Shams Charania will be a bigger part of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend than he has in years past. The ESPN NBA insider dropped his most shocking piece of intel all year when he confirmed he will be playing in the upcoming All-Star Celebrity Game.
Charania confirmed the news on ESPN's ‘NBA Today' show on Tuesday. He claimed that fans can expect his game to emulate that of 15-year veteran and current ESPN analyst Danny Green.
“That's always been a dream of mine,” Charania said. “Between the trade deadline and the Celebrity Game, now I realize I have a lot of ramp-up to do. I've got to represent. I'm a shooter, I can handle the ball, I can make my floaters. Shoutout Danny Green.”
"I'm a shooter, I can handle the ball, and I can make my floaters."@ShamsCharania will be suiting up for the 2026 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game 🏀
Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 PM ET on ESPN and the ESPN App ⭐ pic.twitter.com/T8G45ZzOzm
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 27, 2026
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Charania is still only 31, but he has never played high-level organized basketball. His journey to becoming the most respected NBA reporter began when he was cut from his high school team and immediately shifted his focus to journalism.
Once he committed to his media career, Charania began writing and reporting on the NBA in high school, according to a Loyola Today column. He earned his first gig as a Chicago Bulls-focused reporter for RealGM before he even turned 20.
However, despite his early focus on journalism, Charania claims he has never stopped playing. The hard-working reporter is in good physical shape, but fans will get a firsthand look at how well he does on the court during the 2026 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 13.
The 2026 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game rosters have not yet been released, but a few names have already dropped. Rappers GloRilla and Mustard have already confirmed their participation, with MLB star Mookie Betts announced as one of the game's coaches.