The NBA All-Star celebration is headed for Phoenix in 2027, the league announced Thursday.
Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns, will play host to the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2027, Phoenix’s fourth time hosting the event (1975, 1995 and 2009).
“Our NBA All-Star festivities in 2027 will showcase Phoenix’s love of everything basketball,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday, joined by Suns managing partner Mat Ishbia and others during a news conference in Phoenix.
“And we couldn’t be more excited to work with Mat Ishbia and the entire Suns organization for what promises to be an unforgettable celebration of our sport.”
The format is planned to resemble the 2024 version, beginning Friday, Feb. 19, 2027, at Footprint Center with first-year and second-year players participating in the NBA Rising Stars competition.
The following day is capped by the All-Star Saturday Night events featuring the Kia Skills Challenge, the STARRY 3-Point Challenge and AT&T Slam Dunk.
The 76th All-Star Game is set for Sunday, Feb. 21.
“Phoenix is the ultimate basketball destination and we are excited for fans from around the world to experience our amazing city,” Ishbia said. “We will provide an NBA All-Star Weekend unlike any other, showcasing the passion of our fans, our city and everything that we’re building here.”
The NBA also will present fan-friendly events, including the All-Star practices and celebrity game, at several sites in Phoenix.
An All-Star fan fest will run through the weekend with entertainment and access to NBA luminaries and celebrities.
Phoenix also is hosting this season’s WNBA All-Star festivities.
The last time the NBA All-Star Game was in Phoenix, 2009, the Suns’ Shaquille O’Neal (17 points in 11 minutes) played with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant (27 points), sharing the MVP award.
The Western Conference won 146-119 to cap a weekend that saw Oklahoma City Thunder youngster Kevin Durant, now with the Suns, score 46 points in the Rising Stars event.
– Field Level Media