Disney, ESPN and the NBA Team Up to Present Second “Dunk the Halls” – The Real-Time, Animated NBA Game: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks on Christmas Day – Live from Main Street, U.S.A.

Animated game live at noon ET on ESPN2, Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and the ESPN App; traditional presentation on ABC, ESPN, Disney+, and the ESPN App

Stitch joins the fun for the first time, bringing his signature chaos and charm to Main Street, U.S.A.

Festive Christmas Parade competition down Main Street, U.S.A. at halftime, featuring floats from Mickey & Minnie, Donald & Daisy, Goofy & Pluto, and Stitch

Cavaliers and Knicks face off in a virtual Magic Kingdom® Park setting filled with festive décor, snowfall, and surprises

Produced in collaboration with Sony’s Beyond Sports and Hawk-Eye Innovations

Disney, ESPN, and the NBA are teaming up once again to present Dunk the Halls – the second annual real-time, animated NBA game using Sony’s Beyond Sports technology – on Thursday, December 25 at noon ET, when the New York Knicks host the Cleveland Cavaliers. The innovative alternate presentation will be available on ESPN2, Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and the new ESPN App via ESPN DTC or pay TV authentication, with the traditional telecast available on ABC, ESPN, Disney+, and the ESPN App. Dunk the Halls visual assets can be found here.

The setting

The virtual, live re-creation of the Cavaliers vs. Knicks game will once again unfold on “Main Street, U.S.A.” in Magic Kingdom® Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip and Dale will return to cheer from the sidelines – joined for the first time by Stitch, who makes his Dunk the Halls debut as this year’s breakout star. From his playful antics on the sidelines to leading the new halftime Christmas Parade, the mischievous alien’s energy will drive the fun throughout the broadcast.

Shots of “Main Street, U.S.A.” and iconic landmarks like Cinderella’s Castle will appear throughout, transformed with festive décor, snowfall, and a few Stitch-inspired surprises.

The story

Mickey’s Christmas wish to Santa Claus once again brings the NBA to Magic Kingdom® for a magical, animated matchup – and this year, the troublemaker Stitch’s arrival turns the celebration upside down. His unpredictable holiday cheer and out-of-this-world energy make for an even more spirited Dunk the Halls adventure.

The technology

Each player will appear as a motion-tracked animated version of themselves, captured live through Sony’s Beyond Sports real-time visualization and Hawk-Eye Innovations optical tracking. Viewers will see every dunk, layup, and pass from the actual game at Madison Square Garden as it happens.

Production highlights

Stitch headlines the action with his first-ever Dunk the Halls appearance, starring in a brand-new animated Christmas Parade down Main Street during halftime. The competition will feature floats from Mickey & Minnie, Donald & Daisy, Goofy & Pluto, and “Experiment 626” Stitch, all vying for the title of “Best Christmas Parade Float.”

Daisy Duck returns for her reporting duties with a special sideline interview with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Santa’s elves return as camera operators, with Santa piloting ESPN’s “SkyCam.”

Disney friends will deliver pregame and halftime speeches and decorate a massive Christmas tree during the broadcast.

Fans can look forward to surprises, including whether it’ll snow on Main Street and how many churros Goofy can eat.

Commentators

Returning to the Dunk the Halls broadcast booth for the second straight year, Drew Carter will once again serve as play-by-play commentator alongside ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt. The duo will be joined by returning sideline reporter Daisy Duck. Carter and McNutt will again be animated in the style of the telecast and don ESPN Edge Innovation Partner’s Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from “Main Street, U.S.A..” thanks to VR technology and Sony’s Beyond Sports’ Virtual Commentator Technology.

The traditional Cavaliers vs. Knicks telecast on ABC, ESPN, and Disney+ will feature Ryan Ruocco and Doris Burke on commentary with Jorge Sedano reporting.

Dunk the Halls continues ESPN and the NBA’s well-documented history of innovation, including alt-cast executions that utilize the unmatched depth and scope of The Walt Disney Company. In 2021, ESPN and the NBA teamed up with Marvel for “Marvel’s Arena of Heroes,” an alt-cast of an NBA regular-season game. TWDC.com: ESPN and Marvel Debut First-Ever Marvel-Inspired NBA Special Edition.

ESPN also continues to expand its real-time animation efforts across sports, including the recent announcement of its Monsters Funday Football presentation on Monday Night Football on Monday, December 8, available on ESPN2, Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and the ESPN App. ESPN will also produce animated telecasts for the NHL and WNBA games across The Walt Disney Company and ESPN platforms during the 2025-26 season as part of a new agreement with Beyond Sports.

All five NBA Christmas games on December 25 will be available on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN App. For the full NBA Christmas Day on ESPN schedule, visit ESPN’s 2025-26 NBA Broadcast Schedule.