UPDATE: The NBA announced on Monday that Toronto will host the 2016 All-Star Game, the first time the event will be held outside the United States.
Toronto to host 2016 NBA All-Star Game
The Raptors’ 20th anniversary will likely tie into the festivities.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Toronto Raptors will host the 2016 NBA All-Star Game, according to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. An official announcement is expected to come within a week.
The 2016 All-Star festivities in Toronto will line up with the Raptors’ 20th year anniversary. The game and the other main events will reportedly be held at the Air Canada Centre while the NBA Jam Session will likely be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Tim Leiweke and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment began the bidding process for the 2016 All-Star Game last February. Leiweke explained earlier this year the importance of nabbing the bid:
“Clearly the 2016 all-star game is a flag in the sand that we planted with the NBA. It is a must-have in my opinion and it will be the centrepiece of how we rebrand this,” Leiweke said in May.
The Raptors haven't had an All-Star since Chris Bosh left for the Miami Heat. Their best chance this upcoming season may be Rudy Gay, who's the only player in the NBA making over $15 million to have never made an All-Star Game.
This Toronto report came on the same day news broke that the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets would in fact co-host the 2015 All-Star weekend, which was expected. The 2014 All-Star Game will take place in New Orleans.
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