TORONTO

If you thought Drake was a lock to headline the NBA All-Star Game halftime show next month, well… you were wrong.

Six-time Grammy Award-winning musician Sting has been announced as the headliner for the 65th edition of the NBA All-Star Game halftime show during the Entertainment Series presented by JBL on Sunday, Feb. 14.

Sting will take the stage at the Air Canada Centre – a venue he has played both as a solo artist and with The Police.

Prior to tipoff, Cirque du Soleil will kick off the evening with an acrobatic performance designed to illustrate “the story of a basketball dream.” Their performance will lead directly into the introduction of the 2016 NBA All-Stars, which includes Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry.

Last year’s halftime show, which took place in New York City, featured Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.

Drake fans can rest easy. The local rapper has been announced as a coach for the All-Star Celebrity Game (against Kevin Hart).

Other music stars set to perform during NBA All-Star weekend include Usher and Gwen Stefani at the True North concert, Friday, Feb. 12, and Snoop Dogg Sunday night.

Sting is set to join forces with Peter Gabriel on the Rock Paper Scissors tour this summer, which stops in at the ACC on June 29.

More NBA All-Star performers are expected to be announced in the coming days.

The NBA All-Star Game gets underway at 8 p.m. on Sportsnet ONE and TSN.

Twitter: @markhdaniell

mark.daniell@sunmedia.ca