Exclusive: NBA All-Star Weekend puts Old Ball on the LA stage

Los Angeles has hosted its share of unforgettable basketball moments, but this weekend, one of the most unexpected stars at NBA All-Star Weekend won’t be wearing sneakers.

Old Ball, a talking animatronic basketball created by Benched Studios, is set to make an appearance at NBA Crossover at the Los Angeles Convention Center, adding a dose of physical magic to a weekend built on spectacle, nostalgia, and culture.

The project comes from longtime friends Ben Bayouth, Adam Aseraf, and Christian Heuer, who met while working together at Funny or Die. After years of collaborating on comedy and practical-effects projects, the trio landed on a deceptively simple idea: what if a puppet existed in the real world, and that puppet was a basketball?

Why Old Ball Feels at Home at All-Star Weekend

They searched for precedent and found none. That realization pushed them forward. Bayouth, a veteran practical-effects artist, engineered Old Ball as a fully autonomous, wireless creation that can be held, passed, and interacted with in real time.

That physical presence continues to catch people off guard.

“It’s a really fun magic trick in person,” Heuer said, explaining that many assume Old Ball relies on AI or CGI until they see it up close. “When it’s actually talking to you, it just freezes people.”

Old Ball’s personality draws heavily from basketball’s past. Aseraf pointed to influences like NBA Jam, Little Penny, and the heightened energy of 1990s hoops. The character carries what the team calls “old head energy,” balancing love for today’s stars with reverence for earlier eras.

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“He should be a reflection of why you love basketball,” Aseraf said, describing Old Ball as the ultimate fan rather than a parody

That authenticity helped open doors quickly. The NBA reached out directly to Benched Studios, inviting Old Ball to participate in All-Star Weekend programming. At Crossover, Old Ball will appear on stage during dunk contest and three-point contest activations, alongside special guests.

For the creators, the moment still feels surreal.

“We started filming at Ben’s house,” Heuer said. “To already be part of All-Star Weekend in our first real season feels unreal.” Beyond Los Angeles, the vision stretches further. The team imagines Old Ball becoming a familiar courtside presence and eventually expanding into other sports.

Best case, Aseraf said, Old Ball simply becomes part of basketball’s scenery.

“Someone people are just used to seeing,” he said. “That would be the dream.”

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