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A lot of NBA fans have been turned off by the actual NBA All-Star Game in recent years. That is because a lack of effort and defense has resulted in some pretty bad All-Star Games from a competitive perspective recently.
Nowadays, a lot of fans choose to watch All-Star Saturday instead, as the day before the All-Star Game is filled with fun competitions that still involve some of the best basketball players in the world, especially when it comes to specific traits like dunking and shooting.
So, in this article, we are going to detail everything that you need to know about All-Star Saturday.
When and where is the NBA All-Star Saturday?
The Golden State Warriors are hosting All-Star Weekend. That means All-Star festivities will be at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Saturday night (Feb. 15) will see events start off at 8 p.m. ET. Those events include the Kia Skills Challenge, Starry 3-point Contest, and AT&T Slam Dunk Contest.
On Friday, Feb. 14, there will also be an All-Star Celebrity Game at 7 p.m. ET and the Rising Stars Competition at 9 p.m. ET. The Rising Stars Competition, specifically, will have bigger implications than ever before. That is because the All-Star Game has a new format, and the Rising Stars Competition winners will be a part of the inaugural tournament.
How to watch All-Star Saturday
TNT, TruTV, and Max will all be broadcasting/streaming the events during All-Star Saturday Night. NBA TV will also be showing the All-Star practice at 2 p.m. ET and the HBCU Classic at 5 p.m. ET.
Skills Challenge
Four teams of two players will compete in the Skills Challenge. The league hasn't officially unveiled the rules for this year's competition, and the format has frequently been changed in the past. We do know who will be competing in the event, though.
One team in the event features Cleveland Cavaliers stars Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Those two were two-thirds of a trio featuring Jarrett Allen that won the Skills Challenge back in 2022.
Team Cavs
- Donovan Mitchell
- Evan Mobley
Team Rooks
- Zaccharie Risacher
- Alex Sarr
Team Spurs
- Chris Paul
- Victor Wembanyama
Team Warriors
- Draymond Green
- Moses Moody
3-point Contest
In recent years, the NBA has included “deep” three-point shots worth extra points in addition to the normal 25 3-point shots set up on racks at five positions around the arc. That will again be the case this year.
The 2025 3-point Contest is filled with elite snipers, and Damian Lillard will be looking to defend his title and become the third 3-point three-peater ever. Larry Bird and Craig Hodges accomplished that feat in the competition's early days.
Unfortunately, we will not be getting some sort of NBA vs. WNBA shooting competition again this year like we did when Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu showed off their shooting prowess.
Participants
- Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Darius Garland (Cavaliers)
- Tyler Herro (Heat)
- Buddy Hield (Warriors)
- Cam Johnson (Nets)
- Damian Lillard (Bucks)
- Norman Powell (Clippers)
Slam Dunk Contest
The Slam Dunk Contest is often considered the best event during NBA All-Star Weekend, although it has faltered in recent years. There is an exciting group of young athletes ready to bring prestige back to the event this year, though.
The format remains the same as it has been in recent years. Each dunker gets two dunks before two players are eliminated. Then, the two remaining dunkers will compete for the highest score after two additional dunks. Mac McClung is looking to become only the second three-time winner and the first to do it in three-peat fashion.
Participants
- Matas Buzelis (Bulls)
- Stephon Castle (Spurs)
- Andre Jackson Jr. (Bucks)
- Mac McClung (G League)
