Category: NBA News Blog

Three-time Grammy™ Award-winning multi-platinum singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr. will join Grammy Award-winning jazz and classical saxophonist Branford Marsalis to headline an extraordinary lineup of New Orleans-themed musical performances featuring some of the biggest names in the Bayou including Jonathan Batiste, Marc Broussard, Davell Crawford, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jonathan Dubose, Dr. John, Stephanie Jordan, Ellis Marsalis, Art Neville, Ivan Neville, Rebirth Brass Band, Kermit Ruffins, Amanda Shaw, Trombone Shorty and Allen Toussaint at NBA All-Star 2008 in New Orleans.

On Sunday, Feb. 17, Connick and Marsalis will take to the court for the 57th NBA All-Star Game at the New Orleans Arena. The Louisiana-born musicians collaborated on the evening’s performance lineup creating a unique musical set that will not only give fans a taste of New Orleans jazz, funk and blues, but will also celebrate the rebirth of their beloved hometown in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The performances will air live on TNT, Score Canada, ESPN Radio, and in 215 countries and territories beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET.

Connick will serve as musical director for an unparalleled halftime show featuring four original compositions performed by four pairs of pianists who span the spectrum of New Orleans jazz including Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, Davell Crawford, Art Neville, Ivan Neville, Jonathan Batiste, Ellis Marsalis, and Harry Connick Jr. and his Big Band.

Marsalis will serve as musical director for the highly-anticipated All-Star Player introductions featuring a set of high energy big band melodies composed by Marsalis and performed by the acclaimed Rebirth Brass Band. The performance will also feature the dynamic musical stylings of award-winning trumpeter Kermit Ruffins and Offbeat Magazine’s 2007 Performer of the Year Trombone Shorty who will introduce the Western and Eastern Conference All-Star teams. Marsalis will also direct the U.S. national anthem performance featuring vocals by Stephanie Jordan accompanied by internationally acclaimed guitarist Jonathan Dubose. Canadian R&B singer, songwriter, and actress Deborah Cox, whose 1998 hit single “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” held the record for the longest-running No.1 single on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart, will perform the Canadian anthem.

“New Orleans is a vibrant music Mecca and I’m proud to call this great city my home,” said Harry Connick Jr. “Branford and I are truly grateful to the NBA for its commitment to put New Orleans and our extraordinary musicians on a global stage for the whole world to see.”

On Saturday, Feb. 16, prior to the start of All-Star Saturday Night, Louisiana-born singer songwriter Marc Broussard, who released his 2007 album S.O.S.: Save Our Soul to rave reviews, will open the night to perform his smash hit “Home” along with his band. Following this performance, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band will play during player introductions for the All-Stars. All performances will air before a nationwide audience, live on TNT at 8 p.m. ET. Following 22-year-old New Orleans trumpeter Christian Scott, whose 2007 album Anthem was inspired by Hurricane Katrina’s effect on the region, will perform the U.S. national anthem, while crooner Lamont Hiebert will perform the Canadian anthem.

That same night, legendary multi-instrumentalist Dr. John will pay tribute to NBA Cares, the league’s social responsibility initiative, with a special performance of the Louis Armstrong original hit “What a Wonderful World.” Footage from some of the hundreds of NBA Cares events, featuring current and former NBA players working in communities around the world will be thread into the performance.

On Friday, Feb. 15, 17-year-old Cajun fiddler, singer, and actress Amanda Shaw, who narrated the 2006 documentary “Hurricane on the Bayou” about the erosion of Louisiana’s wetlands, will perform the U.S. and Canadian anthems prior to the T-Mobile Rookie & Youth Jam at the New Orleans Arena. Continuing the NBA’s tradition of having “American Idol” winners perform at All-Star, 2007 winner Jordin Sparks will perform her Billboard Top 100 single “Tattoo” during halftime of the game. Both performances will air before a live audience televised on TNT at 8 p.m. CT/9 p.m. ET.

The Toronto Raptors’ Jason Kapono will defend his title in this year’s Three-Point Shootout, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 16, at New Orleans Arena as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night.

Kapono will attempt to become the first back-to-back winner of the Three-Point Shootout since Peja Stojakovic won the 2002 and 2003 titles.  Stojakovic will return to the competition representing the hometown New Orleans Hornets for the first time since finishing as runner-up in the 2004 competition. Stojakovic and Kapono will be joined by Western Conference starter and 10-time All-Star Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Daniel Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Richard Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons and two-time MVP Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns.

The players will compete in the two-round competition with the top three finishers from the first round advancing to the finals. Five shooting stations will be set up around the three-point line, with four Official Spalding NBA game balls worth one point each and one Spalding NBA All-Star 2008 commemorative teal and gold colored “money ball” worth two points at each location. Each player will have one minute to shoot as many balls as he can. In the final round, players will shoot in ascending order of first-round scores. At the discretion of the referee, television instant replay may be consulted for clarification of rules compliance.

The Three-Point Shootout will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Shooting Stars, Slam Dunk and Skills Challenge. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET from New Orleans Arena. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Basketball Hall of Fame announcer Marv Albert has re-signed with Turner Sports as their lead play-by-play voice on their TNT telecasts through the 2015-16 NBA season, coinciding with the network’s current NBA television agreement. Albert will continue to work one of TNT’s two weekly, exclusive Thursday night games, the NBA All-Star Game and Conference Finals games. In addition, beginning with the start of the 2008-09 NBA season Albert will call additional games on NBA TV, as part of Turner’s recently announced partnership with the NBA.

“Marv’s is a legendary voice in sports broadcasting and synonymous with NBA basketball, and we’re very pleased to continue our relationship with him,” said David Levy, president, Turner Sports & Turner Broadcasting Sales Inc. “Fans have identified TNT as a home for NBA coverage for 23 years, and we are happy that Marv will continue to be a signature voice for TNT, as well as extend his talents to NBA TV.”

“I’m thrilled to be calling NBA action on TNT for eight more years,” said Albert. “I have enjoyed a terrific relationship with them since 1999 and I look forward to continuing to call their marquee NBA regular season and postseason events, as well as being a part of the growth of NBA TV.”

Albert, who will call the 2008 NBA All-Star Game on TNT on Sunday, Feb. 17, joined Turner in April 1999 and has handled play-by-play for TNT’s Wimbledon coverage as well as basketball coverage at the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.

He has called nine NBA Finals series on NBC and twelve overall, calling three NBA Finals for Madison Square Garden (MSG) radio, and currently serves as the play-by-play voice of the New Jersey Nets regionally on YES Network. Albert has been the radio play-by-play voice of Monday Night Football for Westwood One since 2002. He worked for NBC Sports from 1977-1997, serving as the primary play-by-play voice for the NBA, college basketball, boxing, NFL football, NHL All-Star games and baseball studio and pre-game shows, and he rejoined NBC in 2000 for NBA coverage. He has served as the voice of the NY Knicks on MSG Network for the past 32 years, as well as radio voice of the NY Rangers for 27 years.

A 20-time “New York State Sportscaster of the Year,” he has also won six CableAce Awards as “Outstanding Play-by-Play Announcer” and was awarded the “Curt Gowdy Media Award” in 1997 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Albert is also a frequent guest on The Late Show with David Letterman.