What to expect for NBA All-Star Game entertainment
Keith Urban first big name of many likely coming
The NBA All-Star Weekend will descend on Indianapolis in one month, bringing several days of live entertainment — and, yes, probably some basketball — with it.
Local musicians and DJs will perform in downtown Indianapolis throughout the event, set for Feb. 15-18. A series of installations featuring Indianapolis artists is also planned. NBA Crossover will offer various fan experiences at the Indiana Convention Center.
Last week, Keith Urban was announced as the first big name set to perform as part of the festivities. He will perform on Feb. 17. Grammy-winning DJ Zedd was also recently announced as the Feb. 16 headliner.
Other artists are sure to be revealed over the next few weeks, but here’s generally what to expect in terms of live entertainment and national acts.
It’s not technically a weekend
Although the name implies two days, the events typically begin Thursday and roll on through Sunday. Last year, for example, TNT’s NBA crew (Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith) hosted a fan night on the Thursday prior to the game that also included performances by Wiz Khalifa and Chloe Bailey.
Gainbridge Fieldhouse will host TipOff at Bicentennial Unity Plaza, a party to kick off the weekend, on Feb. 15, and several downtown Indianapolis venues likely stand ready to host a Thursday evening concert if needed. It seems likely they’ll be someone of note to see on that day.
More shows are likely to be announced
Urban seems to have locked up top billing on Saturday, but NBA All-Star weekend tends to spread out some fairly big names across the weekend.
In 2023, G-Eazy and 21 Savage performed at separate events on the Friday before the game. Post Malone performed prior to the All-Star Game tipoff, and Burna Boy performed at halftime.
Over the years, these concerts have almost exclusively featured hip-hop artists, and the weekend as a whole has served as a showcase for Black artists of varying media. Urban and Zedd throw a bit of a wrench in those conventions, but we’ll see who else is announced in the coming days.
One rumor going around Indianapolis social media claims Drake, and possibly J Cole, will perform Feb. 18. Both rappers are currently on tour together. They have shows in Pittsburgh on Feb. 16 and 17, then a break until Feb. 20.
Both are avid basketball fans, and it would not be unusual to see either at All-Star Weekend as performers or spectators. But, at least as of Tuesday, there is not yet anything even vaguely resembling confirmation of this.
Will Indianapolis finally get its Shaq party?
O’Neal, a 15-time NBA All-Star in his playing days, hosted a Saturday evening party at last year’s game as his alter ego DJ Diesel.
If that name sounds familiar, you may be recalling DJ Diesel was set to perform at the Indianapolis 500 Snake Pit. His set was canceled with less than 48 hours of notice, citing conflict with his NBA broadcasting duties.
Those duties will plant him firmly in Indianapolis for NBA All-Star Weekend. Will he fill the seven-foot hole left in local fans’ hearts?
But who do you want to see?
With the understanding that the bigname entertainment for NBA All-Star weekend is likely already well in hand, here’s a fun exercise: Who would you want to see perform in Indy that weekend?
I’d be into a Drake show. But sticking with hip-hop, and casting all budgetary constraints to the wind, I’d go with Kendrick Lamar to close things out on Sunday. He skipped Indy on his last tour. We’re all ready.
Rory Appleton is the pop culture reporter at IndyStar. Contact him at 317552-9044 and rappleton@indystar. com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryEHAppleton.