The final rosters have been announced for the 2020 NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game. Twelve Special Olympics All-star athletes will be on the same teams as some of the NBA’s finest players, including NBA legends, active and former WNBA players and celebrity figures. All together, the players from Special Olympics come from five countries and will offer a competitive game that will be fun to watch!
The match up will take place on Friday, February 14th, 2020 in Chicago, IL. Teams representing the East and West will play in two 20-minute halves at Winturst Arena. Tune in at 4 pm CST/5 pm EST to catch the action on the NBA’s Facebook page!
Special Olympics is pushing forward as the “Global Inclusion Movement” advocating for greater inclusion in all aspects of life. As one of the premiere events in all of professional sports, the NBA All-Star Weekend is an ideal platform for Special Olympics to demonstrate this movement through the power of sports to unite people everywhere.
Check out the team line-ups below.
Home Team (Yellow - EAST)
Special Olympics Athletes
Jasmine Burnham, Florida, USA
- Age: 18
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 7
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 11
Carrie Nykiel, Illinois, USA
- Age: 39
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 31
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 31
Wyatt Spalding, Nebraska, USA
- Age: 24
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 13
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 14
Injae Kim, South Korea
- Age: 21
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 3
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 6
Christopher Carter, Virginia, USA
- Age: 30
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 9
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 26
Israel Scialabba, Pennsylvania, USA
- Age: 22
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 7
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 14
Unified Partners
Cheyenne Parker – Chicago Sky
Cheyenne Parker is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Horace Grant – NBA Legend
Horace Junior Grant is an American retired basketball player.
Cappie Pondexter – WNBA Legend
Cappie Marie Pondexter is a former American professional basketball player who last played as a member of the Indiana Fever in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Toni Kukoč – NBA Legend
Toni Kukoč is a Croatian former professional basketball player who is currently Special Advisor to Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the Chicago Bulls.
Away Team (Brown - WEST)
Special Olympics Athletes
Robert Doyle, Nevada, USA
- Age: 25
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 6
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 15
Nate Wade, Colorado, USA
- Age: 21
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 3
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 7
Sean Annan, Canada
- Age: 27
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 8
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 20
Blake Hairston, Virginia, USA
- Age: 22
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 3
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 10
Tamara Medarts, Belgium
- Age: 25
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 19
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 6
Amber Free, Texas, USA
- Age: 18
- Total Years with Special Olympics: 6
- Total Years Playing Basketball: 6
Unified Partners
Dikembe Mutombo – NBA Legend, NBA Global Ambassador and Special Olympics Board of Director
NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo is the Chairman and President of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which he created in 1997.
Muggsy Bogues – NBA Legend
Tyrone Curtis "Muggsy" Bogues is an American retired basketball player.
A’Ja Wilson – WNBA Player
A’Ja Wilson is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Chelsea Gray – Los Angeles Sparks
Chelsea Nichelle Gray is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Jameer Nelson – NBA Legend
Jameer Lamar Nelson is an American former professional basketball player who played for 14 seasons in the NBA.
