Explaining OKC Thunder Coaching Staff Role at NBA All-Star Weekend

The Oklahoma City Thunder have the best record in the NBA and on All-Star Weekend its coachign staff gets more work because of it. Explaining how the honor works and who is coaching which team.

Feb 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watches his team play against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of a game at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder own the best record in the Western Conference at the All-Star Break which, as is customary, gives the OKC Thunder coaching staff the honors of heading to the Mid-Winter Classic to coach in the festivities.

To date though, there have only been two teams in need of a bench boss, making it an easy split between the Western Conference and Eastern Conference staffs who earn the bid to the All-Star game. However, this season in San Fransisco, the NBA is rolling out a whole new format (stop me if you have heard that before).

This new-look All-Star game features four teams duking it out in a brack-style competition. The Thunder will see Superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Team Chuck go toe-to-toe against All-Star Jalen Williams representing Team Kenny on Sunday in the first of two semi-final games to determine the All-Star game championship bout.

On Wednesday, Thunder Wire's Clemente Almanza reported which OKC coaches would be pacing the sidelines this weekend.

On Friday night in the Rising Stars event, Thunder assistants Mike Wilks and David Akinyooye will prowl the sidelines for two of the four Rising Stars teams which takes the same format as Sunday night. The winner of the Rising Stars event? They get to go up against Team Shaq in the second semi-final game on Sunday representing Tennessee Volunteer and WNBA Legend Candace Parker. The other two coaches on Friday will be from the Cavs staff.

On Sunday, Mark Daigneault and Dave Bliss will coach two of the teams as Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson and another Cavs assistant will pace the sideline for the other two.

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