NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis to feature 7 former UK players, 1 former UofL player

The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is happening Sunday night just up Interstate 65 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and it will be a Cats-heavy affair along with a Cardinal for good measure.The Kentucky Wildcats have seven all-stars playing in the game. With 24 all-stars selected overall, that means almost a third of the rosters have laced them up while wearing the Big Blue at some point.Here's who to look for in tonight's showcase of the best basketball players in the world.Eastern ConferenceBam Adebayo Adebayo will be starting in Joel Embiid's place due to injury. He played for UK 2016-17 and was taken 14th pick in the 4th round. He plays for the Miami Heat, averaging a double-double with 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. He notched 20 rebounds against the Nets on Jan. 15.Tyrese MaxeyMaxey played for UK 2019-20 and while he didn't get to play in March Madness due to COVID-19 canceling it, he was taken 21st in the 1st round of the draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He is having the best year of his young career, averaging 25.6 points and 6.4 assists a game. Julius RandleRandle played for UK 2013-14. He was taken 7th in the 1st round of the NBA draft by the LA Lakers before ending up a New York Knick since 2019.Randle will miss the All-Star Game due to a shoulder injury, but he's still putting together one of his best professional seasons with 24 points and 9.2 rebounds a game. He is a big component of a Knicks team that has been playing some of its best ball in recent years.Western ConferenceShai Gilgeous-AlexanderKnown as SGA, Alexander played for UK 2017-18. He was taken 11th pick in the 1st round of the draft by the LA Clippers. He was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 and hasn't looked back.SGA is one of the main contenders for NBA Most Valuable Player this season after being named to the All-NBA First Team for the first time in 2023. He's second in the league in scoring this year at 31.1 points per game. He'll start for the west.Devin BookerBooker played for UK 2014-15 and was taken 13th in the 1st round of the draft by the Phoenix Suns where his sharpshooting skills have served them since.He's averaging a career-best 28 points a game this year and even had a 62-point game against the Pacers on Jan. 26.Anthony DavisDavis played led UK to a championship in 2011-12, his lone season with the Cats. He was taken 1st overall in the 2012 draft by the New Orleans Pelicans.He eventually got traded to the LA Lakers in 2019 and won a championship with them alongside LeBron James in 2020. His defensive prowess has helped the Lakers go 9-3 over their last 12 games as they try to make a playoff push. This is his ninth All-Star Game.Karl Anthony-TownsKAT, as he is known, Towns played for UK 2014-15 and was the third player, after John Wall and Anthony Davis, to be taken 1st overall in the NBA draft.He is a key piece of the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are having their best season in years as they lead the Western Conference standings.KAT is averaging 22.5 points and 8.4 rebounds a game, and shooting a career-best 43.6% from the 3-point line. He even made the finals of the NBA All-Star 3-Point Contest, which he won in 2022. Not be be left out, however, are the Louisville Cardinals.Donovan Mitchell, known as "Spida," is also an all-star, playing for the Eastern Conference. He played for UofL 2015-17 and was taken 11th in the 1st round of the draft by the Utah Jazz. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022 and has helped lead them to first place in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.The NBA All-Star Game tips at 8 p.m. on TNT.