All-Stars must deal with cold

Associated Press

NEW YORK

The NBA’s All-Star show has arrived on Brrr-oadway.

After years of performing only in warm-weather cities in the South and West, the midseason spectacle has come back to the bitterly cold Big Apple, where the most popular person at the player hotel Friday may not have been LeBron James or Stephen Curry, but the one handing out complimentary hot chocolates in the lobby.

Players love being in New York and can’t wait for the curtain to rise at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, but the bright lights in the big city aren’t doing anything to help the teeth-chattering chilly temperatures down below.

“New York is cold as hell, man. But it’s nice, it’s cool,” Miami’s Dwyane Wade said. “I feel like the All-Star had to be in New York one of these years. Since I’ve been in the league, 12 years now, it hasn’t been in New York and it’s mind-boggling that it hasn’t, but I think it’s cool that it’s finally here. There’s just a different vibe in New York than anywhere else.”

Wade is injured and can’t play Sunday, but the guys who will say it will be a special night because it will be on one of their favorite stages.

“It’s going to be the best All-Star Game for me, to be able to be in the Garden,” James said. “I love my fans back in Cleveland. I loved my fans when I was in Miami. But if I could have 82 regular-season games in the Garden, you know I would, because it’s the mecca of basketball. You get a great feeling when you walk in there because there is so much history. It’s going to be fun.”

The game hasn’t been in New York since 1998, Michael Jordan’s last with the Chicago Bulls and the first of many for Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. The NBA’s preference has been places where it’s warm in February, and cities such as Houston and New Orleans have hosted it multiple times in recent years.

But when the Garden underwent a three-year renovation and Barclays Center in Brooklyn was built, both with $1 billion price tags, the league decided the venues would share the weekend. The Rising Stars challenge and All-Star Saturday night went to the home of the Nets, with the game set for the Knicks’ home court.

LEBRON ELECTED UNION VP

Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has been elected first vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, giving the game’s top player a leadership role in the union.

James was elected unanimously on Friday during the union’s annual meeting as part of All-Star weekend. A person familiar with James’ election said Clippers All-Star guard Chris Paul, the union’s president, had urged the four-time MVP to take an active role within the union. The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity before union executive director Michele Roberts announced the election, said James wanted to be deeply involved in future collective bargaining with the league.

James has been outspoken on several player-related issues already, but he’ll now have a formal seat at the bargaining table.