NBA Chooses State Farm Arena In Atlanta For 2021 All-Star Game

ATLANTA, GA — State Farm Arena will host the National Basketball Association's All-Star Game this year in the NBA's first one-night version of the annual global celebration, NBA officials said in a Thursday news release.

All-Star Weekend, which normally runs for three days with multiple fan and community events in the host city, will be scaled back to one night — March 7 at 6:30 p.m. eastern — for the first time due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The day will include a 3-point contest, skills challenge and dunk contest in addition to the game.

As part of the year's events, the NBA and National Basketball Players Association said they will commit more than $2.5 million in funds and resources toward Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); "support and awareness around equity;" and "access to COVID-19 care, relief and vaccines," the news release said.

“NBA All-Star in Atlanta will continue our annual tradition of celebrating the game and the greatest players in the world before a global audience," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "In addition to the festivities on the court, the All-Star Game will honor the vital role HBCUs play in our communities and focus attention and resources on COVID-19 relief, particularly for the most vulnerable.”

One other thing will be different about the game this year: it will not be a ticketed event open to the public, the news release said. Attendees will consist of 1,200 to 1,500 local health care workers and local students/staff of HBCUs in addition to family and close friends of All-Star players. There will be no fan activities, other ticketed events or hospitality functions that are normally part of All-Star weekend.

The full rosters for the All-Star Game will be determined through the NBA All-Star Draft, where the two team captains will select from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference. Captains will be the All-Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in their respective conferences, and they can choose teammates regardless of conference affiliation.

NBA All-Star starters will be announced Thursday at 7 p.m. eastern on TNT.