Cartoon Network has joined forces with the NBA for a special edition of this year's NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, hosted by none other than the animated stars of DC's Teen Titans Go!.
Presented by WarnerMedia Kids & Family, Cartoon Network Special Edition: NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest Presented by Nike is a 30-minute, commercial-free special slated to air on Cartoon Network on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. ET/PT -- less then 24 hours after the full-length NBA All-Star 2022 AT&T Slam Dunk airs on TNT. The Cartoon Network Special Edition will see the Teen Titans -- Robin (Scott Menville), Cyborg (Khary Payton), Starfire (Hynden Walch), Raven (Tara Strong) and Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) -- provide "their comedic brand of sports analysis direct from TNT's Inside the NBA studios."
"We had to think about what the Teen Titans have not accomplished yet," said Tricia Melton, Chief Marketing Officer, Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. "They've sung waffle songs, eaten burritos, starred in their own feature film, watched Space Jam, and now they get to take part in one of the most iconic sporting events. As their popularity continues to skyrocket, this groundbreaking partnership with the NBA and Turner Sports allows us another fun and innovative storytelling opportunity to bring our Super Heroes back into the real world."
WarnerMedia further explains that the Teen Titans will offer their "colorful commentary, 'professional' insights, and outlandish 'Redraw Replays' that enhance the slam dunks with wildly animated overlays, crazy sound effects and surprise appearances by some of the world's biggest cartoon stars from Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. The night's judges will include an all-star panel of Justice League team members who have honed their judging superpowers at past Teen Titans Go! 'Dance-off' contests."
Emanating from the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, the full-length NBA All-Star 2022 AT&T Slam Dunk is slated to air on TNT as part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET. TNT will then air the actual NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, in addition to its Special Edition of Slam Dunk on Feb. 20, Cartoon Network will host Teen Titans Go! marathons throughout the entire weekend of Feb. 29, culminating with a new episode -- "The Drip" -- on Monday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. ET/PT.
Cartoon Network's Teen Titans Go!-centric coverage of the NBA's annual slam dunk contest is only the latest collaboration between a major sports league and a children's network. Nickelodeon recently aired an NFL playoff game -- complete with kid-friendly CGI, commentary and appearances by Nicktoons stars -- for the second consecutive year.
Source: WarnerMedia