Houston will play host to basketball’s biggest stars for the second time in seven years, having been selected to host the 2013 NBA All-Star Game, the league announced Wednesday.

“Houston is a spectacular sports city, and for one week it will be the basketball capital of the world,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “NBA All-Star is a magnificent celebration of our game, and I want to thank the city and the Rockets for welcoming us once again.”

The 62nd NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the Toyota Center. The city will also host the NBA Rising Stars Challenge and NBA All-Star Saturday Night. The entire weekend of festivities will broadcast on TNT.

“I am thrilled the Rockets and the City of Houston have once again brought NBA All-Star to Toyota Center. The All-Star Game showcases the best basketball players in the world and will allow our great Rockets fans and the entire community the opportunity to once again experience the best that our league has to offer,” said Rockets owner Leslie Alexander.

All-Star Weekend was also held in Houston in 2006 and featured the Houston Rockets’ own Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. “T-Mac” led all scorers with 36 points but lost out on the MVP trophy to the then 21-year-old LeBron James. The hot shooting of James powered the East to a 122-120 victory over the West.

“The 2006 All-Star Game in Houston was a tremendous success, and we plan to set the bar even higher in 2013,” Alexander said.

Next year’s All-Star festivities mark the third time the NBA’s greatest talents will be showcased in Houston. The city also hosted in the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, as Karl Malone led the West all-stars to a 143-134 victory over the East in the Astrodome.

This year’s All-Star Game will take place Feb. 26 in Orlando, Fl. at the new Amway Center.

Printed on Thursday, February 9, 2012 as: All-Star Game finds a home