Win Butler Confirmed For NBA Celebrity All-Star Game
Earlier this week, we learned that Arcade Fire co-leader Win Butler, a big basketball fan who reportedly plays a lot of ball on the road, might be playing in the NBA’s Celebrity All-Star Game during this month’s All-Star Weekend festivities. Now, it’s confirmed. As Pitchfork points out, People reports that Butler will play in the game, as will Common and Chadwick Boseman, the guy who played James Brown in Get On Up. The rosters also include Kevin Hart, Nick Cannon, Angel Elgort, Anthony Anderson, and little league pitching phenom Mo’ne Davis. Spike Lee and Carmelo Anthony will be among the coaches, and I really hope Butler is on Spike’s team.
UPDATE: Win Butler spoke to Billboard about the game, expressing his excitement and citing Hakeem Olajuwon as one of his heroes.
“This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to [play]. I grew up watching a lot of Hakeem Olajuwon, who’s one of my all-time heroes. I definitely have learned how to play the post, but then, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve added an outside game, three-point shooting. ‘Stretch four’ wasn’t so much of a position when I was a kid.”
He’s also a fan of the Rockets, Celtics and Pelicans:
“I want to cheer for the Rockets, but I’m really a fan of the game. In our house, we were really into the Big Three-era Celtics, and that Suns team with Steve Nash we rooted for, for years. I’ve been watching a lot of Pelicans this year — that’s sort of my League Pass team, I watch every game I can.”
Since 2011 Butler and his bandmates have taken part in a Canadian charity game in Toronto called Rock the Court. Apparently, the Arcade Fire frontman and Drake have discussed basketball “a little bit” before.
“We haven’t hung out much,” Butler said. “I was trying to get him to play in my [Celebrity All-Star] game, but I think he’s been nursing injuries.”
The game goes down on 2/13 starting 7:00 pm ET at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center and will also be on ESPN.