The NBA All-Star Weekend starts Friday in San Francisco.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be well-represented this weekend, with coach Mark Daigneault on the sidelines and two Thunder players — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams — in Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who is making his third All-Star Game appearance, is one of the favorites for league MVP again this season, leading the NBA in scoring at 32 points per game.
Meanwhile, it’s an All-Star Game debut for Williams, who has career-highs in average points (21), rebounds (five) and assists (five).
It’s also the first appearance for Daigneault, who is the reigning NBA Coach of the Year. His selection marks the first time a Thunder coach has earned the honor since Scott Brooks in the 2013-14 season.
Second-year Thunder guard Cason Wallace is among those featured in Friday evening’s Rising Stars showcase. For the first time this year, the winning team of that showcase will advance to become the fourth team in the All-Star Game mini-tournament against the NBA All-Stars on Sunday evening.
There are several non-Thunder connections in this weekend’s events.
Former Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham makes his debut appearance in the game. The Detroit Pistons guard is averaging career highs across the board, with 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists per game.
Cunningham will also compete in Saturday night’s three-point contest, along with current Golden State Warriors and former OU guard Buddy Hield.
Former Oklahoma Sooners and current Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young will make his fourth All-Star Game appearance, replacing injured Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Young is averaging nearly 24 points per game and leads the league with 11 assists per game.
Another ex-Sooner, Elijah Harkless, will compete in the NBA G League Up Next Game on Sunday afternoon. He played college basketball at OU from 2020 to 2022 before transferring to UNLV in his final season. Harkless is currently on a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz and plays for the franchise’s developmental team, the Salt Lake City Stars. He’s averaging 20 points, five rebounds and three assists this season.
Here are a few more Oklahoma connections to the week’s events:
- Former Thunder players Kevin Durant and James Harden will compete in the All-Star Game.
- Former Thunder guard Chris Paul will pair up with his current teammate, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, in the Kia Skills Challenge.
- Former Thunder center Moses Brown and ex-OU guard Alondes Williams will play in the G League Up Next Game.
- Another Up Next Game participant, TyTy Washington Jr., was a member of the Thunder — but only for about a month after a trade in 2023.
A full schedule of events can be found at nba.com.
