Kevin Hart to Serve as First-Ever NBA All-Star Game Emcee, With Gelo & More to Perform

The NBA continues to innovate with its All-Star Weekend and announced on Tuesday (Feb. 11) that four-time NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP and comedian Kevin Hart will serve as the first-ever NBA All-Star Game emcee.

There will be a star-studded cast of performers hitting the stage throughout the Bay Area’s All-Star Weekend, with the NBA paying homage to San Francisco and Oakland’s roots.

DJ Cassidy is set to lead a Bay Area edition of Pass the Mic Live! featuring E-40, Too Short, En Vogue and Saweetie at the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday (Feb. 16), while Oakland’s own Raphael Saadiq will get the Chase Center crowd warmed up, helming player introductions alongside a 14-piece band.

Grammy-winning singer H.E.R. has also been tapped to welcome fans to All-Star Saturday Night at Chase Center alongside Warriors legend Andre Iguodala.

Gelo will be swerving and bending that corner to the Bay, as he’s set to make his live television performance debut on All-Star Saturday Night (Feb. 15) ahead of the 2025 STARRY 3-Point Contest. Fans are going to get a taste of the “Tweaker” madness, which shook up the rap game and debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated Jan. 18.

On the anthem front, LAFD firefighter Dennis Rodriguez will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while Brampton native Alessia Cara will handle the Canadian national anthem.

Bay Area resident Larussell is also slated to perform at the Rising Stars Game on Friday night (Feb. 14). As part of the NBA All-Star Concert Series, The Chainsmokers, Zedd, Flo Rida and 2 Chainz will be performing across the weekend at Pier 48. Tickets are available on the NBA Events website.

As previously announced, Chance the Rapper will headline the NBA on TNT American Express Road Show Fan Experience with a show on Feb. 13 at Pier 48.

Tune into the 74th NBA All-Star Game on TNT on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.