On 'First Take,' ESPN's Shams Charania responded to a claim from Jimmy Butler's agent that he fabricated a report. Screen grab: ‘First Take’
By Ben Axelrod on

Shams Charania has built his career reporting on the game. Now it’s time for the ESPN NBA insider to prove that he’s got game.

As was announced during Tuesday’s episode of SportsCenter, Charania will be a participant in the 2026 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game as a part of NBA All-Star Weekend in Inglewood, California, next month. Speaking to Hannah Storm, the 31-year-old scoopster referred to the opportunity to partake in the exhibition as a “dream” while also expressing angst over his busy schedule.

“Between the trade deadline and now the celebrity game, now I realize I have a lot of ramp-up to do,” he told Hannah Storm on SportsCenter. “I gotta represent.”

Charania, however, also wasn’t shy to share his self-scouting report.

“I’m a shooter, I can handle the ball and I can make my floaters. Shoutout to Danny Green,” he said, referring to the ex-NBA shooting guard, who was on-set.

At this point, the NBA has yet to release its full roster for the event. But we already know that Charania will be playing alongside (or against) rapper GloRilla and producer Mustard, with Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts also serving as a coach in the celebrity game.

Considering its location in Southern California, there will surely be no shortage of celebrities lining up to take part in the exhibition. But for those of us in the sports media space, all eyes will be on Charania and whether he’s able to backup the bravado he displayed on SportsCenter during Tuesday’s announcement.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

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