As the NBA attempts to do every year, this season’s All-Star Weekend will have some new features along with it. It had already been announced that teams will now be selected by two captains and we can expect to get more and more information regarding the star-studded weekend as the festivities draw closer and closer.
Along with the revamped method for team selection, we’ll also be able to see some G-League talent on display. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the 2018 All-Star Weekend will feature a game between the G-League’s All-Stars and Mexico’s National Team:
Hearing that the NBA has another international treat in store for All-Star Weekend: A squad of @nbagleague All-Stars playing host to the Mexican national team
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 9, 2017
The NBA also released a press release confirming the game format for this innovative matchup:
NBA G League USA, a team assembled of the G League's top talent, will face the Mexican National Team at All-Star Weekend. pic.twitter.com/RUftmJdHOP
— David Morrow (@_DavidMorrow) December 9, 2017
The NBA has worked diligently to bolster it’s international brand and has branched out to make an impact in multiple nations across the world in recent years. Not only has the NBA already held a game in Mexico City this season, but now the national team will also be exposed to a huge spotlight this All-Star Weekend. Last season’s Rising Stars Challenge featured a Team USA vs. Team World format so this won’t be the first time we see international basketball incorporated into the weekend.
With the addition of international play into All-Star Weekend looking like a regular thing, we should expect that to continue with the league’s increasing global presence. The buzz surrounding the upcoming weekend should only increase from now until the events tip off two months down the road on February 18th.
