NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Associated Press Louisiana Daybook for Friday, Feb. 17.
Friday, Feb. 17 – 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend begins in New Orleans. Events today include BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge (with U.S. and World teams each featuring 10 first-and-second year players, in the Smoothie King Center) and All-Star Celebrity Game (West vs. East, with players including Tom Cavanagh, Mark Cuban, Andy Grammer, Jiang Jinfu, Anthony Mackie, Master P, Win Butler, Nick Cannon, Ansel Elgort, and Kris Wu, in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome). 66th All-Star Game will be held Sunday.
Location: New Orleans, LA.
Friday, Feb. 17 – Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority Nominating Committee meeting, 11:00 a.m.
Location: 5307 Toler St., Harahan, LA.
Friday, Feb. 17 – Louisiana Department of Education's Accountability Commission meeting, 12:00 p.m.
Location: Claiborne Building, 1201 N. 3rd St., Baton Rouge, LA.
Friday, Feb. 17 – Louisiana Governor John Bel Edward holds a press conference following adjournment of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
Location: Louisiana State Capitol, 900 N. 3rd St., Baton Rouge, LA.
Friday, Feb. 17 – Sunday, Feb. 19 – Major League Baseball 10th annual Urban Invitational, held in New Orleans for the fourth consecutive year. The round-robin collegiate baseball tournament was launched by MLB in 2008 to place an annual spotlight on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their baseball programs, and this year features Alcorn State University, Grambling State University, Prairie View A&M University, and Southern University.
Location: New Orleans MLB Youth Academy, New Orleans, LA.
THIS WEEKEND
Saturday, Feb. 18 2017 – 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend continues in New Orleans with State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, including the Taco Bell Skills Challenge (featuring Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Gordon Hayward, Isaiah Thomas, John Wall, Devin Booker, Kristaps Porzingis, and Nikola Jokic), JBL 3-Point Contest (Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, Kemba Walker, Eric Gordon, Wesley Matthews, C.J. McCollum, and Nick Young), and Verizon Slam Dunk (DeAndre Jordan, Glenn Robinson III, Aaron Gordon, and Derrick Jones, Jr.). DNCE and DJ Khaled perform. 66th All-Star Game held Sunday.
Location: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA.
Saturday, Feb. 18 – Tuesday, Feb. 21 – ACLI Medical Section Annual Meeting.
Location: The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, 921 Canal St., New Orleans, LA.
Saturday, Feb. 18 – The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus 2017 parade.
Location: New Orleans, LA.
Saturday, Feb. 18 – Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2017 finalists from the North American and Women's committees announced. Finalists will be presented to the Honors Committee, and must receive a minimum of 75 percent of votes to be elected.
Location: New Orleans, LA.
Sunday, Feb. 19 – 66th NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans. Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard line up for the Western Conference against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kyrie Irving, and LeBron James (the top scorer in All-Star Game history) for the East. Western Conference coached by Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) and his staff, while Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics) coaches the East. The Roots open the game, with John Legend headlining the halftime show. For the first time ever, starters were selected by NBA players (accounting for 25 percent of the vote) and a panel of basketball media (25 percent) as well as by fans (50 percent).
Location: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA.