Events of All-Star weekend
Friday
- NBA All-Star Celebrity Game : First held in 2003, the game features retired NBA players, WNBA players, actors, musicians, media influencers, and athletes from sports other than basketball.
- Rising Stars Challenge : From 1994 until 1999, the event was called the "Rookie Game," and composed entirely of first-year players. From 2000 through 2011, the game, renamed the "Rookie Challenge", featured a team of first-year players ('Rookies') against a team of second-year players ('Sophomores'). The 2012 game debuted a new name, the "Rising Stars Challenge", and a new format. While the game continued to feature first- and second-year players, the participants were assigned to teams in a "fantasy draft" by two honorary captains (Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal in 2012 and 2013, Grant Hill and Chris Webber in 2014). In 2015, the Rising Stars Challenge format was switched again to a USA vs the World format. In 2022, the format was changed yet again, as a mini tournament of 4 teams drafted by honorary captains (Rick Barry, Gary Payton, Isiah Thomas, and James Worthy) and included prospects from the NBA G League. [5]
Saturday
- Slam Dunk Contest : This competition showcases the creativity and athletic ability of some of the league's best and youngest dunkers. The specific rules of the contest are decided each year, but the competition is always judged subjectively. After each dunk, or attempted dunk, competitors are awarded a mark out of 50 from five judges, giving a possible average high score of 50. The usual rules of 'traveling' and double dribbling do not apply. The most recent winner is Mac McClung of the Orlando Magic.
- Three-Point Contest : The league's best three point shooters shoot five basketballs from five different spots around the three-point line. Each shot is worth one point except the last ball of each rack (informally called 'money balls'), which is worth two points. The highest score available in one round has been 34 points since 2014, when the format changed so that in addition to the last ball of every rack, one of the five racks would contain entirely money balls. In 2020, two Mountain Dew shots from further away, worth three points each, were added, bringing the maximum score to 40. The shooters have 70 seconds to shoot the basketballs. The most recent winner is Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat.
- Skills Challenge : Making its debut in 2003, the Skills Challenge pits selected players in a timed obstacle course of dribbling, shooting and passing. Agility, quickness and accuracy all come into play. The most recent winners were Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2025.
Sunday
Former events
- 2Ball : Held in 1998, 2000, and 2001.
- Clorox Clutch Challenge : Held in 2022 to honor the NBA's 75th season. Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers and Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies were winners of the 2022 event. [6]
- D-League All-Star Game : Held from 2007 to 2017, this game featured the best players from the NBA Development League (known as the G League since the 2017–18 season). The first winner was the East by a score of 114–100. The D-League All-Star game was not held in the same arena as all the other All-Star Saturday activities. Instead, it was held on NBA Jam Session's practice court. In 2018, the All-Star Game was replaced by the NBA G League International Challenge, which was not held during NBA All-Star Weekend for either of its editions. Since 2022, G League players have taken part in the Rising Stars Challenge.
- D-League Dream Factory Friday Night : Held from 2008 to 2018. Modeled after All Star Saturday Night, the Dream Factory events featured players from the NBA D-League. Like the D-League All-Star Game, Dream Factory was held on the NBA Jam Session practice court. Events included:
- H–O–R–S–E Competition: Held in 2008 and 2009.
- Hot-Shot Competition: Held in 2008.
- Slam Dunk Contest: Held from 2008 to 2018.
- Shooting Stars Competition: Held from 2010 to 2012.
- Three-Point Contest: Held from 2008 to 2017.
- H–O–R–S–E Competition : Held in 2009, 2010, and 2020. [7] In 2020, due to the suspension of the NBA season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA produced a televised event in which NBA and WNBA players participated in a virtual H–O–R–S–E competition while quarantining at their respective homes. The NBA raised $200,000 for charities while Mike Conley Jr. of the Utah Jazz won the first virtual competition, edging the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine.
- Hoop-it-up All Star Tournament: Held in 2002 and 2003.
- Legends Classic : Held from 1984 to 1993, the Classic was a game featuring retired NBA players. As in the All-Star Game, the teams were designated East and West. The Legends game opened the Saturday program. The NBA canceled the Legends Classic after 1994 due to the players' frequent injuries from the game, perhaps due to the large range in fitness levels among younger and older alumni.[ citation needed ] The Rising Stars Challenge is its replacement. A similar event named the Old-Timers Game was held in 1957 and 1964.
- Read To Achieve: Held from 2002 to 2004
- Shooting Stars Competition : Held from 2004 to 2015.
- Stay In School Jam/Celebration: Held from 1991 to 1995.
- Team-Up Celebration: Held in 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2001.
