
NBA rolled into town on Thursday night and a deluge of sporting stars were out in force to enjoy the spectacle.

Premier League stars past and present descended upon the O2 Arena to watch the Toronto Raptors take on Orlando Magic for the annual match in London.

Arsenal and Chelsea were among the top-flight clubs represented at the NBA showpiece while former Blues striker Didier Drogba even took to the court to show off his basketball talents.

Chelsea stars (left to right) Eden Hazard, Kurt Zouma and Thibaut Courtois attend NBA London 2016 at the O2 Arena on Thursday night

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carl Jenkinson and Olivier Giroud take their seats court-side to watch Toronto Raptors against Orlando Magic

Arsenal midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain and team-mate Chambers pose for the camera court-side at the O2 Arena in London

Carl Jenkinson (centre), who is on loan at West Ham, was reunited with his Arsenal team-mates Giroud (right) and Oxlade-Chamberlain

Hazard poses alongside Courtois, Zouma and Loic Remy in this picture that the Belgian uploaded to his Instagram account

Kyle Lowry (right) was in impressive form for Toronto Raptors, scoring 24 points to fire his side to victory in overtime at the O2 Arena

The Eastern-Conference clash, which the Toronto Raptors edged 106-103 in overtime, is the sixth NBA game to be held in the capital in the last six years and tickets for the star-studded event were snapped up within one hour of going on sale – the fastest sell-out for a game in London.

Among the guests at the O2 Arena were Arsenal stars Olivier Giroud, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Calum Chambers fresh from their side's 3-3 draw with Liverpool at Anfield the night before.

The Gunners trio were also reunited with Carl Jenkinson, the West Ham right back who is currently on loan from Arsenal for a second consecutive season. The quartet were snapped together court-side as they enjoyed the match.

They were also joined by former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires in the stands. The Gunners legend has been working at the club as a youth coach this season following a spell in the Indian Super League with Goa.

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer, was also in attendance at the O2

Arsenal legend Robert Pires, now a youth coach at the north London club, poses court-side with wife Jessica Lemarie

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack watches on at the O2 alongside girlfriend Natacha Tannous (right)

Former France midfielder Pires (right) takes a seat next to compatriot Giroud and on loan West Ham defender Jenkinson

Premier League champions Chelsea were also represented with Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard, Kurt Zouma, Asmir Begovic and Loic Remy in attendance.

The Blues were held to a 2-2 by West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night but were sure to be in for a more relaxed evening at the O2.

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who has been heavily linked with a return to the club in a coaching capacity since Guus Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho last month, was pictured court-side with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.

Drogba, who joined Montreal Impact after leaving Chelsea at the end of last season, is currently enjoying the off-season ahead of the return of Major League Soccer in March.

The 37-year-old Ivorian even got the chance to show that his sporting prowess isn't limited to the football pitch. Drogba was invited on court and wowed the fans by sinking a shot from the free-throw line.

Former Ivory Coast international Drogba was invited on court to show off his basketball skills and he obliged

Despite not being dressed for the occasion the 37-year-old demonstrated his sporting talents do not lie solely on a football pitch

Drogba wasn't the only ex-Blue enjoying the basketball on Thursday evening. Former midfielder Michael Ballack, who played for Chelsea for four years between 2006 and 2010, was snapped court-side with girlfriend Natacha Tannous.

Manchester United defender Phil Jones, West Ham striker Diafro Sakho, Southampton defenders Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares and Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland were also snapped among the crowd.

Among the non-footballing sporting stars in attendance was British boxer George Groves as the fans were treated to a nail-biting finish with the game settled in overtime.

The Toronto Raptors led for much of the contest before being pegged back by Orlando Magic in the closing stages as the fourth quarter ended 96-96 before the Raptors edged the contest in the extra six minutes to win by three points; 106-103.

Jenkinson (left) and Giroud, who scored twice for Arsenal at Anfield on Wednesday night, cosy up court-side

(Left to right) Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jenkinson, Southampton defenders Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares

Manchester United defender Phil Jones (left) and West Ham forward Diafra Sakho pictured before the NBA game in London

Ex-Chelsea striker Drogba (left) and Oxlade-Chamberlain pose on the red carpet as a host of Premier League stars past and present arrived

British super-middleweight boxer George Groves poses court-side with wife Sophie Groves

Lowry drives forward looking to gain the Toronto Raptors an advantage during the London leg of the 2016 Global Games

Toronto Raptors star DeMar DeRozan (left) jumps for the ball during the NBA Global Game London match at a packed-out O2 Arena

If fans from the UK were new to the game of basketball they would have left enthralled by the sport, with the scoreline ebbing to and fro in tandem with the two teams charging up and down the court.

Amid the cauldron-like atmosphere inside the venue it was Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry who kept his cool in the clutch moments of the match to edge them to a slender three-point victory.