Vin Diesel Kicked Off The NBA All-Star Game With a Weird Speech and Fans Were Rightfully Confused

The NBA All-Star Game is going on tonight in Utah and the festivities got off to a very strange start thanks to, well, Vin Diesel.
I know, I know. How in the world did the "Fast and the Furious” actor have any kind of impact on this big basketball night?
Well, for some reason the league had him take the court before the All-Star draft and he delivered a speech that had everyone confused about what they were watching and why Vin Diesel was picked to be the person to deliver such a hilariously awkward speech.
Seriously, this was a thing that happened:
"These players have made sacrifices, game after game, play after play, so families like mine could be inspired."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 20, 2023
Vin Diesel opening up the 2023 NBA All-Star Game ✨https://t.co/V6ajom6mXc
So.... weird, right?
NBA fans had reactions:
I’ve always said All-Star Weekend needs a lot more Vin Diesel
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) February 20, 2023
my inner monologue during vin diesel’s all star intro pic.twitter.com/ovOxunaGKO
— sean yoo (@SeanYoo) February 20, 2023
Everyone watching Vin Diesel do the Intro for the #NBAAllStar Game: pic.twitter.com/ValQt9Rtf0
— Danny Armstrong (@DArmstrong44) February 20, 2023
Vin Diesel for no reason: pic.twitter.com/GwaAwB6pmN
— 6 Seasons and a Moving Screen (@NBAGreendale) February 20, 2023
Vin Diesel showed up to #NBAAllStar in a leather jacket and a tank top, he really Dom Torretto in real life 😂
— Oluwajomiloju (@JomiAdeniran) February 20, 2023
Nothing says NBA… like Vin Diesel
— warriorsworld (@warriorsworld) February 20, 2023
Vin Diesel just gave a speech about how he dreamed all his life of going to an NBA game. Glad he's finally getting to make that happen.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) February 20, 2023

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.
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