"I heard there is a rumor out there that somehow I was the reason for Manu losing his hair. I want to say that's all his fault. I had nothing to do with that," joked the 15-time NBA All Star in the video that played on the jumbotron at the arena.

Now with Ginobili and Parker retired as well, the Spurs' big-three, known in China as the "GDP" for the initials of their family names, will go down as one of the most accomplished trios in league history after playing 14 seasons together.

"It was very special and at the same time rare because I never thought we would've played that many years together," said Parker, a French point guard who joined the Spurs as the 28th overall pick at the 2001 NBA Draft.

"There was no way that you could imagine we could build chemistry so quick and so well, and get along and carry the team to win championships."

Into its fourth year in a row, the Super Penguin Celebrity Game, which was initiated by Tencent Sports in 2016, brought together a glittering mixture of pop singers, actors and comedians to demonstrate their basketball skills in the limelight.