BOSTON (WHDH) - The eyes of the basketball world will be on Boston as the NBA Finals return to the city for the first time in 12 years. And if NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s opinion is to be considered, it should be the stage for one of basketball’s greatest events in the near future.
After previous reports that the Celtics submitted a bid to host the NBA’s All-Star weekend cropped up this spring, Silver said at his annual pre-Finals press conference that Boston deserves the chance to host the event again.
“I encourage that application from Boston. Wonderful city and obviously we’ll be there soon,” said Silver.
The Celtics hosted the innaugural All-Star Game in 1951 and again three more times in the next 13 years. The 1964 All-Star game was made famous after Celtics great Bill Russell and other members of the player’s union staged a walkout to gain formal recognition of the union from the league.
While famous travel cities like Los Angeles and New Orleans have become frequent hosts in reecent years, smaller-market cities are set to take the reins when Salt Lake City and Indianapolis host in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
“There was a period, maybe it seems 10-plus years ago, where it became disfavored to have All-Star Games for whatever reason, and now they are back,” Silver said. “I’ve got a long list of NBA cities that would like to have All-Star — it’s not even a game anymore. It’s not even a weekend. It’s a week of activities.”
Boston last played host to an All-Star game in 1999 when Fenway Park was the setting for baseball’s midsummer classic.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)