All-Star 2026 signage welcomes fans outside Intuit Dome in Inglewood, one of the primary venues for NBA All-Star Weekend and a centerpiece of the city’s growing sports and entertainment district. (OGNSC photo)

By: James Luckey, Jr., Publisher/Editor, Los Angeles News Observer

Inglewood, CA — For the first time, NBA All-Star Weekend didn’t feel like a traveling circus that briefly set up in Los Angeles County. It felt rooted. Centered. Home.

And that home was Inglewood.

From Friday night at Kia Forum to Saturday’s showcase and Sunday’s finale at Intuit Dome, the entire weekend unfolded within a few walkable blocks. That proximity mattered. This wasn’t an event scattered across a region. It lived in the city’s footprint — and the energy never left the neighborhood.

Friday: HBCU Culture Sets the Tone

Friday night carried weight beyond celebrity appearances and highlight plays. While the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game drew its usual buzz, the heartbeat of the evening — particularly through a Black press lens — was the NBA HBCU Classic.

The matchup between North Carolina A&T and Hampton felt less like a side event and more like a cultural gathering. Bands filled the arena with familiar rhythms. Cheer squads moved with precision and pride. Alumni greeted each other like it was homecoming.

Families showed up. Students showed up. The community showed up.

On the court, North Carolina A&T edged Hampton 71–70 in a game that didn’t need theatrics to be compelling. It was simply good basketball — competitive, emotional, and meaningful.

Just up the street at Intuit Dome, the Castrol Rising Stars competition highlighted the league’s future. What stood out wasn’t just the talent, but the layout. Inglewood operated like a true sports district — connected, walkable, alive. For a city that has long carried the weight of development conversations, this weekend showed what that investment can look like when the spotlight is real.

Saturday: Lillard’s Statement, A Dunk Contest With Flavor

Saturday night delivered the traditional All-Star slate, but the building felt different. There was anticipation — and there was pride.

One of the loudest moments of the night came when Damian Lillard captured his third 3-Point Contest title, scoring 29 in the final round. With Lillard sidelined this season due to injury, the victory felt like more than a trophy moment. It was a reminder: the range is still there. The confidence never left.

The dunk contest brought unexpected energy. Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat walked away with the title, punctuated by a dunk featuring Bay Area icon E-40. That blend — athleticism and culture, seamlessly intertwined — is what All-Star Weekend is supposed to represent. When it works, it doesn’t feel manufactured. It feels authentic.

And Saturday night, it did.

Sunday: Competition Returns — and the City Shows Up

Sunday began outside the arena.

Community programming, including the NBA Total Health All-Star Walk at Edward Vincent Jr. Park, signaled that the weekend wasn’t reserved solely for those inside premium seating. Residents were visible. Families were engaged. Inglewood wasn’t fenced off from its own moment.

Inside Intuit Dome, the NBA’s new USA vs. World format added something the game has lacked in recent years: competitive pride. The effort level rose. The pace felt intentional. The narrative shifted from exhibition to contest.

Anthony Edwards earned MVP honors, but the broader takeaway was that players competed.

Locally, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard delivered a performance that resonated with the home crowd, scoring 31 against the World team and sending the USA Stars into the final. For a city that has embraced the Clippers’ relocation, it felt symbolic. Inglewood’s NBA identity isn’t hypothetical anymore. It’s present.

Inglewood Wasn’t a Backdrop — It Was the Point

All-Star Weekend 2026 will be remembered for its highlights. But it should also be remembered for its geography.

This wasn’t “the L.A. area.” This was Inglewood — tightly clustered around two world-class venues, grounded in community spaces, and supported by residents who could feel the moment in their own streets.

The city didn’t just host a weekend. It demonstrated what it looks like when major sports, culture and neighborhood life intersect in the same few blocks.

For once, the game didn’t just come through town.

It stayed home.