Last week was a huge week for sports in Los Angeles. There’s a lot to cover, but the highlight is clear: NBA All-Star Weekend, which was hosted at Intuit Dome.
The new system definitely felt refreshing, with the round-robin style featuring Team USA Stars, Team USA Stripes and Team World, which gave the night a real spine. The three 12-minute mini-game style created real stakes, something that’s been missing in years past.
Watching Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard take over against Team World and seeing Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards alongside the younger guys torch the Stripes in the final felt like witnessing a rare moment where superstars from different generations clashed together. I left my seat thinking that we need to keep this same format. There was a perfect balance between the jokes and playfulness, while also enough structure to create tension during moments like when the championship tip went up.
In other basketball news, the San Antonio Spurs left the Los Angeles Lakers in the dust last week, 136-108. Spurs forward Victor Wembanyana was the clear MVP of the night. Pouring in 40 points, and 37 alone in the first half, the big man has proven himself to be dominant and versatile. Simply put, the Lakers have been leaning too hard on star power. If Wemby can destroy them this easily in February, just imagine what a full Spurs team could do to them in a seven-game series.
Moving from the court to the diamond, Los Angeles is ready to welcome back another one of its favorite sports: baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin spring training this week with a match against another California team, the Anaheim Angels. Last season, the Dodgers struggled heavily with their bullpen rotation—March will be a good time to observe how the pitching looks.If it looks even somewhat competent, LA is going to talk itself into a three-peat.
This week in soccer, BMO Stadium is also going to be home for the first-ever “Legends Series” between Real Madrid Leyendas and FC Barcelona Legends, marking the first time they meet on U.S. soil.
Notable players who are confirmed in Barcelona include Ronaldinho, Rafa Marquez, Javier Saviola, Gaizka Mendieta, Maxwell and Marc Crosas. For Real Madrid Marcelo, Luis Figo, Guti, Claude Makelele, Savio and Ruben de la Red will be playing. House of Heroes are leaning hard into the “legacy” aspect rather than just the 90-minute game.
Multi-day fan experiences, meet and greets and a halftime show are positioned to prepare LA for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. To me, it seems more like an event open to casuals and families rather than just hardcore fans. Furthermore, LAFC gets a made-for-TV spectacle as Inter Miami CF and football legend Lionel Messi face off against former Tottenham Spurs and now LAFC player Son Heung-min.
This match will happen at none other than the LA Memorial Coliseum in what’s being framed as a star‑studded, downtown LA showcase. If LA can turn Miami over in that environment and fraud-check the current Miami Messi, the “LA is simply a quick road game for Messi” narrative will be flipped overnight.
While last week was already hectic, this week will be even crazier for the city of LA and a great time for sports fans.