INGLEWOOD, CA — It’s official.
Los Angeles Clippers team owner Steve Ballmer handed the NBA All-Star keys to Phoenix Suns team owner Mat Ishbia during the Feb. 15 championship game at Intuit Dome.
The 2027 NBA All-Star weekend is now officially set for Feb. 19-21 in Phoenix.
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“I’m so excited for the fans,” Ishbia said Feb. 13. “It’s a community event. I’m so excited to bring it to Phoenix. Do great things with our fans. I can’t wait to have it in Phoenix next year.”
Ishbia and Ballmer stood center court during a timeout for the torch passing Sunday afternoon.
“THIS IS THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE, GREATEST SPORT IN THE WORLD,” Ballmer screamed in his usual passionate manner.
After Ballmer’s remarks, the arena played a video featuring a mix of the Valley’s various landscapes, Suns basketball and NBA highlights.
Then a much calmer Ishbia addressed the crowd about the All-Star Game coming to Phoenix in 2027.
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“I had a great time, Steve has done a great job, the atmosphere has been great,” he said. “We’re so excited to have it in Phoenix next year.”
Then Suns five-time All-Star Devin Booker met the Suns’ mascot, Gorilla, at a star on the court for a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown. Gorilla proceeded to push a button on the star to set off fireworks as a graphic showed Phoenix is 371 days, 51 minutes and 22 seconds from hosting the 2027 NBA All-Star weekend.
“They had great facilities to put this on,” Booker said about the $2-billon Intuit Dome. “Great city like Los Angeles. Global reach. We’re going to try to piggyback off this. Take what was good, take what wasn’t and host this thing the right way.”
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Phoenix last hosted the NBA All-Star Game in 2009 when Shaquille O’Neal and the late, great Kobe Bryant shared the MVP award. Once teammates, O’Neal was with the Suns while Bryant was continuing his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“We’re going to be excited to be hosting,” Booker said Feb. 14. “Hopefully I’m in the (NBA All-Star Game), and hopefully I’ll be defending winning the (NBA All-Star 3-point contest). The city is looking forward to it.”
Booker didn’t win the 3-point contest on Valentine’s Day, finishing second to Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard in dramatic fashion, 29-27.
He missed his last three shots on final 2-point money-ball rack. He looks to compete in the 2027 NBA All-Star 3-point contest in Phoenix for perhaps the final time.
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“This one hurt a little bit,” Booker said Sunday. “I wanted this one bad. Wish I was defending it in Phoenix but it’ll probably be the last time I do it next year if I get the invite. I’m looking forward to it.”
Booker then played for USA Stars in the new U.S. versus World All-Star Game on Feb. 15.
In the round-robin tournament of four 12-minute quarters, USA Stars defeated World Team, 37-35, in overtime, but lost to USA Stripes, 42-40.
USA Stripes eliminated World, 48-45.
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia high fives Team USA Stars guard Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns during the 75th NBA All Star Game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
The NBA All-Star Game tournament ended with USA Stars blasting USA Stripes, 47-21, in the championship game.
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“NBA did a good job of us doing all our media and pictures (Saturday),” Booker said after the championship game. “So (Sunday) we could just come in and properly get our bodies activated. I think that was a big part of it. I think every team honestly wanted to win.”
The Suns were full participants this All-Star weekend, starting with Ishbia in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 13 at Kia Forum.
Wearing Book 2 Fragment sneakers, the 46-year-old Ishbia competed, hustled, knocked down a jumper of 7-6 Tacko Fall and made an impression on Booker.
“Hey man, he’s a hooper,” Booker said Feb. 14 about Ishbia. “I knew he played (walk-on at Michigan State), but he still has the intangibles. He’s in good shape. He was moving well, shot over Tacko. That’s legendary. He’s going to play that back forever.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned Ishbia’s night during his Feb. 14 press conference at Intuit Dome when asked about the 2027 All-Star Game being in Phoenix.
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“The team owner, Mat Ishbia, is so enthusiastic, he played in the Celebrity Game yesterday, and I saw him (Friday night),” Silver said. “He’s a little banged up but he’s not injured, so was pleased to see that.”
The Suns and NBA conducted meetings this weekend as Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego was in attendance for the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Los Angeles, where they met with Silver.
“She and I had a chance to say hello and I think she’s taking notes,” Silver said.
Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media during a press conference before 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome.
The Suns franchise has an opportunity to make the All-Star weekend unique to Phoenix and unlike any other All-Star weekend.
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Silver said: “What’s so great about these All-Star experiences is one, each progressive All-Star we learn and we try new things, but also the goal is for an All-Star Game in LA should feel different than an All-Star Game in Phoenix, different community, different interest, different climate.
“And I think when people come to the market, yes, we want them to experience all these great events on the floor but also to take advantage of the restaurants, the night life, the beaches here, and Phoenix is a fantastic city. …
“So our goal would be to come there and working with Mat and his folks, and again, your great mayor to have very much a Phoenix, Arizona experience.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin..
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix officially set to host 2027 NBA All-Star weekend