Fans hear all the time that their favorite celebrity would rather be an athlete, and betting on the NBA is a popular dream for many.
One of the few to come close to Master P, who had brief stints with the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors in 1999, most commonly on either team’s education camp rosters.
However, for everyone else, the chance to show if they have it is at the Celebrity All-Star Game, with the last edition on Friday night.
And while none of the celebrities will soon get an invitation to an NBA education camp, there are still plenty of bragging rights to win.
Rapper 21 Savage, who likely saw Migos frontman Quavo dazzle the crowd in 2018 and win the MVP, is one of the stars proving he can pair them with the world’s basketball players.
Apparently, the Grammy Award winner can succeed on the court, so he and last year’s MVP, Alex Toussaint, will be there to lead Team Wade to victory.
He will face Team Ryan, who is also master of ceremonies, Cordae, and former NFL Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson.
This year, to spice up the game, each and every captain of the team, Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade will have the opportunity to move on to “Ruffles Crunch Time,” which will begin a two-minute era game where the price of problems doubles.
This can be helpful if you’re on a good run or if a team wants to combine after a deficit.
In uploadition, the ability to “unlock a legend,” which allows the team to upload a mythical NBA player to its midgame roster, is back this time.
For punters, it’s probably wise to bet that Wade will take the credit for himself.
Another fun game will also be in effect, adding fan favorite “Ruffles 4-Point Ridge Line,” which can raise up to $100,000 for For The Fight Cancer Studies’ five internships in partnership with Howard University.
The game is slated to take position on the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday at 7 p. m. m. ET and will be streamed exclusively on ESPN and the ESPN app.
Here’s a look at the lists and a look at the players to watch for the 2023 Celebrity All-Star Game.
Team Ryan (coach Ryan Smith)
Ryan Smith, Governor of the Utah Jazz and Honorary Captain
Kane Brown, 5-time American Music Award winner
Cordae, rapper/recording artist
Diamond DeShields, All-Star de la WNBA/Phoenix Mercury
Calvin Johnson, former NFL player
Marcos Mion, TV presenter
The Miz, Los Angeles WWE Superstar
Albert Pujols, MLB player
Everett Osborne, actor
Ozuna, rapper/recording artist
Guillermo Rodriguez, ABC correspondent Jimmy Kimmel Live
Sinqua Walls, actor
Team Wade (coach Dwyane Wade)
Dwyane Wade, NBA champion, minority Utah Jazz and honorary captain
Nicky Jam, icon/actor of global Latin music
Jesser, Content Creator
Simu Liu, actor/Marvel
Hasan Minhaj, comedian
DK Metcalf, NFL player
Janelle Monáe, actress, singer and songwriter
Arike Ogunbowale, WNBA All-Star/Dallas Wings
21 Savage, rapper/artist
Ranveer Singh, NBA actor/logo ambassador for India
Frances Tiafoe, tennis player
Alex Toussaint, Puma Peloton Coach/Athlete
Alex Toussaint, last year’s MVP, is back in the box for 2023, so he’ll be looking to repeat or help push for a teammate to pull it off.
That means 21 Savage will be the one.
He already made waves betting against Waka Flocka Flame on Revolt TV’s basketball tournament show The Crew League, so he’ll probably be there to become the most productive rapper.
You’ll have your hands full in this regard because Quavo has published issues in the past: 19 issues in 2018 and 27 issues in 2019.
Marvel movie enthusiasts will see what Simu Liu, who played Shang-Chi in the 2021 MCU film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, can do on the basketball court.
The jury is still in Liu’s game, however, he enlisted the help of prominent NBA shooting coach Lethal Shooter to make sure he is locked in.
Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings, DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks and Bollywood star/NBA logo ambassador for India Ranveer Singh outside Wade’s team.
On Team Ryan, players to watch come with Phoenix Mercury All-Star Diamond DeShields and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.
The rest of the team is a mystery, where there are unexpected athletic talents or qualifications to get cubes.
One thing is for sure, it will be a laugh to see all the celebrities go viral for taking photos or lacking them.
As for predicting the winner, it’s hard to go against a team with 21 Savages and the reigning MVP.
Their chances are even greater. Wade can just jump on the court and score some problems on the board.
Will Team Ryan appear and appear?
Are four-point shots going to run out?
Who will win the MVP this year?
To find the answers to those questions and more, enthusiasts will have to sing on Friday night.
Predictions: Team Wade wins 72-61; 21 Savage wins MVP
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