NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reiterated that he "wants to try" having the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, but he warned that legislation similar to North Carolina's HB2 law in other jurisdictions "could preclude an NBA city from hosting the event." Silver yesterday in his State of the League address said, "I’m not ready to draw ... lines. Clearly, though, the laws of the state, ordinances and cities are a factor we look at" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/19). There was a promise that the game "could return" to Charlotte in '19 if the law was rescinded, but there "has been little progress." Silver: "We’d very much like to get back there" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/19). Charlotte's Spectrum Center today is hosting a "Christian music tour" for $10 at the door as well as a Hornets youth basketball clinic tomorrow (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/18). Meanwhile, a source said that the Rockets "have prepared bids" to host the game in either '20 or '21 (CHRON.com, 2/18).

Meanwhile, Silver said that he and NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts "agree that the issue of the NBA age minimum 'needs to be studied' more." Silver: "She and I both agree that it's the kind of issue that needs to be studied, in essence, outside of the bright lights of collective bargaining." Silver admitted that "revisiting the age issue is 'complex,' but he has a 'better understanding' of it now" (ESPN.com, 2/19).

Other notes from All-Star Weekend: 

• Silver said he does "not regret" having a meeting with Charles Oakley and Knicks Owner James Dolan. Silver: "I did it because I thought it was helpful. And frankly, I still think it was helpful and I am still hopeful that Charles sort of will come back into the family” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/19).
• The league and NBPA "announced intentions to hold a second exhibition game in Africa" on Aug. 5 (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/19). Silver said that the goal is to "eventually have either a preseason or regular season game in Africa" (ESPN.com, 2/18).
• Warriors F Kevin Durant "plans to visit" the NBA Academy India in July, becoming the first player to do so (ESPN.com, 2/17). Kings Managing Partner Vivek Ranadive said that he wants the team to "play preseason games" in his native India by the end of the decade (ESPN.com, 2/17).
• Spurs F Pau Gasol was elected to serve on the NBPA's Exec Committee, replacing former NBAer Steve Blake (NBPA).

The NBA All-Star Skills Challenge last night in New Orleans was a 2 1/2 hour "snoozefest, with no juice either inside the arena nor for viewers watching at home." The night was "filled with an interminable series of commercials breaks" that left fans "bored." The "lack of rhythm was noticeable inside the Smoothie King Center, which was dead" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/19).

The dunk contest, won by Pacers F Glenn Robinson III, was "snore-inducing" (SI.com, 2/19). CBSSPORTS.com's Matt Moore wrote of the dunk contest, "Let's never talk about that again." It "was a disaster." Meanwhile, the NBA "found ways to drive commercials into every event" (CBSSPORTS.com, 2/18). ESPN's Kevin Connors said, “Could anything compare to what we saw tonight? The answer is yes; a lot of things could have compared to it. It wasn't a great dunk contest” ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 2/18). The night "lacked real intrigue and star power." It was "fun but not overly memorable" (SPORTSNET.ca, 2/19).

Late NBA reporter Craig Sager "was the inspiration behind a slightly impromptu 3-point, half-court and eventual layup-shooting benefit at Saturday night’s All-Star festivities in New Orleans." A layup hit by Sager’s son Ryan "marked a $500,000 donation made from the league and its sponsorship partners to the Sager Strong charity" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/18). Meanwhile, Sager and N.Y. Times columnist Harvey Araton were honored by the Basketball HOF yesterday, receiving the '17 Curt Gowdy Media Award for their "contributions to basketball." Both will be formally recognized at the HOF's enshrinement ceremony in September (N.Y. TIMES, 2/19). Check out other feel-good, viral moments from last night in New Orleans.

For $500k to the #SagerStrong foundation... Craig Sager's son with the dunk (@SHAQ with the assist) pic.twitter.com/ZncYOjFzKL

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 19, 2017

Expansion MLS club Minnesota United on Friday unveiled their inaugural home and away kits. The home kits are gray "with a blue sash and white Target logo," while the away kits are white "with a black Target logo" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 2/18). Minnesota United's kits "all feature logos of Target, the club's primary corporate sponsor." The kits were unveiled at a fan event in Minneapolis in front of an estimated crowd of 1,000. Meanwhile, the "quick clip at which United has operated also curtailed design options for their first jerseys." The club has already begun work on '18 versions that "will have details the club desires" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 2/18).

FC Dallas unveiled their new '17 secondary jersey at the club's annual season kickoff party, Cocktails and Cleats, at Dallas' Fashion Industry Gallery. The new secondary kit for '17 is a "collaboration between adidas and FC Dallas" (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/17). Orlando City SC also unveiled their new home kit for the '17 season. Orlando Health "remains the club’s jersey sponsor for a seventh consecutive season" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 2/18). Meanwhile, SI.com gives critiques for all MLS jerseys ahead of the '17 season (2/17).

Replacements for the two departed top officials on the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority -- which oversees U.S. Bank Stadium -- are "likely to come" this week. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton on Friday said that he "expects to appoint an interim chair" this week to replace Michele Kelm-Helgen. Kelm-Helgen resigned "amid controversy about improper use of luxury suites" at the stadium, and MSFA Exec Dir Ted Mondale did the same shortly after. The resignations of Kelm-Helgen and Mondale followed "weeks of withering GOP criticism and public backlash about their use of two taxpayer-owned luxury suites" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 2/18). A STAR TRIBUNE editorial: "There's No Time To Waste In Finding New Leader For U.S. Bank Stadium" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/18).

Univision yesterday streamed its first Liga MX game on Facebook with Chivas-Club America, and the English-language stream "was great." There was not "any stuttering or buffering." The stream "automatically adjusted to the speed of your Internet connection and quality stayed consistent." The video was actually "about 1-2 seconds ahead of the TV broadcast." Getting these sorts of broadcast rights "take time," and Facebook "appears like the perfect place" for Univision and its Liga MX streams (SBNATION.com, 2/18).

Meanwhile, Showtime Sports last night streamed the first ever boxing event on Twitter with the Adrien Broner-Adrian Granados fight. Showtime is "using the Twitter stream as a complement to a free preview weekend" (ENGADGET.com, 2/18).

Front Row Motorsports on Friday signed Camping World and Jacob Companies as sponsors for its Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series No. 38 Ford driven by David Ragan. Camping World will come aboard for nine races, including next Sunday’s Daytona 500. That deal was negotiated by Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis and FRM Managing Dir of Business Development Corey Wynn. Jacob Companies, a Florida-based construction company that has increasingly deep ties in the sport, will come aboard for six races starting with the Phoenix spring race.

Members of the NFLPA, other athletes and researchers at the Harvard Innovation Lab came together Friday to "talk about the future of sports technology with a focus on how best to measure athletes’ performance." The Sports Innovation Lab is a new sports market research firm created to "research sports technology companies in the hopes of sorting out those that are most impactful." The company has customers that include Gatorade and IBM. Free agent QB and Harvard alum Ryan Fitzpatrick "stressed the importance of ensuring players have a choice" when it comes to tracking technologies. Fitzpatrick: "That's where the union is going to be very important in making sure the players are protected" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/19). 

NASCAR's "The Clash" season-opening exhibition race was completed this afternoon at Daytona Int'l Speedway. The race was slated to run last night but was postponed until 11:30am ET this morning due to rain in the area (THE DAILY).

Stars TV play-by-play man Dave Strader last night "returned to the broadcast booth and called his first game of the season." He had missed the first 59 games while "battling through different forms" of cancer treatment (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/19).

Browns OT Joe Thomas "was a guest" on ABC's "Celebrity Family Feud" for an episode pitting current NFL players against Pro Football HOFers (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 2/18).

The main event at last night's Bellator 172 at SAP Center was "scrapped just minutes before the doors to the arena opened to the public." The Fedor Emelianenko-Matt Mitrione bout was canceled after Mitrione "fell ill with a kidney stone hours before the event" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/19).

The Twins held their annual open house today, which featured "more than 15 health stations as well as blood-pressure testing and a free heart scan for children under 18" (TWINCITIES.com, 2/17).

Baylor interim President David Garland on Friday said that the school has "seen a 'small drop' in donations" since the football program's sexual assault scandal. However, he added that the number of people "contributing annually has actually increased -- to more than 13,500" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2/18).

Bon Jovi "set the attendance record" at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena last night, drawing a crowd of 18,514 (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 2/19).

The Blackhawks hosted "Hockey Is for Everyone" last night at the United Center, "part of a leaguewide initiative aimed at making hockey more inclusive for all people." Players "used rainbow-colored 'pride tape' on their equipment during warmups" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/19).

"It would be scientifically impossible, which I'm totally aware of that. I just feel like the fact that it's even a conversation is hilarious. That that could actually be news. It's hilarious" – Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving on his comment earlier in the week that the earth was flat (CLEVELAND.com, 2/18).

"It was just to f— with everybody, because that is what I do. You’ve got to have fun with it. You can’t take it too seriously" – Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, on wearing the number 46 during the NBA Celebrity Game on Friday in response to President Trump's criticism of him (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/17).

"We were extremely lucky to have him as an owner. The guy had so much passion for the game year in and year out, doing everything he can to put a competitive team on the field and win a championship” – Tigers DH Victor Martinez, on late Owner Mike Ilitch (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 2/19).

"Just because I can shoot a basketball, that doesn't mean it muzzles me” – ESPN’s Jalen Rose, on athletes using their platform to speak on social issues (“OTL,” ESPN, 2/19).

"He’s back. I’m excited. We worked at it for a long time and finally got it done” – UFC President Dana White, on officially signing fighter Georges St-Pierre to a new agreement (LATIMES.com, 2/17).

"Personally, I believe the world is round" – A joking NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in response to Irving's comment (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/18).

“Forget the answer. The fact that I’ve never been asked means there’s something going on that isn’t normal” – UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma, on if he would decline an invitation to the White House if the team wins its 12th championship this year (N.Y. TIMES, 2/18).

The WASHINGTON POST's Kevin Blackistone wrote under the header, "Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank Had A Cool Brand Before Stepping Into A Hot Mess." Plank has had to go out of his way to "mitigate the criticism he received after he voiced his support" for President Trump. His support "ignited a #BoycottUnderArmour social media protest." With much of the company's success coming from college deals, it appears that "offending the lifeblood of that industry could be costly."

The L.A. TIMES' Kevin Baxter writes the rise of the USL as MLS' lower league affiliate is a "win-win" for players and teams. Sporting KC F Dom Dwyer, who made his way to the team after spending time in the USL, said, "I might not have gotten a chance in the MLS. And that's really what it's about." 

Elsewhere:

• Should athletes avoid taking political stands and stick to sports?
• A look back at how Magic Johnson used the ASG to talk about HIV.
• The Tigers would draw high bids if the Ilitch family decided to sell.
• Phoenix deserves credit for helping to create today's NBA.
• Former MLBer Moises Alou is helping to guide the Padres' shift.
• How does Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban keep his money?

Lot of talk that moving WGC to Mexico would hurt Honda field, but they have roughly the same # of top-20 players (10) as last year (11).

— Rex Hoggard (@RexHoggardGC) February 17, 2017

they need to do a skills challenge for media:

— cutting photos
— headline writing
— social copy
— copy editing
— fact checking
— post speed

— martin rickman (@martinrickman) February 19, 2017

Am told from a team member that Amazon and Ganassi are close to a deal for the #9 Honda

— Tony Donohue (@TonyD1070) February 18, 2017

Props to NBA, TNT and all else for that. Seemed like the perfect way to honor Sager. Flashy, fun and thoroughly entertaining. #SagerStrong

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) February 19, 2017

If you believe in omens/symbolism, that's not a good one for the start of Monster Energy's reign as title sponsor.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 19, 2017

The #DallasStars salute Dave Strader. pic.twitter.com/klX1zFRkKO

— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) February 19, 2017