TikTok made its grand return to Apple and Google app stores in the US this weekend, but whether the ban enforcement gets the axe on April 5 is still up in the air. Let’s just hope this debacle doesn’t come down to the wire (again).
A peek into today’s edition:
- Content Creators take over NBA All-Star Weekend
- Tech Byte: LeBron James & Lionel Messi team up to launch the Powerbeats Pro 2
- ScorePlay raises $13M from big names
Beyond the Game: How Content Creators Are Shaping the NBA All-Star Experience
NBA All-Star Weekend has always been a spectacle — highlighting the league’s biggest names and unforgettable performances on the court. While the center of the weekend will always focus on the NBA, the annual event continues to evolve beyond basketball each year. NBA All-Star Weekend is now one of the biggest playgrounds for content creators.
Social media stars are no longer just covering the event; they’re becoming part of the show, and the shift is no accident. The NBA has long embraced culture by continuously tapping into hip-hop, fashion, and tech in organic ways. But the rise of social media has amplified that connection, creating an ecosystem where players, entertainers, and influencers blur the lines between the game itself and the viral moments that define it. And let’s be real—NBA players are now influencers, too. They’re vlogging their experiences, hopping on live streams, and engaging with fans in ways that didn’t exist a decade ago.
Being on the ground at All-Star Weekend, you see how intentional the prioritization of content creators is. And with brands like Meta, Nike, and Gatorade investing heavily in creator partnerships, the weekend has become just as much about content as it is about competition on the court. And the NBA is fully leaning into it.
The league has a massive social media influence and international reach. The league boasts 2.5 billion likes and followers globally, and this season alone, NBA content has racked up a record 53.7 billion video views, a 21% year-over-year increase. And that’s just from official NBA content — imagine how much higher those numbers would be if they included the nonstop stream of NBA-related and basketball content that creators fuel the conversation with daily.
Let’s see how content creators made their mark at official NBA events during All-Star Weekend in the Bay.
Content Creators on the Court
Take the 2025 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game as an example, where big-name content creators are becoming regulars on the court. Kai Cenat and Druski faced off in the game, and their inclusion is a clear sign that the lines between “celebrity” and “content creator” are increasingly blurred. These creators have amassed massive followings, with their influence on social media rivaling traditional celebrities. So, when their names appear on the celebrity game roster, it raises the question: are they celebrities? In today’s digital landscape, it’s becoming the norm to see these more prominent content creators shaping culture online on the same stage as movie stars, athletes, and musicians.
Chris Brickley, trainer to some of the game’s top players, has amassed a huge following online for his work — but this time, he took the court himself. Even on the sidelines, content creators played a key role. Khaby Lame, stepping in as one of the game’s coaches, brought his signature silent humor, reacting in real-time to some of the night’s best moments, while fellow creator Tristan Jass took his unique layup package to the top of Chase Center, racking up nearly 5 million views on one of his Instagram posts in just the first 24 hours alone.
It’s not just about basketball anymore — it’s about who can turn their time on the court into an internet moment, which I think the NBA is a fan of. So much so that the league brought in Jesser, a renowned basketball gaming YouTuber, as the inaugural NBA ID Member representative during the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest. Jesser got an upgrade from playing in the Celebrity Game last year. For the first time ever, fans — whether in the arena or tuning in from around the world — were able to submit real-time scores for each dunk as part of the revamped NBA ID program. Jesser, representing the fans’ collective voice, announced the average score while sitting alongside a star-studded panel of judges, including Baron Davis, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, and Jason Richardson.
As the NBA continues to blend basketball with digital culture, we’ll likely see more content creator correspondents at major events like this in the future.
Tech Byte
Beats unveiled the Powerbeats Pro 2 this week, its redesigned fitness buds that feature heart rate monitoring, Active Noise Cancellation, and Transparency mode. LeBron James, Lionel Messi, and Shohei Ohtani starred in a campaign to help with the launch of the Powerbeats Pro 2, which comes six years after its predecessor.
This Week in Tech
- AI-powered sports media company ScorePlay has raised $13 million in Series A funding, backed by Alexis Ohanian, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Morgan, and other top athletes. The platform, used by over 200 sports organizations, leverages AI to quickly generate and distribute highlight clips, helping teams, leagues, and players engage fans in real time.
- It looks like Apple and Android are playing nice for once. The Apple TV app finally launched on Android devices worldwide via Google Play, allowing Android users to subscribe to Apple TV+ and MLS Season Pass via non-Apple devices. Just in time for the 2025 MLS season, the app offers features like Continue Watching and Watchlist while providing access to exclusive sports content, including Friday Night Baseball and the newly introduced Sunday Night Soccer.
- Sony‘s latest State of Play event delivered nearly 30 trailers, reveals, and updates for PlayStation 5. Highlights include Monster Hunter Wilds launching on February 28, Borderlands 4 arriving on September 22, and a Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater remake set for August 28. The showcase follows a 24-hour PlayStation Network outage last weekend that disrupted gameplay for tens of thousands of players.
- Bose had a big weekend during NBA All-Star Weekend with several activations, including a VIP event with the Boardroom team on Friday night that featured a live conversation with Bose CMO Jim Mollica, Carmelo Anthony, and Quavo, plus a playlist powered by their QuietComfort wireless over-ear headphones. On Saturday night, Don Toliver performed at an exclusive event hosted by Anthony Edwards.
- TikTok has unveiled The Discover List 2025, highlighting 50 global creators across five categories — Educators, Foodies, Icons, Innovators, and Originators — who are shaping trends and making an impact on and off the platform. These honorees, from viral food creators to music trendsetters, were selected based on their influence, engagement, and ability to spark global conversations.
- Cosm is partnering with Fox Sports to broadcast the Daytona 500 at its immersive dome-like venues in LA and Dallas. This is the first NASCAR race Cosm will broadcast with real-time multi-angle footage, high-fidelity spatial audio, and visuals to bring the race closer to fans.
- YouTube CEO Neal Mohan shared his four big bets for 2025, highlighting his thoughts on the platform’s future. The blog post reports that, for the first time ever, YouTube is primarily viewed on TV, with viewers watching over 1 billion hours of YouTube content on TVs daily.
- Following a huge partnership announcement with Aston Martin F1 and an earnings report that saw revenues spike 138% in Q4, Coinbase celebrated All-Star Weekend with its fourth annual All-Star brunch in partnership with Boardroom.
Michelai’s Bet of the Week
Business Insider reported that Netflix is exploring the addition of video podcasts to its platform and previously considered a deal with Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper. If Netflix goes this route, I’m going to bet that Netflix will court multiple notable influencers and entertainers to launch original shows on its platform instead of going for already-established podcasts.
More Tech:
Beyond the Track: Unpacking Formula 1’s Entertainment Revolution
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How Streaming Platforms are Dominating the Oscars
The Rise of AI in Smart Home Gyms
From 5G to Style: Verizon Transforms Super Bowl LIX
