Al Horford arrives at All-Star weekend

Before the game, Canada’s coach-and perhaps the most popular Canadian-received the key to the city of Toronto.

The Western Conference practice is going on, with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich showing off his dribbling skills and retiring star Kobe Bryant getting huge ovations from the crowd. “But I couldn’t imagine how the world would love it”.

Bryant seemed upbeat when asked about it being his final All-Star game.

When he spoke in English, Bryant talked about what an incredible career he has had.

“I can’t express to you how far Canada Basketball has come”, said Raptors guard Cory Joseph, a native of Toronto. This is Kobe’s week.

While Kobe Bryant is playing in his last NBA All-Star game, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is delighted to be playing in his first. He’s a four-time All-Star MVP, and Las Vegas sports book Bovada set him as a 7-5 favorite to win this year.

“I think we owe a lot to him”, said LeBron.

There you go. Bryant’s legendarily defiant competitiveness is so deep that apparently he’s immune to caffeine’s effects.

Bryant was receptive to the offerings as well as a host of inane questions from media members whom he had verbally sparred with for much of his 20-year career before softening considerably in recent seasons. He’ll start in the game for a record-setting 15th time with a chance to make even more history. To be a part of it, to be one of the guys, it’s special. “It’s going to be cool”.

Oklahoma City standout Russell Westbrook had the same feelings as he watched Bryant spark Lakers title runs from 2000-2002 and again in 2009-2010. He’s not gunning for it, he said.

The basketball world belongs to Bryant, at least for one more weekend. It’s not sad at all.

Silver spoke Friday morning at the NBA All-Star Technology Summit, and began his remarks by reminding attendees that the league’s enormous success globally stems in part from what happened in Toronto on November 1, 1946 – when the first game in what was then called the Basketball Association of America was played. “Three minutes to tip-off, we go out, very little warmup, and at 8 o’clock they tossed the ball up and the game started”.

He also reflected fondly on his history playing against the Raptors – a team he scored 81 points against in 2006.

Two things certainly worth noting would be the Rising Stars game on Friday night – pitting some of the top young stars from the US against the best young global talent in the league – and the NBA Development League All-Star game on Saturday afternoon.

Drummond initially said he had fallen asleep during a team meeting, but thought better of it and flashed the “I Have Not” sign.

HollywoodLifers, who do you think has the brightest future in the National Basketball Association out of all these talented players?

Asked by a local reporter about Tim Horton’s – a wildly popular fast food and doughnut chain – Davis admitted he’d never heard of it, and said that he mostly orders room service when he visits Toronto. When asked to name any Canadians not named Drake, Bryant answered with Wayne Gretzky, Steve Nash, Andrew Wiggins and Rachel McAdams. Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell and Trey Lyles of the Utah Jazz, both Canadians, had them on. Fans at the popular Coachella music festival went insane in 2012 when a hologram of the late rapper-actor Tupac Shakur took the stage next to fellow rhymers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.