NBA officially released their 2020 Celebrity Game line up, naming Kane Brown to the team. In addition to Brown, each team features a star-studded array of participants across the music, film, television and sport industries. The event will emanate from the Wintrust Arena…home of the WNBA Chicago Sky…in Chicago, Ill. ESPN will exclusively televise the 2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Presented by Ruffles on Friday, February 14th, at 7 p.m. ET.
“Breakthrough entertainer” (Associated Press) and 4X AMA winner Brown continues to “defy-genres” and “break boundaries” (Billboard) and recently celebrated the 5X platinum certification of hit #1 singles, “What Ifs” and “Heaven,” making him only one of 4 other artists to ever reach the milestone. Noted as being the “future of Country” (Billboard) and one of “31 People Changing the South” (Time), Brown’s sophomore album Experiment debuted #1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums chart. With Experiment, Brown became the only male country artist in more than 24 years to debut at the top of the Billboard 200, and only one of three country artists to top the Billboard 200 chart in all of 2018.
Popular ESPN commentators Stephen A. Smith and Chicago native Michael Wilbon are the celebrity coaches for this year’s game. Wilson’s team will be designated as the “home team”, while Stephen A’s team will serve as the “away team.” Actor Jesse Williams (“Grey’s Anatomy”) will serve as Wilbon’s assistant coach, while television host and chef Guy Fieri (Food Network) will serve as assistant coach to Stephen A.
Three-time Grammy Award winners and Chicago natives Chance The Rapper and Common have been named team captains for this year’s Celebrity Game. Fellow hip-hop artist and 2018 Celebrity Game MVP Quavo will also participate. Cassidy Hubbarth will be reporting live couchside from the ESPN stage in the Ruffles Celebrity Game Lounge, a new area on the court featuring celebrities and influencers who will enjoy the game while relaxing on couches and playing pop-a-shot, cornhole and other games.
Team Wilbon (Home)
Captain: Common
Bad Bunny
Hannibal Buress
Kane Brown
Jon Batiste
Alex Moffat
Jose Andres
Famous Los
Jidenna
Chelsea Gray (WNBA)
Quentin Richardson
Team Stephen A. (Away)
Captain: Chance The Rapper
Quavo
Taylor Bennett
LaRoyce Hawkins
Anthony “Spice” Adams
Marc Lasry
Ronnie 2K
Katelyn Ohashi
Lil Rel Howery
A’ja Wilson (WNBA)
Darius Miles
For the entire game, celebrity players can score big by shooting from the potato chip brand’s 4-point line, “The RIDGE,” resembling the ridges in Ruffles potato chips. For every shot made from “The RIDGE” during the game, Ruffles, the official sponsor, and the NBA will donate $4,000 to Special Olympics to foster environments of acceptance and inclusion, with a minimum donation of $40,000!
