A look back at Phoenix’s past NBA All-Star games
With Phoenix being awarded the 2027 NBA All-Star Game, here’s a look back at the city’s three previous NBA All-Star Games:
2009 NBA All-Star Game: West 146, East 119
Feb. 15, U.S. Airways Center MVPs:
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix Suns
Recap: O’Neal, in his final All-Star appearance, was reunited with Bryant for the first time in five years in an AllStar Game. Any lingering animosity between the legendary players dissipated as they combined for 44 points — O’Neal’s 17 coming on 8-of-9 shooting in just 11 minutes. Other hometown Suns in the game were West coach Mike D’Antoni and Suns forward Amar’e Stoudemire. Also, future Suns star Kevin Durant, who was with Oklahoma City, won the H-O-R-S-E competition and was MVP of the Rookie Challenge game (46 points, seven rebounds, four assists).
1995 NBA All-Star Game: West 139, East 112
Feb. 12, America West Arena MVP:
Mitch Richmond, Sacramento
Kings
Recap: Richmond, in his third straight All-Star Game, scored a gamehigh 23 points to become the first MVP for the Kings franchise since the legendary Oscar Robertson in 1964 representing the team then known as the Cincinnati Royals. A pair of future Suns made their presence felt: Shaquille O’Neal led the East in scoring (22 points) and Grant Hill amassed 1.2 million votes to lead in fan balloting. Representing the Suns, two years removed from their appearance in the NBA Finals, were Charles Barkley, Dan Majerle and coach Paul Westphal. Phoenix
fan favorite Cedric Ceballos, in his first year with the Lakers, was selected for the game but did not play because of injury.
1975 NBA All-Star Game: East 108, West 102
Jan. 14, Veterans Memorial Coliseum
MVP:
Recap:
Walt Frazier, New York Knicks
Phoenix and the Suns hosted their first All-Star Game in just the franchise’s seventh season, and the star of the show was Frazier, a two-time champion in the decade. He scored 30 points to go along with five rebounds and four steals. An astounding 17 of the 24 players on the two rosters are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, including Charlie Scott, who was the Suns’ lone representative in the game.