INDIANAPOLIS — When the stars of the NBA come to Indianapolis for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, they'll bring dozens of celebrities to town, as well.
Several stars from the music world will perform as part of the festivities surrounding the game, while more celebs from the world of sports and entertainment will take part in the Ruffles All-Star Celebrity Game Friday, Feb. 16 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The All-Star Weekend festivities will kick off with a pair of local stars, as Indiana Fever legend and Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings and actor/comedian Mike Epps, an Indianapolis native, emcee "The Tip Off" opening ceremony to the weekend's festivities.
Here are some of the other celebrities we may see around downtown:
Concerts
- Machine Gun Kelly and DJ Diesel, aka Shaquille O'Neal, will perform during the "NBA on TNT American Express Road Show" on Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Indiana Convention Center. The event is free, but tickets are required.
- T-Pain and DJ Zedd are performing Friday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. during the NBA Crossover Concert Series at the Indiana Convention Center.
- Boosie is performing Friday, Feb. 16 at 11 p.m. at The Vogue Theatre in Broad Ripple.
- Keith Urban and Walker Hayes are performing Saturday, Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. during the NBA Crossover Concert Series at the Indiana Convention Center.
- Jelly Roll is performing Saturday, Feb. 17 at 9:30 p.m. at the Indiana Convention Center.
- 2 Chainz is performing Saturday, Feb. 17 at 11 p.m. at The Vogue Theatre in Broad Ripple.
- Lil Wayne is performing Sunday, Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. during the NBA Crossover Concert Series at the Indiana Convention Center.
All-Star Celebrity Game
On Wednesday, Feb. 7, the NBA and ESPN announced the rosters and coaches for the Celebrity All-Star Game, scheduled for Friday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Team Stephen A. Smith
- EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson
- Content creator Tristan Jass
- Basketball entertainer Jack Ryan
- NBA champion Metta World Peace
- Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean
- James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi
- Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud
- Streamer Adam Blackstone
- Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud
- Olympic high jump gold medalist Gianmarco Tamberi
Team Shannon Sharpe
- Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons
- Actor Quincy Isaiah
- IndyCar Series driver Conor Daly
- Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd
- Streamer Kai Cenat
- Actor Dylan Wang
- Emmy Award-winning actress and YouTube host Lilly Singh
- Singer SiR
- Grammy Award-nominated singer Walker Hayes
- Latin American Music Award-winning rapper and singer Anuel AA
"First Take" co-stars Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe will coach the two teams. Assistant coaches include Grammy Award-winning rapper 50 Cent, two-time WNBA champion A'ja Wilson and Grammy Award-winning rapper Lil Wayne.
Game-day performers
In addition to playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Hudson will perform during halftime of the 73rd NBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Indianapolis native and 13-time Grammy winner Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds will sing the U.S. national anthem before the 73rd NBA All-Star Game.
Canadian Juno Award-winning singer Charlotte Cardin will sing the Canadian national anthem before the game.
On Friday night, Indianapolis-based band The Brothers Footman and Canadian singer-songwriter Kyra Daniels will perform the U.S. and Canadian national anthems, respectively, before the 2024 Rising Stars game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
At 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Coco Jones will sing the U.S. national anthem and the Black national anthem, "Lift Every Voice," alongside Winston Salem State University Red Sea of Sound and Virginia Union University Ambassadors of Sound at the HBCU Classic.