NBA All-Star

On October 23, 2019, the NBA announced that 2023 All-Star Weekend was heading to the snow-capped mountains of Salt Lake City. Commissioner Adam Silver celebrated the selection saying that “big-time events in sports are part of the DNA of this city”. Utah is The State of Sport after all.

Utah last hosted an NBA All-Star in 1993, and this return marked its 30th anniversary. Back then, Jazz legends and Basketball Hall of Famers Karl Malone and John Stockton shared MVP honors and led the Western Conference to a 135-132 win over the East.

This time around, Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkannen made his All-Star debut, the Clarkson-Kessler-Sexton trio won the Skills Challenge, and Weber State alum Damian Lillard scored 26 points off the bench, including the game-winner.

For one weekend, downtown Salt Lake City was buzzing as it was transformed into an NBA hub, bringing an estimated $294 million economic impact—all-time record for NBA All-Star Weekend.