The NBA has officially announced that Pharrell and N.E.R.D. will headline the NBA All Star Game halftime show next month at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The league has also announced that Kevin Hart will introduce the All Star teams and that Fergie will sing the national anthem prior to tip-off.
The NBA's All Star festivities will get underway on Friday, February 16th with the All-Star Celebrity Game (ESPN) followed by the Rising Stars Challenge on TNT. As always, the following night will include the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest. The weekend concludes with the actual All-Star Game on Sunday, February 18th. Coverage is scheduled to begin at 7pm ET - the game will get underway around 8.
The NBA All-Star starters will be announced tonight at 6pm ET on TNT, prior to the Thursday night double-header featuring Sixers at Celtics and Timberwolves at Rockets.
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According the press release via NBA.com, two All Star Game captains, one from each conference, will be determined based upon who receives the most fan votes in his conference. Those captains will then draft the 2018 All-Star teams from the pool of players who were voted as starters and reserves, making selections without regard for conference affiliation.
As for the All-Star selection process, things will remain the same.
12 players from each conference will be chosen for the All-Star spots. The 10 starters – two guards and three frontcourt players per conference – will continue to be chosen by a combination of fans (50% of the vote), current players (25%) and basketball media (25%).
The NBA’s head coaches will still select the 14 reserves, voting for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players at any position in their respective conferences. Specific details about the draft will be announced at a later date.