NBA All-Star weekend, a time to give back to Utah communities

Feb 17, 2023, 7:59 AM | Updated: Jan 11, 2024, 11:30 am

It has been 30 years since the NBA All-Star game was held in Utah. That streak ends this weekend! A...

Utah Jazz point guard Collin Sexton visits with students during an event at Lincoln Elementary in South Salt Lake on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. The event unveiled a renovated gym and a new STEM classroom donated by NBA Cares and partners. (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)

(Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)

BY AUBRI WUTHRICH

Traffic reporter

SALT LAKE CITY — It has been 30 years since the NBA All-Star game was held in Utah. That streak ends this weekend! And though the game on Sunday is the main attraction, there are multiple events that surround the game that offer the NBA, its players, and its fans the chance to give back to various communities in Utah.

“In total, more than three million dollars will be contributed to the Greater Salt Lake City area,” said Frank Zang, the Senior Vice President of Communications for the Utah Jazz. According to Zang, the NBA and the Utah Jazz are laser-focused on giving back to the community.

That community spirit will be evident in events as well as in charitable donations offered to Utah organizations without an associated event.

In particular, a donation from the National Basketball Association itself will create development opportunities including an internship program for historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) students according to NBAcares.com

Some of the charitable events:

Thursday, Feb. 16 – NBA Cares and State Farm Insurance will dedicate a new STEM center and updated gym at Lincoln Elementary in South Salt Lake. The new center is called NBA Cares Learn and Play Center.

Friday, Feb. 17 – NBA Cares All-Star Day of service will include more than 500 NBA volunteers helping with food donations and making packs of essential items. The volunteers will be helping at the Utah Food Bank and the Bishops Central Storehouse. The 2023 Ruffles All-Star Celebrity game will take place at the Huntsman Center on Friday at 7 PM. During this game any basket made from behind the 3 point line will earn money. Ruffles and the NBA will donate $4,000 to the 5 For The Fight, a non-profit that helps to fund cancer research.

Saturday, Feb. 18 – the Starry 3-point competition will take place at the Vivint Center. During this game, players have 70 seconds to shoot from different spots on the 3-point line. If any of the players score 30 points during their time, Starry will donate $300,00 to the NBA Foundation. Also on Saturday at 4 p.m., the Huntsman Center hosts the Grambling State University and Southern University game in the NBA HBCU Classic. AT&T and the NBA will donate to each of these schools.

Sunday, Feb. 19 – The NBA All-Star Game will be held at Vivint Arena at 8:30 p.m. Team LeBron and Team Giannis will raise about $1 million which will be donated to their respective charities. Team LeBron’s Charity is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah. Team Giannis’ charity is Raise the Future. Both focus on helping youth in Utah find a better and brighter future.