NBA All-Star weekend: What’s happening around Bay Area as basketball showcase arrives

CHANCE THE RAPPER SET TO PERFORM Chance the Rapper will be tipping off the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities in a musical fashion as he headlines the NBA on TNT American Express Road Show on Thursday.

The show takes place at Pier 48 not far away from where the Golden State Warriors will be hosting the NBA All-Star Game itself on Feb.

16 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The event will also feature TNTs Inside the NBA studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille ONeal, who will be providing live pre-game/halftime/postgame coverage of the Oklahoma City Thunder/Minnesota Timberwolves game that same night.

There will also be other basketball-related attractions.

Jim Harrington NBA CROSSOVER TAKES OVER MOSCONE CENTER Fans will have their chance to explore immersive basketball activities, take photos with mascots and potentially meet and greet players and coaches during the signature fan event of All-Star weekend.

NBA Crossover runs from Friday through Sunday at San Franciscos Moscone Center.

DAMIAN LILLARD GIVES BACK TO EAST BAY SCHOOLS NBA All-Star Damian Lillard is partnering with Portland State to create a pipeline between the university and nine East Bay schools.

The PSU Damian Lillard Scholarship will award recipients $25,000 per year to reduce out-of-state tuition.

Lillard, who starred at Oakland High, spent a decade with the Portland Trail Blazers before moving on to the Milwaukee Bucks.

According to a news release, 15 of the 27 Damian Lillard Scholar-eligible students who applied to Portland State have been admitted.

The six applicants from Oakland High will join Lillard on Thursday at 2 p.m.

at the high school for a scholarship announcement.

FORMER WARRIORS CHAMP DONATES BOOKS Clifford Ray, the starting center on the Warriors 1975 championship team, is visiting five schools in the Oakland area this week as a lead-up to All-Star weekend in the Bay Area.

As part of Cliffords BIG 2025 NBA All-Star Book Drive, he plans to meet with students and share his story and childrens book, Big Clifford Ray Saves the Day.

Thanks to various donations, students are receiving free copies of the book that describes the true and unusual story of Ray saving the dolphin Doctor Spock in 1978 while playing for the Warriors.

CURRYS GROUP LIGHTS UP SPLASH Stephen Currys company Thirty Ink will take over Thrive Citys new sports bar, Splash, outside Chase Center, on Saturday and Sunday.

The activation will include a legacy museum devoted to Curry, as well as live podcasts on Saturday and exclusive customized merch both days before a watch party for All-Star Saturday Night and the All-Star Game.

CHASE HOSTS CONCERTS, PANELS Chase is putting up shop for two days at City View Metreon for a registration-only festival that is expected to feature discussions with Warriors player Moses Moody and WNBA MVP Aja Wilson on Friday, and a panel from the WNBAs new Golden State Valkyries on Saturday.

Players Kayla Thornton and Kate Martin, as well as coach Natalie Nakase are scheduled to talk hoops.

Musical guests include Saweetie, thuy, and LaRussell.

GOOGLE GETS INTO HOOPS The Google Pixel House at 667 Howard St.

in San Francisco will host a mini basketball tournament on Friday night, then a dunk showcase on Saturday afternoon and a concert performance from rapper 2 Chainz set for 8 p.m.

Saturday night.

Google warned that space is limited for the 2 Chainz, so fans may want to arrive early..

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