The best of the NBA's best will convene in Cleveland this weekend for the annual All-Star festivities, and a number of Aussies will be taking centre stage.
A few tweaks to the format promise to shake things up, but a few familiar highlights will remain.
Here's the what, when and who of the 2022 NBA All-Star weekend.
What is the NBA All-Star weekend?
It's an annual mid-season exhibition that brings the best players in the league to one spot for a series of games and challenges.
The headline act is the All-Star game, which closes the weekend and features the absolute best of the best. Selection in this game is a feather in the cap of any player.
But just as many people tune in for the Slam Dunk Contest, the Three-Point Contest or the rookie showcase.
When and how can I watch the All-Star Weekend?
The action will be split across Saturday, Sunday and Monday here in Australia.
- Celebrity Game: Saturday February 19, 11:00am AEDT
- Rising Stars Challenge: Saturday February 19, 1:00pm AEDT
- Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest, Slam Dunk Contest: Sunday February 20, from 12:00pm AEDT
- All-Star Game: Monday February 21, 12:00pm AEDT
All events will broadcast on ESPN and via Kayo.
Which Aussies are involved this year?
Olympic hero Patty Mills will lace them up for the Three-Point Contest, which sees some of the best shooters in the league take a number of shots from various spots around the arc to find a winner.
Mills has been in sparkling form this season with the Brooklyn Nets, filling the void left by Kyrie Irving at point guard to put together a career year.
Joining him in Cleveland is rookie Josh Giddey, who is currently making history with the Oklahoma City Thunder in his debut season.
Giddey is competing in the Rising Stars games (more on that later), and is part of a three-man rookie team in the Skills Challenge, which will see him put his incredible handles and passing to the test.
Another Aussie among the Rising Stars is Dyson Daniels, who isn't actually an NBA player. Daniels plays for the G-League Ignite team, a developmental side helping young players prepare for the NBA.
What's new for All-Star weekend in 2022?
The Rising Stars format has undergone a massive tweak, with players now split into four teams of seven to play modified games.
The four teams will be split into two semi-finals to begin with, with the first team to reach 50 points advancing to the final. In the final, the first team to reach 25 points is crowned the winner.
Why 50 and 25 points? The NBA is celebrating its 75th season, so 75 points is the target for these rookie teams.
As mentioned, the Skills Challenge has now been turned into a team event, featuring a team of rookies (including Giddey), a team made of three Cleveland Cavaliers and a team made of three Antetokounmpo brothers (Giannis, Alex and Thanasis).
The Three-Point and Slam Dunk contests remain mostly the same, as does the All-Star game which again will feature the "Elam Ending". which means there is no countdown clock in the last quarter as teams shoot for a points target instead.
Who is playing in the All-Star game?
For the last few years, teams have been selected by two captains rather than simply being split along their conference divides.
This year LeBron James and Kevin Durant were team captains, and after the schoolyard selections were complete, ended up with the following teams.
Team LeBron: Lebron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Darius Garland, Chris Paul, Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, Fred VanVleet, James Harden
Team Durant: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum, Trae Young, Andrew Wiggins, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, DeJounte Murray, Khris Middleton, LaMelo Ball, Rudy Gobert
