Taylor Hicks to Play in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on ESPN

Taylor played a lot of basketball back in high school, once scoring 48 points in one game, so it seems like a natural fit for him to put on his sneakers and hit the basketball court again when he plays in the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Feb. 15 in New Orleans. It will be televised on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET. The thought of Taylor running, jumping and sweating on the court makes me all kinds of happy! Set those VCR's!!

Tickets for the this Celebrity Game sold out within 30 minutes!

Here's the press info:

Brace for an All-Star Battle in the Bayou ... Where Celebrities Hitting the Hardwood Happens

NEW YORK, JAN. 2, 2008 -- Tickets for the McDonald's NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, showcasing the hardwood talents of some of the entertainment world's biggest names, will go on sale Thursday, Jan. 3, at 11 a.m. ET. The game will tip off on Friday, Feb. 15 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Center Court inside NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas and will feature a star-studded cast of players from film, TV, and music including, among many others, "American Idol" 2006 Winner Taylor Hicks, rapper Common, former NFL player Deion Sanders, "Friday Night Lights" hunk Zach Gilford, "Heroes" star James Kyson Lee, "The Wire" star Seth Gilliam, and New Orleans native Master P. Hip hop star Lupe Fiasco will perform during the exciting halftime show. The full roster for the game will be released in February.

Tickets for the game are $25 and available at 800-4-NBA-TIX (622849), Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster Outlets or the New Orleans Arena Box Office. A limited number of tickets are available. Tickets include admission to Jam Session on Friday, Feb. 15 where fans of all ages can meet and collect FREE autographs from NBA Players and Legends, shoot, slam, dribble and drive all day, compete against friends in skills challenges and much more.

For the fourth straight year, ESPN will televise the game, which also features NBA and WNBA players, beginning at 7 p.m. ET. It will also air on ESPN HD and will be simulcast on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobil TV. The game rosters are subject to change without notice. Visit NBA.com/jamsession or call 866-NBA-JAMS for more information.

Last Feb. 17, the team of West celebrities defeated the East squad, 40-21, in Las Vegas behind an MVP effort from Tony Potts, co-anchor of Access Hollywood. Potts registered 14 points and eight rebounds. In perhaps the game's most stunning development, superstar running back Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints had his night end early after a slight ankle sprain.

NOTE: A $20 TICKET (STANDARD PRICE OF ADMISSION) TO JAM SESSION ON FRIDAY, FEB. 15, DOES NOT INCLUDE ADMISSION TO THE CELEBRITY GAME.