logo
NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 kicks off in Bay Area with star-studded events

NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 kicks off in Bay Area with star-studded events

Express Tribune15-02-2025
The highly anticipated 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend has arrived, bringing an exciting slate of events to the Bay Area.
Hosted by the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center and Oakland Arena, this marks the first time since 2000 that the region has hosted the festivities.
The weekend kicked off with the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, where Team Bonds, led by streamer Kai Cenat and rapper 2 Chainz, secured a 66-55 victory over Team Rice, captained by comedian Druski and social media star Khabi Lame. Friday also featured the Rising Stars Game, showcasing the league's top young talent.
Saturday will see the highly anticipated skills challenge, three-point contest, and slam dunk contest. The grand finale, the 74th NBA All-Star Game, takes place Sunday with a revamped format featuring four teams: Team Chuck, Team Shaq, Team Kenny, and Team Candace. The tournament-style competition will see players competing for a cash prize, with each member of the winning team taking home $125,000.
In addition to the on-court action, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 2025 finalists. Headlining the list are NBA legends Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard, along with WNBA icons Sue Bird and Maya Moore. The 2008 U.S. Olympic "Redeem Team" was also nominated for its dominant gold-medal performance. Other nominees include coaches Billy Donovan and Mark Few, as well as longtime NBA referee Danny Crawford.
The final Hall of Fame class will be announced on April 5 during the NCAA Men's Final Four, with the enshrinement ceremony scheduled for September 5-6.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sports Round up
Sports Round up

Express Tribune

timea day ago

  • Express Tribune

Sports Round up

TOP QUOTE Simeone: I think this has been a learning experience for myself Diego Simeone admits tactical errors contributed to Atletico's opening defeat against Espanyol TOP STORIES ATHLETICS Thompson out of Lausanne meet PARIS. Kishane Thompson, the fastest man in the 100m this year and a favourite for next month's world championships, will miss the Diamond League meet in Lausanne on Wednesday with a shin injury. "Kishane Thompson will not compete in the men's 100m," organisers said in a statement on Monday. The Jamaican sprinter has been suffering from "shin discomfort" since beating Olympic champion Noah Lyles last weekend. AFP FOOTBALL Forest sign French forward Kalimuendo LONDON. French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo has signed a five-year contract with Nottingham Forest, the Premier League club announced on Monday. According to French media, the transfer paid to ex-club Rennes is believed to be at least 30 million euros ($35 million). "Nottingham Forest is delighted to announce the signing of Arnaud Kalimuendo," read a statement on the English club's website. AFP ICONIC Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem celebrates winning the Paris Olympics javelin throw gold medal. RECORD CORNER 9.58 seconds is the number of seconds Usain bolt took to make the world recond in 100m sprint. TRIVIA Who are the current champions of the UEFA Women's European Championship? England SIDE STORIES Haller leaves Dortmund BERLIN. Borussia Dortmund on Monday confirmed striker Sebastien Haller had joined Dutch side Utrecht on a permanent deal. Haller reportedly joined on a free transfer, having been allowed to end his Dortmund contract a year early. The 31-year-old Ivory Coast international spent the second half of last season on loan at Utrecht, the club he played for between 2015 and 2017. "This summer there was quite a bit of interest from other clubs, but for me there was only one ideal scenario and that was FC Utrecht," Haller said in a statement on the club's website. The departure ends a tumultuous time for Haller at Dortmund. After arriving in a deal worth 31 million euros ($36 million) from Ajax in 2022, Haller was diagnosed with testicular cancer weeks later and missed six months while undergoing treatment. He missed a penalty on the final day of the 2022-23 season in a 2-2 home draw against Mainz which handed Bayern Munich the Bundesliga title. AFP Mueller has goal ruled out LOS ANGELES. Thomas Mueller made his Major League Soccer debut on Sunday as a second-half substitute for Vancouver Whitecaps in a 1-1 draw with Houston Dynamo that left the Germany great with "mixed feelings" after he had a goal disallowed for offside. Vancouver were up 1-0 courtesy of Brian White's sixth-minute penalty when the former Bayern Munich striker Mueller entered the contest to a massive ovation in the 61st minute. Mueller, a World Cup-winner with Germany whose storied tenure at Bayern included 13 Bundesliga titles, had made his way into Vancouver's BC Place stadium through a throng of excited supporters, high-fiving and shaking hands as he went. The Whitecaps had officially unveiled their new signing on Thursday, a week after he inked a deal through the end of the 2025 season with an option for 2026. The crowd of 26,301 stood and cheered when he was introduced before kickoff, and Mueller applauded fans in return. AFP Lukaku to miss start of Napoli's title defence MILAN. Romelu Lukaku will miss Napoli's opening fixture of their Serie A title defence after suffering a thigh injury which could keep the Belgium striker out for months, the Italian champions said on Monday. Napoli, who travel to promoted Sassuolo on Saturday, said in a statement that Lukaku had suffered a "serious" tear in his left thigh during Thursday's pre-season friendly with Olympiakos. No indication over how long Lukaku would be sidelined was given by Napoli, but Italian media reported that he could be out of action until November. Napoli suggested that Lukaku, 32, might have to undergo surgery. Lukaku was key to Napoli winning their fourth league title last season, setting up 10 Serie A goals to go with the 14 he scored under coach Antonio Conte. AFP FIFA boss condemns racial abuse BERLIN. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned the alleged racial abuse which occurred during two German Cup fixtures on the weekend as "unacceptable", in a statement issued Monday. "I repeat myself and will continue to do so. There is no place for racism in football," Infantino said in the statement. On Sunday, a match between home side Lokomotive Leipzig and Schalke was halted after winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei said he was racially abused by home spectators. An announcement on the stadium PA was made condemning racist abuse. After the match resumed, the winger was booed repeatedly by the home support and Lokomotive issued an apology later on Sunday. Also on Sunday, a player from visiting side Kaiserslautern also alleged racial abuse from a member of the crowd at club RSV Eintracht. AFP Springboks suffer injury CAPE TOWN. As if the pain of a first defeat to Australia at Ellis Park in 62 years was not enough, South Africa face a heavy injury toll from the 38-22 defeat in Saturday's Rugby Championship opener, with captain Siya Kolisi sidelined for an extended period. Kolisi suffered a knee injury as Australia rallied from 22 points down in a stunning second-half display and is out of the second test in Cape Town on Saturday and likely the two-match tour to New Zealand that follows. Kolisi is expected to be out for four weeks, which means he will miss the Springboks' eagerly anticipated clash with New Zealand at Eden Park on September 6, where they are seeking a first win since 1937. Loose-forward Pieter-Steph du Toit suffered a concussion in the weekend defeat and will also miss the second game as he goes through return to play protocols. REUTERS

Dennis Rodman criticizes Travis Hunter marriage to Leanna Lenee amid online scrutiny and public debate
Dennis Rodman criticizes Travis Hunter marriage to Leanna Lenee amid online scrutiny and public debate

Express Tribune

time2 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Dennis Rodman criticizes Travis Hunter marriage to Leanna Lenee amid online scrutiny and public debate

Former NBA champion Dennis Rodman drew attention after making comments about Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter and his wife, Leanna Lenee. During a livestream with YouTuber N3on, Rodman was asked what advice he would give a 21-year-old to grow as a person. After a pause, he replied, 'Just don't be Travis Hunter,' before laughing and dismissing the situation as 'fake news.' Hunter, who won the 2024 Heisman Trophy and was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft, married Lenee this summer after years of dating. Despite their history together, the couple has been the subject of criticism online, with some accusing Lenee of pursuing Hunter for his fame. These claims intensified during Hunter's Heisman season at the University of Colorado, particularly after a viral ceremony moment in which Lenee was perceived as distant. Lenee has spoken openly about the emotional impact of such scrutiny. In July, she posted a TikTok video showing herself in tears from December 2024, describing how her faith helped her move forward. 'The amount you can grow and develop in just six months of devoting your life to Jesus and getting away from the shackles of the world and social media is truly astounding,' she wrote. The post drew supportive comments, including encouragement from WNBA star Angel Reese. Hunter has also defended his wife. On a Twitch stream following the Heisman ceremony, he revealed that Lenee often cried herself to sleep under the pressure of online attacks. He urged social media pages to stop targeting her, warning of the harm the negativity was causing. 'If she's hurting, I'm hurting,' Hunter said. Rodman, known for his outspoken remarks, has now added his voice to the ongoing debate surrounding the young couple's relationship.

Ilona Maher takes women's rugby onto new plane
Ilona Maher takes women's rugby onto new plane

Express Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Ilona Maher takes women's rugby onto new plane

Ilona Maher (C) has given women's rugby a huge platform to build on through her social media presence and promotion of body positivity. Photo: AFP Ilona Maher transcends women's rugby, giving it a profile outside of the sport in the way that Mia Hamm did for women's football. Now the stage is set at the women's World Cup in England for the American to spark even more interest. The 29-year-old phenomenon has attracted over eight million followers on social media, not only through her sporting exploits but also for her promotion of body positivity. She played a pivotal role in the USA women's team winning a first ever Olympic medal, beating Australia in the third-place playoff in Paris last year. On the back of that achievement, Maher featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition and appeared in the US version of hit TV show "Dancing with the Stars", finishing runner-up. The Maher-fuelled improvement of the USA team attracted the attention of American investor Michele Kang who donated $4 million to help develop the USA Women's Rugby Sevens Team over four years. In another sport, Kang owns the Lyon women's football team, the eight-time European champions. Maher's days in Paris were not just spent playing rugby but also attracting even more followers with her pithy social media posts. She compared life in the Athletes' Village to a reality TV show, in one humorous posting saying she was there "looking for love", to which her friend replies: "No you are here to play rugby." In more reflective mode in Paris, she told the Bleacher Report one of her goals was trying to reassure "girls" that playing sport did not take away their "girliness". "What we're trying to show is the beauty that in sports you can be a badass on the field, you can be a beast on the field, but also be a beauty," she said. "It's really important for me because I want girls to see what their body is capable of. "It's not just to be looked at, objectified, but it's strong and it's fast, and it's brilliant." Maher, who through her body positivity push has become a brand ambassador for a deodorant and a skincare product she co-founded, revels in her global popularity and being "America's sweetheart." "I love when people call me that because I feel like I'm maybe not the image you would have of a sweetheart in some sense of the word," Maher told CNN in January this year. "I'm honoured." Maher, who hails from Vermont, may be extrovert and cheerful but she keeps her ego in check by showing appreciation to those women sports stars who paved the way for her. Hamm, her fellow American and a groundbreaking football superstar of the 1990s and early noughties, a two-time Olympic and World Cup winner, features high on the list. "I remember in our gym we always had a poster of Mia Hamm, and that was always cool to look up to her," Maher told the Bleacher Report. Closer to home, though, she is part of a tight-knit family unit, with her father Michael, a keen rugby player who introduced her to the sport, Netherlands-born mum Mieneke and sisters Olivia and Adrianna. Elder sister Olivia has a considerable social media presence herself. From her father Ilona not only learned about rugby but also a crucial life lesson when he defended her at a softball event. One of the other dads complained that Maher's pitches were unhittable but he was put in his place by Maher senior. "I think that was the first moment of being told to never tone it down," she told CNN. "Because that dad over there ... wanted me to tone myself down so that it could be easier for (his daughter). "But that's not the world, is it? The world isn't going to tone down for you." Instead Maher has upped the ante and the fruits for women's rugby have been plentiful as New Zealand legend Portia Woodman-Wickliffe told AFP. "Having someone from America with that American market who is very confident, loves rugby, loves supporting women's bodies, someone as vocal as that is amazing for us," Woodman-Wickliffe said. "We need to capitalise and follow her as much as we can."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store