Kenny 'The Jet' lands at HoopsFest

Emmy Award winning television star, and two-time NBA champion, Kenny Smith, is the latest international identity to be confirmed for HoopsFest, taking place September 19-22.
 
Smith, a member of TNT’s award-winning NBA show –Inside the NBA - alongside Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Ernie Johnson, will head to Perth joining the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Luc Longley, Hayden James, Nick Kyrgios and a number of other celebrities to experience the ultimate fusion of basketball, music, culture, entertainment and style.
 
Smith became officially involved with the NBL earlier this year when he was appointed Head of Next Stars’ Player Initiatives – North America, with a focus on Next Stars’ recruiting and mentoring.
 
“Joining the NBL and its Next Stars program has been exciting, and I’m thrilled to be traveling to Australia to see it all first-hand," Smith said.

"Having every single team in the league gathered in Perth to open the new season gives me the opportunity to see a whole lot of basketball talent in one place. And I can’t wait to meet my fans Down Under!”
 
“Having Kenny Smith join us at HoopsFest is an indication of just how big our League is growing and how significant the event in Western Australia will be,” NBL CEO David Stevenson said.
 
“When you look at some of the names of people who are flying in to be part of HoopsFest, it’s truly exciting and something sports fans won’t want to miss.
 
“For the likes of Kenny and Carmelo, it’s a chance for them to meet the players in the Next Stars program in person, and to experience NBL basketball for the first time.”
 
“The star power of Kenny Smith is another fantastic addition to the HoopsFest lineup, which already boasts the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Luc Longley and Nick Kyrgios, as well as performances by Hayden James and the Sneakerland festival across the weekend,” WA Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism Rita Saffioti said. 
 
“We know that Western Australians love their basketball, and I have no doubt we’ll see many locals and families turning out to see these stars in person, see some top-quality basketball and enjoy the incredible atmosphere this event will bring to our community.”
 
A legend of the game, Smith is a 2x NBA Champion with the Houston Rockets. He also played for the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets from 1987 to 1997 and has since become a global TV star on TNT.
 
The 2024/25 Hungry Jack’s NBL Season begins in Perth with the inaugural HoopsFest from September 19-22. The season opener will be a Championship Series re-match between Melbourne United and the Tasmania JackJumpers at 8:30pm AEST at RAC Arena on Thursday, September 19.