All Star Weekend in Los Angeles already carries its own gravity. The arena gets the official shine, but the real culture always spills into the streets. This year, Complex Market carved out one of the strongest off court destinations of the weekend, and Chase Freedom’s Cashback Courts activation turned it into something bigger than a pop up.
Respect My Region pulled up to Complex Market expecting heat from the vendors. What we walked into was a full basketball culture experience layered with celebrity competitions, live podcast recordings, panel conversations, exclusive merch drops, and real fan participation.
Complex Market Set The Tone
From the jump, the energy inside Complex Market felt like creative energy in the best way. More than 30 brands, artists, and vendors filled the space with vintage sportswear, rare sneakers, independent streetwear labels, and collectible pieces that felt curated for hoop heads and serious collectors.
You had throwback NBA jackets hanging next to grail level sneakers in glass cases. Sellers breaking down the history of specific pieces. Los Angeles amplified everything. Being in the city during All Star Weekend meant everyone already had basketball on their mind. Complex Market just gave that energy a physical home.
But the real gravitational pull inside the building was Chase Freedom’s Cashback Courts.
Cashback Courts Brought The Crowd
Chase didn’t show up with a logo wall and a table. They built a basketball experience inside the market.
Cashback Courts brought together Kevin Hart, Carmelo Anthony, JuJu Watkins, Chris Paul, Jarred Vanderbilt, Stephen Curry, Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, Kazeem Famuyide, Sanaa Lathan, and Omar Epps for a full day of competitions, panels, and live programming.
The biggest jolt of energy came during the “Fandom Fueled COAT Competition.” Kevin Hart, Chris Paul, and Jarred Vanderbilt stepped on court and actually helped host the shooting competition. The crowd packed in tight, phones up instantly. The energy was crazy!
What made it hit harder was that donations from the competition went to the American Heart Association. It was competitive and entertaining, but it also had purpose.
Lethal Shooter hosted a separate fan shooting competition to crown the “Greatest Cashbacker of All Time.” The winner walked away with a custom designed COAT by legendary fashion designer Jeff Hamilton. That is not a throwaway giveaway. That is a collectible piece tied directly to the moment.
Meanwhile, Stephen Curry’s presence added another layer of legitimacy. When someone of that caliber is connected to the space during All Star Weekend, it reinforces that this isn’t surface level basketball marketing. It is embedded in the culture.
Panels, Podcasts, And Real Conversations
Cashback Courts was not just about shooting contests.
JuJu Watkins joined Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps for a Love & Basketball panel that felt intimate and reflective. They discussed the impact of the iconic film and how basketball culture has evolved since its release. Seeing that conversation happen inside Complex Market created a bridge between past and present hoop culture.
In another part of the activation, Carmelo Anthony and Kazeem Famuyide recorded a live episode of their Wave Original podcast, 7PM in Brooklyn, with fans in attendance. Melo in that format, speaking directly to a live crowd during All Star Weekend in Los Angeles, felt special. It was storytelling layered on top of competition and retail.
These weren’t random celebrity walk throughs. They were programmed moments that gave fans something to sit with, not just something to film.
The Cardmember Perks Actually Mattered
One thing that stood out was how tangible the Chase Freedom perks felt.
Cardmembers unlocked early entry before the general public, fast pass access once doors opened, and unique gifts at select vendors after making qualifying purchases. During a weekend where lines can eat hours of your day, that kind of access is real value.
There were also free food perks at select vendors and on court meet and greet opportunities tied to the activation. These weren’t abstract benefits. You could feel them impacting the flow of the day.
Chase Freedom also teamed up with legendary LA brand Brick & Woods for collectible shopping bags that people were actually holding onto. COAT competition winners received cashback gift cards and exclusive merch collectibles from designer partners like Jeff Hamilton and ACES, founded by Brian Kortovich.
The Customization Lab with SRGN LA added another layer. Fans tapped into retro LA airbrush culture, customizing pieces and connecting with local artists. That detail made the activation feel rooted in the city instead of copy pasted from another market.
It Felt Like Participation, Not Promotion
What worked about Complex Market and Cashback Courts was the balance.
You could shop rare sneakers and vintage gear. You could watch Kevin Hart and Chris Paul compete. You could listen to JuJu Watkins talk about Love & Basketball. You could catch a live podcast with Carmelo Anthony. You could step on court and shoot for a title yourself.
It was layered but cohesive.
Kevin Hart brought entertainment.
Chris Paul brought veteran respect.
Jarred Vanderbilt brought young NBA presence.
Carmelo Anthony brought legacy.
JuJu Watkins represented the future.
Stephen Curry represented greatness.
Lethal Shooter brought skill culture.
Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps connected the film world to basketball history.
Complex provided the space.
Chase Freedom powered the experience.
The fans made it real.
Our Take
From a Respect My Region perspective, this was one of the more complete off court experiences of All Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
The vendors showed up with real product.
The programming had depth.
The celebrity involvement felt authentic.
The cardmember perks added actual value.
The court kept people engaged.
Complex Market proved that the future of retail in basketball culture is experiential. It is not enough to sell product. You have to create participation.
Chase Freedom’s Cashback Courts understood that. They turned fandom into activity. They gave people access, competition, storytelling, and something to take home beyond a receipt.
We left with content, connections, and a clear reminder that the best moments of All Star Weekend don’t always happen inside the arena.
Sometimes they happen on a court built inside a market, surrounded by vintage jerseys, rare sneakers, and thousands of fans who just want to be part of the culture.
