IN two days, the much anticipated 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend will kick off in Orlando with the full complement of activities spanning Friday, February 24 to Sunday, February 26.

A few highlights from last year’s staging included: Washington Wizards rookie John Wall’s record-breaking 22 assists in the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam, James Jones of the Miami Heat upsetting the Boston Celtics pair of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the Foot Locker Three-Point Shoot-out, and Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin’s contest-winning dunk over the hood of the 2011 Kia Optima in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest.

As we eagerly await the spectacles of this year, we present to you the calendar of events of those most desired.

Friday, February 24

Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

Last year’s event was highlighted by Justin Bieber, but this year the singer who will be hoping to show off his ball-handling skills is Ne-Yo. Other headliners for the weekend’s opening act are rapper Common, comedian Kevin Hart, Vinny Guadagnino from the Jersey Shore, four-time All-Star Penny Hardaway and 2011 WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings.

BBVA Rising Stars Challenge

This is the revised version of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge that has been running for some time. Instead of the rookies facing off against the sophomores, the league’s most impressive rookies and sophomores to date served as the talent pool for TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaq O’Neal to select a combination.

Notable members of Team Chuck include Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Kyrie Irving, John Wall of the Wizards, Gordon Hayward of the Utah Jazz and Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves while Team Shaq boasts the likes of Clippers Blake Griffin, Ricky Rubio of the Timberwolves, Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Bobcats and the NBA’s newest sensation, Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks.

Saturday, February 25

Taco Bell Skills Challenge

Defending champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and Jeremy Lin are the two main competitors expected to manoeuvre the full-court obstacle course. Can the hype boost Lin to victory or will it be a back-to-back year for Curry?

Foot Locker

Three-Point Contest

The only sharp shooter returning from last year’s competition is the defending champion James Jones. His rivals this year will be Joe Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks, double-double machine Kevin Love of the Timberwolves, Ryan Anderson of the Orlando Magic , Mario Chalmers of the Miami Heat and Anthony Morrow from the New Jersey Nets.

Sprite Slam Dunk Contest

Much to the disappointment of everyone, who was looking out for this contest, 2011 Slam Dunk champion Blake Griffin will not be participating in this year’s staging. In his absence, rookies Derrick Williams of the Timberwolves and Iman Shumpert of the Knicks as well as Indiana Pacers’ Paul George and Chase Budinger of the Houston Rockets are left to battle for the vote of the fans.

Sunday, February 26

61st staging of the NBA All-Star Game

For the second consecutive season, Orlando Magic centre Dwight Howard claimed the most votes with just over 1.6 million. Joining him in the East line-up will be Dwayne Wade and LeBron James of the Heat, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks.

Their starting competitors from the West will be the Los Angeles Lakers pair of Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant, the Clippers duo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, with two-time scoring champion Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder rounding up the lot.

Will the West claim consecutive victories or will ‘King James’ and company be crowned the East champions? Let’s wait and see.