By Andre Toran
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– The NBA and hip-hop are two streets that have formed an intersection as the league has become more accepting of the hip-hop community.

The two have become intertwined, especially during All-Star Weekend, as rappers, performing artists and other celebrities flock to arguably the biggest sporting event of the year.

As J Cole and Meek Mill are slated to perform on Sunday night at halftime of the 2019 NBA All-Star game, here’s a look at some of the players’ selection of ‘go-to’ songs for their pre-game warmups and this weekend’s events.
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By Andre Toran
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Towering over a table full of provisions and supplies, Toronto Raptors forward Danny Green anchored an assembly line with an ear-to-ear smile, ready to help.

Hopeful hearts and good intentions catalyzed the production lines at Second Harvest Foodbank of Metrolina Friday afternoon in Charlotte, as current NBA players and legends filed into the building throughout the day– joining the ranks of volunteers and Second Harvest staff for the NBA’s annual Day of Service.

Green was easily the biggest figure at his station, but it was his heart and effort that commanded the space, rather than his stature.
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By John Alfes
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Beneath the surface of the NBA is an emerging pipeline, a new route for the game’s next wave of star players.

The G League is no longer a mystery, nor is it the cellar for basketball in America.

“It’s not deemed as a punishment,” said Darvin Ham, who spent over five years in the developmental league as a player and coach. “You’re actually going down there to play. It puts players in a different light.”

It has been a landmark year for the G League — and the 2019 NBA All-Star weekend in Charlotte has amplified that notion even further.
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By Andrew Donlan
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Anthony Davis, a current member of the New Orleans Pelicans, mostly fielded questions regarding what team he’d play for in the future at All-Star media day on Saturday.

Celtics fans rejoiced when Davis said that Boston was on his list.

“They were never not on my list,” Davis said.

Davis later said that all 29 other cities were on his list, but most NBA teams know better than to think they have a chance in the sweepstakes. Either they can’t keep him long term, or they know that they don’t have the trade pieces to acquire him before he becomes a free agent.
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By Louis Ricard
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – No-looks, alley-oop, bounce, between the legs, over the head — there are so many ways to pass a basketball. While dunks and threes dominate the NBA highlights, most start the same way; with an assist.

Though times have changed and the younger generations may not remember how Jason Williams used his elbow to bounce the ball to his center while looking in another direction, the young NBA stars have not forgotten.

“Either Jason Williams or Steve Nash for sure,” Atlanta Hawks rookie Trae Young said about his favorite passer of all time.
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By Greg Melo
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Ben Simmons had no issues with fitting in when it came to the scrum of reporters around him on Friday morning.

The second-year Rising Star and first-time All-Star looked like he belonged, joking with some of the reporters who threw some off-the-wall questions at him, and thoughtfully responding to the questions about basketball, his brand, and his hopes to use the Rising Stars Challenge stage to influence the league.

“It’s just another platform and opportunity for us to come out here and show what we can do.” Simmons said. “I love being a part of the World team. I love coming to an event like this and playing with guys from all over.”
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By Max Goodman
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On a night full of high-flying slams, no-look passes and deep three-pointers, the two most memorable plays of Friday’s Rising Stars game came from someone who scored just two points.

Jarrett Allen of the Brooklyn Nets did what he does best — blocking two dunks less than one minute apart — proving that defense still lives on at All-Star Weekend. Even in a game that featured 305 total points.

“That’s just me playing my game,” Allen said. “I’m here for the defense. We had to make stops on the defensive end and that’s just me making a play for my team.”
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By Joshua Jonah Fischman
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Reggie Bullock did not make an All-Star team nor is he participating in any of Saturday night’s competitions. He’s here in his native North Carolina for a greater purpose. After Bullock’s transgender sister, Mia Henderson, was murdered in 2014, the Lakers wing has become a powerful ally for the LGBTQ community.

“Obviously it’s something close to home for me,” Bullock said. “The [LGBTQ] community was something that she believed in and was a strong part of. I feel like it’s a duty of mine to be able to stand up for my sister. I’m definitely an ambassador and advocate.”
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By John Alfes
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– Members of Team World in the 25th Rising Stars game are embracing the opportunity to team up and represent their native countries, an NBA experience that only comes once a year during the All-Star weekend festivities.

Coached by Wes Unseld Jr. and Dirk Nowitzki, Team World has 10 players representing 10 countries across four continents at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte.

“It’s an honor,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is from Toronto. “Obviously, not a lot of guys from Canada make it, even though we are on the rise. But it’s an honor. It’s a goal that I set out for myself a long time ago, and I was able to achieve it.”
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By Louis Ricard
Medill Reports

CHARLOTTE, N.C.– While the streets of Charlotte are slowly getting more crowded during All-Star weekend, the Levine Center at Queens University is the center of attention for NBA scouts.

The Basketball Without Border camp opened its door on Friday morning, gathering the most talented teenagers from all across the globe to compete and showcase their skills. This year, 63 kids stepped on the court for the first day of camp.
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