BET Experience 2014: Celebrity basketball, SneakerCon draw fans

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Andre Lauren Benjamin, a.k.a. Andre 3000, of Outkast performs Sunday at the 2014 BET Experience at Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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Andre Lauren Benjamin, a.k.a. Andre 3000, left, and Antwan Andre Patton, a.k.a. Big Boi, of Outkast take the stage at the 2014 BET Experience on Sunday at Staples Center. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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Maxwell performs onstage during the BET Experience concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Jill Scott performs during the BET Experience. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry performs onstage during the BET Experience. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Jennifer Hudson appears at the 2014 BET Experience at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Jennifer Hudson, right, appears Saturday with Derrial Christon, host of the 2014 BET Experience, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Karina Pasian performs at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Jacob Latimore greets a fan before his Saturday performance at the 2014 BET Experience at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Crowds wait to hear Jacob Latimore perform at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Tennis shoes are bought and sold at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Kema Barber, left, shakes hands with singer Jennifer Hudson at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Alyssa Vigil, 20, writes on a large chalkboard at the Pantene Shinestrong Studio at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday in downtown Los Angeles. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Justin Bieber claps from the bench during the celebrity basketball game at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Performer Snoop Dog, left, is introduced before the start of the celebrity basketball game at Saturday’s 2014 BET Experience at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A celebrity basketball game is played at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Justin Bieber, left, dribbles during the celebrity basketball game at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Chris Brown dribbles during the celebrity basketball game at the 2014 BET Experience on Saturday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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Justin Bieber, left, takes a selfie with a fan before the start of the celebrity basketball game at the 2014 BET Experience at the Los Angles Convention Center on Saturday. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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A guest strikes a pose at Fan Fest during the BET Experience at L.A. Live. (Rachel Murray / Getty Images for BET)

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Guests attend Fan Fest during the BET Experience at L.A. Live. (Rachel Murray / Getty Images for BET)

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Singer Stacy Barthe performs onstage Saturday at the Acoustically Speaking event during the BET Experience at L.A. Live. (Imeh Akpanudosen / Getty Images for BET)

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Rapper Ty Dolla Sign performs Saturday at the BETX Opening Concert at L.A. Live. (Jerod Harris / Getty Images for BET)

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Maxwell performs Friday at the BET Experience at Staples Center. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry performs Friday at the BET Experience at Staples Center. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Jill Scott performs Friday at the BET Experience at Staples Center. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Candice Glover performs Friday at the BET Experience at Staples Center. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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Trey Songz performs tracks from his upcoming “Trigga” album Friday at the BET Experience at L.A. Live. (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for Target)

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A crew member on Wednesday sets up equipment for the weekend’s BET Experience. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

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A crew member works on lighting Wednesday for the BET Experience. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

By Jim Easterhouse

June 28, 2014 5:18 PM PT

Though soccer and the World Cup have dominated the global sports conversation heading into the weekend, basketball enjoyed a surge of interest at the second annual BET Experience.

At the BETX Celebrity Basketball Game, fans were afforded a view of a range of athletes, musicians and actors who showcased their abilities on the hardwood.

Sponsored by a soft drink company (which also played a role in the team names), the game commanded widespread attention hours before tipoff as fans queued in a massive line slicing across the concourse at the L.A. Convention Center as the festival opened at noon.

The free event, which already included artists such as Snoop Dogg, the Game, Tyga, Omarion and Soulja Boy, featured two surprise additions: Chris Brown and Justin Bieber. Fans roared as Brown’s first three-pointer fell in from beyond the arc.

Snoop Dogg established himself as another crowd favorite. “It’s fun to be playing with your peers - athletes, entertainers,” he said. “We all dreamed of playing basketball, so when we have a celebrity game like this we get to show off our skills. Some of us don’t have skills.”

Many fans around the stretched concourse seemed to be primarily set on other free events. SneakerCon drew a big crowd as a line formed outside of the L.A. Convention Center before doors opened. Whether purchasing or not, many fans strolled through and gazed at additional apparel and shoe-shining stops.

Additional free events will be offered early this evening. Omarion is set to host a dance competition, and a “Gospel Choir Showcase” follows “Music Around the Globe” on the main stage.

Outkast, A$AP Rocky and Rick Ross will close out the night with a performance at Staples Center. Unfortunately for fans, it’s not free.

@jimeasterhouse