridges in Ruffles potato chips. For every 4-pointer made from “The RIDGE” during the game, Ruffles will donate $4,000 to foster environments of inclusion in sports in partnership with the Special Olympics, up to $40,000."
Coaching the teams Olympic champion Dawn Staley will coach the home team while Seattle Storm 2018 WNBA Champion Sue Bird will serve as the away coach.
ESPN will air the game at 7:00 p.m