Frances Tiafoe has been named as a participant in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Next weekend on February 17, Tiafoe will be taking part in the Celebrity Game in Salt Lake City, Utah. “It’s awesome, it’s awesome.
Heard the news a little while ago but [it's] going public now, so I’ve just been trying to gear up for it and get ready. It’s an honour man, it’s an honour," Tiafoe told the ATP Tour website. Even though Tiafoe was confirmed a while ago that he would be invited to participate in the Celebrity Game, he started believing it was real only after the NBA sent him an official mail of confirmation.
“I still didn’t really know until I got that email, but once I got that email that ‘You’re going to All Star’ I was like, ‘This is crazy! I feel like it’s a big crossover. A lot of people have taken interest in me, a lot of people are following the game of tennis who usually wouldn’t because, A, the personality I bring out there on court and how I am, and being a person of colour.
It’s touching a lot of people and I’m just happy," Tiafoe revealed.
Tiafoe often pulls a LeBron James celebration
After some of his biggest wins, Tiafoe channeled James' iconic "silencer" celebration. Tiafoe, a Washington Wizards fan who grew up in the DC area, met James during the Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers game in early December.
When James saw Tiafoe, he approached the American tennis star and the two shared a moment. “It was unbelievable. During shootaround I’m standing there and he comes up to me, points to me after he’s done and then comes to me.
That was awesome. I’m glad someone got that on video. It was awesome. He’s an absolute icon. Obviously he’s another guy I can’t wait to really get a big relationship with," Tiafoe said.