Jennifer Hudson attends the 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 16, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)© Kevin Mazur

Jennifer Hudson's teen son almost towers over his mom during all-star basketball game

Jennifer, 42, took part in the annual celebrity NBA game

Rebecca Lewis - Los Angeles
Los Angeles correspondentLos Angeles
February 17, 2024

Jennifer Hudson has that competitive spirit! The talk show host, singer and actress took part in the 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on February 16, alongside Lil Wayne, AJ McLean and A'ja Wilson in Indianapolis but sadly their team lost. 

She arrived with her son David Daniel Otunga Jr., who at 14 is almost towing over his mom, and the pair cheesed it up for photographers before the big game. Jennifer wore a very cool denim jumpsuit with zip detailing and a strapless neckline, paired with camel stiletto boots and a long-line red wine-colored trench. 

© Kevin Mazur

David Daniel Otunga Jr. and Jennifer Hudson attend the 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

But she changed for the game, rocking shorts and a blue basketball jersey as her team – Team Stephan A (for ESPN's Stephen A. Smith) – went up against Team Shannon (named after NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe), which featured Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and the Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua. 

Team Shannon won 100 to 91, with Parsons scoring an impressive 37 points and 16 rebounds – making him the MVP of the game. 

© Stacy Revere

Jennifer Hudson #17 of Team Stephen A. reacts during warm ups

Jennifer later took to social media to share her experiences of the game, writing: "I have been dreaming of this moment for such a long time and tonight it finally happened!!! Playing in the @nbaallstar game tonight was absolutely everything !!! It was soooooooo fun !!!!!! ️ Thanks for allowing me to experience that ! Thank you for having me @nba! See yal at halftime on Sunday!!!" 

The youngest EGOT winner of all time will perform during Sunday's All-Star half-time show. The game will see the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) take part. 

© Kevin Mazur

Jack "Black Jack" Ryan, Jennifer Hudson, AJ McLean, and Adam Blackstone react during the 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

© Kevin Mazur

Jennifer Hudson and AJ McLean participate in the the 2024 Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

One person who didn't appear to be in attendance however was Common, Jennifer's partner. The rapper and Jennifer confirmed their romance in January after making several appearances together. 

While the American Idol finalist, 42, has opened up about being in a serious relationship (without confirming who it was with), the 51-year-old Oscar-winning rapper broke his own silence with an appearance of Jennifer's own talk show. During his appearance, Jennifer directly asked the musician if he was dating someone, and after an enthusiastic round of cheers from the audience, he stated that that was indeed the case. 

Watch Jennifer ask Common if he is dating anyone

"I'm in a relationship with one of the most beautiful people I've ever met in life," he gushed. "She's smart, she loves god, she has something real down-to-earth about her, she's talented." 

He then gave away a major hint at the fact that his girlfriend was, in fact, sitting right across him when he teased: "But I set my standard kind of high because she had to have an EGOT, she had to win an Oscar on her first movie, she had to get her own talk show."

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