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NBA All-Star Games are officially here and one of the highlights of the weekend is NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Given the close connection between football and basketball, having NFL stars play in the celebrity game adds to the glitter. This year, there have been last-second additions to the roster on both teams.
The new addition saw two more NFL players being added to the teams. However, this is not the first time that an NFL player has stepped on the basketball court during the NBA All-Star Week. In 2022, DK Metcalf, the wide receiver from the Seattle Seahawks, won the Ruffles All-Star Celebrity MVP Award.
Top 5 NFL players who played in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game
#1 Terrell Owens (2008, 2009, 2010)
Terrell Owens is arguably the most talented player in the All-Star Celebrity Game. He was the MVP of the 2008 All-Star Celebrity Game. Owens finished the game with 18 points after he subbed in in the second quarter.
#2 DK Metcalf (2023)
DK Metcalf won the MVP of the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. The wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, Metcalf was in full game mode. He recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the game and threw down over five dunks in the game.
#3 Steve Smith (2019)
Although the former Carolina Panther wide receiver wasn’t in his best shape in 2019, he gave some good highlights in the game. He scored 13 points in the game on 5 of 9 shooting from the field. Smith is a five-time Pro Bowl and retired from pro football in 2016.
#4 Puka Nacua (2024)
Playing for the Los Angeles Rams, Puka Nacua is a sensation in the NFL. He had a record-breaking season in the league and has a very promising career ahead. He has been selected among four other players from the NFL.
#5 Deion Sanders (2008)
Deion Sanders was one of the big names in the All-Star Celebrity Game in 2008. Though the stat sheet for Sanders is not available, he was a notable presence. The two-time Super Bowl Champion is currently coaching the Colorado Buffaloes in the NFL.
Here is a table for all the NFL players who have participated in the event since 2003. The All-Star Celebrity Game was added to the schedule of the weekend during the 2002–03 season.
Four NFL players will play in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game this year.
NBA All-Star Games: NFL players Puka Nacua and Mecole Hardman added to 2024 NBA All-Star Celebrity game
The team for the 2024 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was announced weeks earlier. However, a few more additions were made in the last seconds. The Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Kansas City Chiefs’ Mecole Hardman have been added to the roster at the last minute.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith and his co-host on the First Take and former NFL legend Shannon Sharpe will be the coaches. Nacua will play for Sharpe’s team and Hardman for Smith.
Both Nacua and Hardman had an amazing season this year. Hardman, after getting traded from the New York Jets to the Kansas City Chiefs, won the Super Bowl. He had a game-winning touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
Rookie Nacua had a record-breaking season with the LA Rams. He had 1,486 receiving yards and 105 receptions.
Dallas Cowboys star Micah Parsons and Houston Texans’ CJ Stroud are the other two NFL players participating in the celebrity game.
