Every February since 2017, the VTB United League puts the regular season on pause to host the biggest basketball show – the All-Star Game. Players and coaches rest, fans enjoy – what could be better?
2024 was no exception. OIn its 15th anniversary season, the League is preparing a new show worth watching. But let’s go into more detail:
Sochi, Ballet, Stand-Up
The United League held its first-ever All-Star Game in Sochi in 2017. Tickets were sold out, L’One challenged Alexey Shved challenge, and Andrey Vorontsevich won the MVP title and left with a brand new UAZ Patriot.
A year later, St. Petersburg held the All-Star Game, where the audience also had something to surprise. Basta as headliner made the crowded Yubileyniy raise their hands to Sansara, then the Eifman Ballet performed. Finally, for the first time, the Ecoball was presented.
Since 2019, the All-Star Game has been held in Moscow at the VTB Arena. For 5 years, the fans were delighted with Basketball of the future, stand-up comedians Nurlan Saburov and Evgeniy Chebatkov as presenters.
What has the League prepared for All-Star Game 2024?
Traditionally, the All-Star Game is not only about basketball, but also about the show. And this year the fans will not be left without a show.
On February 18, all guests of the VTB Arena will be treated to a performance by Therr Maitz lead singer Anton Belyaev.
One of the world’s leading choreographers Boris Eifman is known as the creator of the modern Russian ballet, which organically combines psychology, deep drama and incredible emotional intensity. This Sunday his famous Boris Eifman Ballet Theatre will present its unique program in the opening show.
The audience will also be treated to a performance by the PREDATORZ CREW dance team – world champions of Battle of the Year. And popular contemporary pop singers will stage their own mini-concert during the All-Star Game together with all the fans.
But, of course, one of the most important stories of is the Slam-Dunk Contest! Brandon Garrett (Avtodor) Yauheni Beliankou (Enisey), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (Lokomotiv Kuban) and Jordan Skipper-Brown (Astana). Jordan, who recently joined Astana, replaced the injured B.J. Johnson.
There will also be a Three-Point Contest: Thomas Heurtel (Zenit), Karvel Anderson (Astana), Beau Beech (Enisey) and Kirill Savin (Runa) will compete for the title of the best sniper of the All-Star Game.
Scenery
Did you know that the Promo shoot took place at the Pushkin Museum, which has one of Russia’s largest art collections of foreign art? There are about 700 thousand works from different epochs, starting from Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece to the beginning of the XXI century.
What about tickets?
Every year VTB Arena sells out for the VTB League All-Star Game. And this time is no exception: the last tickets were sold out a week and a half before the event. This is the fastest full house in the history of the United League All-Star Game!
Motivation
Will they play basketball? They will!
After all, the All-Star Game is about basketball. To raise the level of competition, the United League has introduced prize money: 3 million rubles for the winning team! The MVP of the All-Star Game will also receive a cash prize, as will the champions of the Dunk Contest and Three-Point Contest.
We can’t say whether Xavier Rathan-Mayes knows about this innovation, but it looks like someone told Enisey guard about it. After all, the best scorer in the United League has already flown to Moscow and rented a separate room to thoroughly prepare for the All-Star Game!
Rathan-Mayes is so serious that he even disowned his teammates and friends for a few days, who were on the opposing team at the weekend. Mamba Mentality in action!
What will be there besides basketball?
As always, the League did not limit to entertainment only at the game – there will be a lot of activities for the fans outside the arena. The whole fourth floor will be divided into entertainment zones: dance zone, photo zone, DJ zone, poster painting zone. There will even be an opportunity to play giant basketball!
Intrigued?
New format
In different years, Russia vs World has been played, and Old School vs. New School a year ago.
This season is different. Now it’s a coaching rivalry: Rajkovic team against Pascual team. The coaches were also chose players in a special draft.
Initially, Velimir Perasovic was supposed to be the opponent – he even participated in the Draft. But due to health problems, Xavier Pascual will be instead of UNICS coach.
The VTB League held the All-Star Game Draft for the first time.
The teams
Xavier Pascual team (Zenit) and Emil Rajkovic team (CSKA) will face off in the All-Star Game.
Team Pascual: Melo Trimble (CSKA) (replaced Trent Frazier), Jeremiah Martin (Enisey), Isaiah Reese (PARMA), Jeremiah Hill (Runa), Mikhail Kulagin (Samara), Anton Glazunov (Uralmash), Andrey Martiuk (Lokomotiv Kuban), Anton Astapkovic (CSKA), Amath M’Baye (CSKA), Richard Solomon (PARMA) (replaced B.J. Johnson), Octavius Ellis (Uralmash), Jalen Reynolds (UNICS).
Team Rajkovic: Casper Ware (CSKA), Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Enisey), Thomas Heurtel (Zenit), Markell Johnson (Astana), Dmitry Kulagin (UNICS), Aleksandr Platunov (PARMA), Andrey Vorontsevich (Pari NN), Andrey Lopatin (MBA), DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (Lokomotiv Kuban), Vince Hunter (Zenit), Royce Hamm (Astana), Rayshawn Hammonds (Avtodor).
Where and when?
On Sunday, February 18, at VTB Arena in Moscow. You can enter the arena from 15:00, the show will start at 16:30 and the game will take off at 17:00.
The full schedule is here.
Broadcasts:
16:30 – Match TV.
16:50 – Start Triumph, United League website and app.
