|
|
2024 NBA All-Star Rising Stars Event
InsideHoops.comFebruary 16, 2024
"There would be no Victor Wembanyama-Chet Holmgren showdown thanks to Mac McClung and several members of the G League Ignite squad. Instead, Bennedict Mathurin had a chance to be the hometown hero as the Indiana Pacers guard led Team Jalen to victory in Friday night's NBA Rising Stars game. Mathurin scored 18 points and hit the game-winning shot in the semifinal appearance against Team Tamika before helping in a balanced effort against Team Detlef in the final. For his efforts, Mathurin was named the game's MVP and drew numerous MVP chants from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd throughout the games." - ESPN.com
"Under the new Rising Stars format started in 2023, the rookies, sophomores and select G Leaguers are split into four teams. Teams play semifinal games against each other to a target score of 40 before the final goes to 25. In the final, a rested Team Jalen quickly jumped out to a 10-4 lead and controlled the game from there finding a quick end with back-to-back 3-pointers by New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins and Oklahoma City forward Jalen Williams to win 26-13." - ESPN.com
"Team Jalen was named for honorary coach Jalen Rose, but it was the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Jalen Williams who put the finishing touches on a dominant, 26-13 victory over Team Detlef in the final of the Panini Rising Stars at All-Star 2024. After New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jordan Hawkins pulled up from 3 to put his team within two points of the target score of 25, Williams was given space to shoot and he drained the game-winner from a few feet beyond the arc. Team Detlef, comprised of G League players, got off to a 4-2 start, but Team Jalen then took control with a 10 run. They then cruised to a 13-point victory with a balanced attack, with none of their seven players scoring more than seven points. Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin earned event MVP honors largely due to his 18 points in the first semifinal." - NBA.com
"In the second game, Team Detlef Schrempf, filled with G League players including Pacers/Mad Ants center Oscar Tshiebwe, defeated Team Pau's star-studded collection that included the top two picks in this year's draft in Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller. Mac McClung guard of the Osceola Magic and the defending NBA Slam Dunk Contest winner, led the charge for Team Detlef, scoring 12 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Wembanyama had 11 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Tshiebwe had eight rebounds in the game." -IndyStar.com
---------------------------------------------------------
2023 NBA ALL-STAR RISING STARS EVENT RESULTS
ESPN.com: "New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado's drifting 3-pointer clinched a 25-20 win for Team Pau (Gasol) over Team Joakim (Noah) in the title game of the Rising Stars event Friday at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. Alvarado, who was named the Most Valuable Player, had five points in the title game. The win capped a memorable day for Gasol, who was named a Basketball Hall of Fame finalist earlier Friday."
--------------------------------------
2022 NBA RISING STARS CHALLENGE
"The format of the Rising Stars Challenge changed, expanding to four teams of seven players each, and each of the semifinal games capped at a winning score of 50 points, and in the title game, it was to 25 points, honoring the total of 75 points for the NBA's 75th anniversary season. " - Detroit News
"Cade Cunningham showed a little bit of everything in the Rising Stars Challenge. And he came away with the MVP award as well. Cunningham had two good games, and he led Team Barry to the victory in the three-game tournament, with a 25-20 win over Team Isiah on Saturday night at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Cunningham was the catalyst with his ballhandling and scored five points, two rebounds and three assists in the final, along with 13 points, five rebounds and six assists in the semifinal win. He assisted on the final points, with a dish to Franz Wagner, who was fouled. Wagner made the winning free throw, and Team Barry celebrated." - Detroit News "And after Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, led Team Barry to a 25-20 win over Team Isiah to win the event, he said he was pleased with the format change. "It was a lot of fun," Cunningham said after claiming the event's MVP award. "Great teammates, great coaches, great atmosphere ... I had a good time, for sure." All three games employed the "Elam Ending," which first came to All-Star Weekend two years ago in Chicago when it debuted in the All-Star Game." - ESPN.com
"In the first game of the night, Team Isiah advanced to the title game with a 50-49 win over Team Worthy. Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane made two free throws to clinch it, but that was set up by Bey's block of Houston guard Jalen Green's 3-point attempt. " - Detroit Free Press
"In the second game, Cunningham's pass found Tate, who drove to the basket and scored on a left-handed layup in traffic to give Team Barry a 50-48 win. The No. 1 pick in last year's draft had 13 points (tied for the team lead) to go with a team-high six assists and five rebounds. " - Detroit Free Press
"It was a good start for Desmond Bane at NBA All-Star Weekend at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Bane's Team Isiah won its first game in the Rising Stars Challenge, then the second year for the Memphis Grizzlies teamed up with Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers to win the Clorox Clutch Scoring title. With one game left, Bane and Team Isiah fell apart late in a 25-20 loss to Team Barry. Team Isiah led 18-12 and got 12 points from former University of Memphis standout Precious Achiuwa of the Toronto Raptors. Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons was named Rising Stars MVP for Team Barry." - Memphis Commercial Appeal
"Haliburton and Co. lost the title game to Team (Rick) Barry 25-20, but Indiana's budding star still didn't go home empty-handed. He was paired with former Seton Catholic star Bane for the Clutch Challenge, a shooting competition that required players to replicate five iconic playoff shots, and they smoked the competition. Haliburton shot a perfect 4-for-4, while Bane drained the final and longest shot reenacting Portland star Damian Lillard's walkoff 3-pointer against the Thunder in 2019 to finish in a time of 39.1 seconds. No other duo cracked 40 seconds." - Indianapolis Star
NEW FORMAT FOR 2022 NBA RISING STARS CHALLENGE GAME
January 25, 2022
The NBA announced today (January 25, 2022) a new format for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars, which will be played on Friday, Feb. 18 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland as part of NBA All-Star 2022. TNT will televise the annual showcase of premier young talent at 9 p.m. ET.
Clorox Rising Stars will feature four seven-player teams competing in a mini-tournament consisting of three games. Each game will be played to a Final Target Score, meaning that a game will end with a made basket or a made free throw instead of with the clock running out.
The pool of 28 players for Clorox Rising Stars will consist of 12 first-year NBA players, 12 second-year NBA players and four elite young players from NBA G League Ignite, a first-of-its-kind team dedicated to developing top prospects in preparation for the NBA Draft.
The combined 24 first- and second-year NBA players for Rising Stars will be selected by NBA assistant coaches, with each of the league s 30 teams submitting one ballot per coaching staff. The four NBA G League Ignite players will be selected by NBA G League head coaches.
NBA legends who were named to the league s 75th Anniversary Team and assistant coaches from the 2022 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will comprise the combined coaching staffs for Clorox Rising Stars. The coaches will select their team rosters in the Rising Stars Draft. Each team will select seven players, including one NBA G League Ignite player. More details about the coaches and the draft will be announced at a later date.
In the mini-tournament, Team A will face Team B in the first semifinal (Game 1) and Team C will play Team D in the second semifinal (Game 2). The winner of Game 1 will meet the winner of Game 2 in the final (Game 3).
The competition will consist of a race to 75 points in honor of the NBA s landmark 75th Anniversary Season. The semifinal games will be played to a Final Target Score of 50. The final game will be played to a Final Target Score of 25, for a total of 75 points across the semifinal and final.
In addition, a timed shooting competition called the Clorox Clutch Challenge will take place between Games 2 and 3 of Clorox Rising Stars. A total of eight NBA and NBA G League Ignite players will be divided into four teams of two and compete to make shots from five locations on the court tied to iconic shots made in the NBA Playoffs.
Each team will compete with one shared ball and its players must alternate shots so no player shoots two times consecutively. Team 1 is given 1 minute and 30 seconds (1:30 counting down) to make a shot from each of the five locations in any order. Team 1 s time is then the marker for Team 2. If Team 1 s time is 1:15, then Team 2 will have a 1:15 countdown clock to complete the competition. Each team that establishes a new standard sets the clock for the next team competing, and the fastest finisher will win the Clorox Clutch Challenge.
-------------------------------------------
2021 NBA RISING STARS CHALLENGE
NBA All-Star Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans and 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies lead the list of 20 players selected by NBA assistant coaches for the 2021 NBA Rising Stars rosters.
NBA Rising Stars, the league s annual showcase of premier young talent during NBA All-Star, will not be played this year due to the limitation of having All-Star events all on one night. To recognize deserving players, the NBA kept the custom of having the league s assistant coaches vote for Rising Stars rosters, which comprise 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States (U.S. Team) and 10 first- and second-year NBA players from outside the United States (World Team).
Williamson and Morant lead a U.S. Team roster with 10 players from 10 different teams. Joining Williamson and Morant are Charlotte Hornets guard and two-time reigning Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month LaMelo Ball; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards; Sacramento Kings guard and two-time reigning Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month Tyrese Haliburton; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro; Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter; San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Keldon Johnson; Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.; and Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman.
Six countries are represented on the World Team roster, including five players from Canada. The World Team is composed of Heat forward Precious Achiuwa (Nigeria); Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Canada); Washington Wizards forwards Deni Avdija (Israel) and Rui Hachimura (Japan); New York Knicks guard/forward RJ Barrett (Canada); Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo (Argentina); Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (Canada); Oklahoma City Thunder guards Luguentz Dort (Canada) and Th o Maledon (France); and Warriors guard Mychal Mulder (Canada).
In voting for the Rising Stars rosters, assistant coaches selected four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players at any position for each team. Voters selected a minimum of three first-year NBA players and three second-year NBA players for each team. The assistant coaches were not permitted to vote for any player on their team. Each of the league s 30 teams submitted one ballot per coaching staff.
The World Team includes five players who participated as campers in Basketball Without Borders (BWB), the NBA and FIBA s global basketball and development community outreach program: Avdija (BWB Europe 2018; BWB Global 2019), Barrett (BWB Global 2017), Campazzo (BWB Americas 2009), Dort (BWB Global 2017) and Hachimura (BWB Global 2016).
NBA opening-night rosters for the 2020-21 season featured 107 international players from 41 countries, marking the seventh consecutive season that opening-night rosters had at least 100 international players. A record nine international players have been named NBA All-Stars this season, including a record five international players voted to start the All-Star Game and a record six All-Star selections from Europe.
------------------------------------------------------
2020 NBA RISING STARS GAME PREVIEW INFO
NBA All-Stars Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks lead the list of 20 players selected by NBA assistant coaches to play in the 2020 NBA Rising Stars game on Friday, Feb. 14 during NBA All-Star Weekend at the United Center in Chicago.The 26th NBA Rising Stars game will pit 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world in the league s annual showcase of premier young talent during NBA All-Star. Rising Stars will air live at 9 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States.
Doncic (Slovenia) is joined on the World Team by New Orleans Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Canada); Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (Bahamas); New York Knicks guard/forward RJ Barrett (Canada); Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (Canada); Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada); Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (Japan) and center Moritz Wagner (Germany); Detroit Pistons guard/forward Svi Mykhailiuk (Ukraine); and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie (Nigeria).
Young is joined on the U.S. Team by Charlotte Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and PJ Washington and guard Devonte Graham; Chicago Bulls center Wendell Carter Jr.; Miami Heat guards Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and guard Ja Morant; and Golden State Warriors forward Eric Paschall.
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has been selected by the NBA to join the U.S. Team as the replacement for the injured Carter, who has not played for the Bulls since sustaining a sprained right ankle on Jan. 6. Carter is not expected to return to game action until after the All-Star break.
Doncic and Young return to NBA Rising Stars after playing in last year s game as rookies. They have also been voted to start the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, marking the first time that multiple second-year NBA players will start an All-Star Game since 1996 (Grant Hill and Jason Kidd).
The U.S. Team includes three players from the Hornets and two each from the Heat and the Grizzlies. Miami s Nunn and Memphis Morant have won both NBA Rookies of the Month in the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, respectively, this season.
The World Team features four players who participated as campers in Basketball Without Borders (BWB), the NBA and FIBA s global basketball and development community outreach program: Ayton (BWB Global 2016), Barrett (BWB Global 2017), Hachimura (BWB Global 2016) and Gilgeous-Alexander (BWB Global 2016).
A record four Canadians are participating in Rising Stars: Alexander-Walker, Barrett, Clarke and Gilgeous-Alexander. Alexander-Walker and Gilgeous-Alexander are cousins.
Hachimura is the first player from Japan to be named to a Rising Stars roster. He became the first Japanese player ever selected in the first round of the NBA Draft when the Wizards made him the ninth pick in 2019.
NBA assistant coaches selected the Rising Stars rosters, with each of the league s 30 teams submitting one ballot per coaching staff. A ballot consisted of four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players at either position group for each team. Voters also had to choose a minimum of three first-year NBA players and three second-year NBA players for each team. Coaches were not permitted to vote for any player on their team.
The coaching staffs for the Rising Stars teams will consist of assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game. Rising Stars will be a 40-minute game with four 10-minute periods. An MVP award will be given out at the conclusion of the game. Click here for complete Rising Stars game rules.
As previously announced, rap artist and Chicago native Taylor Bennett will perform at halftime of Rising Stars. Bennett is the brother of Chance the Rapper, who will perform at halftime of the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
NBA opening-night rosters for the 2019-20 season featured 108 international players from a record-tying 38 countries and territories. This marked the sixth consecutive season that opening-night rosters included at least 100 international players and that all 30 teams had at least one international player.
2020 NBA Rising Stars Team Rosters
U.S. Team Roster
No. Player (Team) Pos. Ht. Wt.
0 Miles Bridges (Charlotte) F 6-6 225 34 Wendell Carter Jr. (Chicago)* C 6-10 270
4 Devonte Graham (Charlotte) G 6-1 195
14 Tyler Herro (Miami) G 6-5 200
13 Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis) F 6-11 242
12 Ja Morant (Memphis) G 6-3 175
25 Kendrick Nunn (Miami) G 6-2 190
7 Eric Paschall (Golden State) F 6-6 255
25 PJ Washington (Charlotte) F 6-7 230
1 Zion Williamson (New Orleans)^ F 6-6 285
11 Trae Young (Atlanta) G 6-1 180
*Injured/will not play
^Injury replacement
World Team Roster
No. Player (Team) Pos. Ht. Wt.
0 Nickeil Alexander-Walker (New Orleans) G 6-5 205
22 Deandre Ayton (Phoenix) C 6-11 250
9 RJ Barrett (New York) G/F 6-6 214
15 Brandon Clarke (Memphis) F 6-8 210
77 Luka Doncic (Dallas) G/F 6-7 230
2 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City) G 6-5 181
8 Rui Hachimura (Washington) F 6-8 230
19 Svi Mykhailiuk (Detroit) G/F 6-7 205
20 Josh Okogie (Minnesota) G 6-4 212
21 Moritz Wagner (Washington) C 6-11 245
---------------------------------------
"The Rising Stars Challenge is a fun showcase for the young stars of the NBA to show off their skills in a fast-paced game with little-to-no defense. So while you can t gain much in terms of serious scouting information from this game, you can get a better picture of where a youngster ranks among the hierarchy of top prospects in the league. And if Friday night was any indication, Lauri Markkanen is certainly near the top of the totem pole when it comes to the best young talents in the league... Ultimately, Markkanen s 21 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists weren t enough to nab MVP, more so considering that Team USA held on for a 161-144 win." -- NBC Sports Chicago
"Kyle Kuzma was determined to make sure Team USA snapped its two-game losing streak in the Rising Stars Challenge. Why? To have some extra spending money. "Facts," Kuzma said with a smile, when asked if what he said on the court postgame -- that the $25,000 bonus going to each member of the winning team was part of his motivation -- was true. "I think it was the second timeout, and I broke the huddle by saying, 'Bonus-1-2-3.' So there you go." -- ESPN.com
"Kuzma certainly did his part, scoring 14 of his game-high 35 points in the first quarter to stake Team USA to a 40-30 lead it never relinquished in a 161-144 victory Friday night in the game featuring first- and second-year players. While Team World managed to nearly get all the way back in front on multiple occasions -- pulling within two points in the second quarter and within one in the third -- it never managed to pull ahead." -- ESPN.com
"Kings point guard De Aaron Fox didn t look for his shot much in the Rising Stars game Friday night at Spectrum Center, but he certainly knew how to find his teammates. Fox dished out a game-high 16 assists in just 22 minutes of playing time to help the U.S. Team defeat the World Team 161-144. Fox passed up open shots and breakaway dunks throughout the contest, opting to share with his friends instead. Fox said he was trying to break the Rising Stars assist record of 22, set by Washington Wizards star John Wall in 2011." -- Sacramento Bee
"Luka Doncic made his All-Star Weekend debut in the Rising Stars game while Dirk Nowitzki made his coaching debut, both with Team World on Friday. Doncic finished with 13 points, nine assists and five rebounds in a 161-144 loss to Team USA. During his pre-game speech in the locker room, Nowitzki urged his team to not let "one guy dribble it and hoist something up like Luka does with the Mavs." -- Dallas Morning News
"Doncic, who finished with 13 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes, had a blast. For me, it was not about winning. These kinds of things are for fans, Doncic said. I had a lot of fun. I wasn t trying to shoot shots, just trying to pass to people who can dunk, not me. " -- Fort Worth Star-Telegram
"Donovan Mitchell played a rowdy role in terms of leading his team to the win, imploring his team with shouts of We gotta play some defense! as both teams racked up bucket after bucket. He also assisted nine USA buckets, plus picked up seven rebounds and five steals. He was also part of a significant battle for the game s MVP award. Eventually, former University of Utah and current Los Angeles Laker forward Kyle Kuzma took home the game s MVP, scoring 35 points in the game on 15-27 shooting." -- Salt Lake Tribune
"In a game that for most was a total lark, Kuzma certainly was trying to win MVP. He hoisted 27 shots, eight more than any other player save for Tatum (24). He ran the floor, hunting for outlet passes, and finished alley-oops with a flush. To have watched the 6-foot-9 wing s game for the Lakers is to know he s perfectly suited for what the Rising Stars exhibition is: light on defense and a gunner s paradise. The only other Laker who has ever won Rising Stars MVP is Eddie Jones (1995). No other Laker has scored more points in the game: Kuzma passed Kobe Bryant s previous Lakers best of 31 points late in the fourth quarter." -- O.C. Register
2019 RISING STARS GAME PREVIEW
Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers, 2017-18 Rookie of the Year runner-up Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and two-time reigning NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks lead the list of 20 players selected by NBA assistant coaches to play in the 2019 NBA Rising Stars game on Friday, Feb. 15 at 9 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C. at NBA All-Star weekend.The 25th NBA Rising Stars game will pit 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world in the league s annual showcase of premier young talent during NBA All-Star.
In addition to Mitchell, the U.S. Team features Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen, Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III and guard De Aaron Fox, Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball and forward Kyle Kuzma, Atlanta Hawks forward/center John Collins and guard Trae Young, Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr. and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
Simmons (Australia) and Doncic (Slovenia) are joined on the World Team by Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby (United Kingdom), Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (Bahamas), Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia), LA Clippers guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Nets forward Rodions Kurucs (Latvia), Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie (Nigeria) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman (Turkey).
Each participant on the World Team s 10-player roster hails from a different country, with four continents represented (North America, Africa, Europe and Australia). The World Team also includes three players who participated as campers in Basketball Without Borders (BWB), the NBA and FIBA s global basketball development and community outreach program: Ayton (BWB Global 2016), Gilgeous-Alexander (BWB Global 2016) and Markkanen (BWB Europe 2014; BWB Global 2015).
Boston s Kyrie Irving (U.S. Team) and Dallas Dirk Nowitzki (World Team) will serve as honorary coaches in the Rising Stars game. The official Rising Stars head coaches will be an assistant coach from each 2019 NBA All-Star Game coaching staff. The All-Star Game coaching staffs are determined by the best record in each conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 3.
Irving, a six-time NBA All-Star selection who will start this year s All-Star Game, was the 2012 Rising Stars MVP. Nowitzki, a 13-time All-Star from Germany, ranks seventh on the NBA s all-time points list (31,254) and is the career scoring leader among international players. He played in the 2000 Rising Stars.
NBA assistant coaches selected the Rising Stars rosters, with each of the league s 30 teams submitting one ballot per coaching staff. A ballot consisted of four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players at either position group for each team. Voters also had to choose a minimum of three first-year NBA players and three second-year NBA players for each team. Coaches were not permitted to vote for any player on their team.
The NBA Rising Stars game will showcase a U.S. vs. World format for the fifth straight year. In last year s event, the World Team defeated the U.S. Team 155-124. Sacramento s Bogdanovic was named the 2018 Rising Stars MVP after making seven three-pointers and finishing with 26 points, six assists and four rebounds.
NBA opening-night rosters for the 2018-19 season featured 108 international players from a record-tying 42 countries and territories. This marked the fifth consecutive season that opening-night rosters included at least 100 international players and that all 30 teams had at least one international player.
-------------------------------------
The NBA's top players will be in Los Angeles for All-Star Weekend 2018. But before 24 of the league's best take the court on Sunday, the celebrity game and Rising Stars Challenge took center stage on Friday evening. Team World, led by Rising Stars Challenge MVP Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored 26 points (seven 3-pointers) and made six assists, defeated Team USA 155-124. Buddy Hield (29 points) and Jamal Murray (21 points) also helped lead Team World in its blowout victory. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 35 points, but it wasn't enough for Team USA to keep things competitive. -- ESPN.com
There were too many dunks to count, 34 three-pointers, 32 turnovers and one mildly entertaining talent showcase Friday at the Staples Center. The World led by eight after the first, 19 at half, 30 after three quarters and 31 after four. So it went. -- SI.com
The game ended with Team USA poaching needless steals, then missing highlight-caliber dunk attempts. That should tell you enough most of what you need to know about the game, to be honest. The game s MVP was Bogdan Bogdanovic, who drained seven threes on his way to 26 points, in addition to six assists and four rebounds, but Jaylen Brown actually led it in scoring with 35 in a losing effort. -- SI.com
It s been a good month or so for Donovan Mitchell. The Jazz have won 11 straight, he s playing his way into the Rookie of the Year conversation and an alley-oop to himself off glass in the first quarter served as a beautiful reminder of the fact that he could totally win the dunk contest on Saturday. -- SI.com
The 2018 NBA Rising Stars Challenge was about what everybody expected it to be: a showcase of the NBA's young talent, but no real stakes involved in the whole thing. It's mainly a defenseless highlight show and although that can bother some it's perfectly fine for others. -- CBSsports.com
Team World 155, Team USA 124 is the final score. Bogdan Bogdanovic is the MVP! He finished with 26 points while knocking down seven triples. Buddy Hield actually led Team World in scoring, tough, with 29 points. He needed 22 shots to get there, though. Jaylen Brown led Team USA with 35 points on 14-of-21 shooting. Kyle Kuzma had 20 points. -- SBnation.com
Bogdan Bogdanovic interview quotes after 2018 Rising Stars Game
Q. You had said you have been in All-Star Games before over in Europe, you had an idea of the way the game would be played. Did that help you come out and relaxed and play the way you played?
BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: As I said before this game, someone asking what's your routine before the game, before the All-Star Game, I answered the same. I approach every single game the same way. Try to compete to be the best version of myself that day. It just happened tonight. You never know when it's going to happen.
Q. At what point did you kind of realize that you were hot with that real deep, almost half-court shot?
BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: I don't know. I just kept shooting, and I felt good.
Q. What was it like scoring against De'Aaron Fox, your teammate that you play against in practice every single day?
BOGDAN BOGDANOVIC: I told him I would score on him, so I should bet as well, but we didn't bet. So I didn't get some extra money. But it was fun to play against him. We're looking forward to -- as you can see, we have great chemistry on the court and off the court, so we are looking forward to transferring that on court with the Sacramento Kings.
Buddy Hield interview quotes after 2018 Rising Stars Game
Q. Buddy, could you talk briefly about your experience tonight in tonight's game?
BUDDY HIELD: My experience tonight, it was fun. Shout out to Team World. We came out there, and we executed to get the win. Had fun, and the crowd stopped booing us, but the whole thing is to come here and have fun and get the win.
Q. Buddy, did you and Bogie (Bogdanovic) kind of have a little competition between yourselves, who could score the most points and make the most threes tonight?
BUDDY HIELD: No, we didn't, actually. I got hot first, and then Bogie got hot, he continued to stay hot. I don't know, I think Bogie had 29 and I had 26. So it was good tonight for both of us. We represented Sacramento well and represented our countries well. So the whole thing was to come here and stay aggressive and get the win.
Q. Buddy, the World put on a really good show tonight. What do you think this means for international basketball? I came from Basketball Without Borders this morning. Do you think this shows that the NBA is a global sport and that all the world athletes are just doing great?
BUDDY HIELD: You know, it was the All-Star Game, so it wasn't like a really competitive game. But the world has been getting better. I'm proud to see a lot of guys around the world from France, Australia, you have Embiid from Cameroon, everybody is showing progress and the world is showing progress catching up to American basketball. You know, this shows how hard we've been working and how dedicated we are to this game.
Q. Can you talk about playing with Bogie on this stage versus playing with him in Sacramento? What is it that you've seen with him as far as a teammate?
BUDDY HIELD: Oh, he's great, he's great. Bogie likes the big stage. We both embrace it. We're both alpha dogs and we're both competitors. This show is for him. He knows it's an important show. You saw how he got hot earlier, and nothing but love for Bogie. He's a team-first guy. You see him out there having fun, but he's a team-first guy. He's a good- character guy. I love being around him and I love being his teammate.
Q. Buddy, you said it is an All-Star Game, of course, but what did you take away from this, from playing this well on this stage?
BUDDY HIELD: Oh, you know, I'm just blessed to be here, of course. I just thank God for the opportunity of being here. A lot of people don't get to be here. You can't take this opportunity for granted. A lot of guys around the world wish they could be in this position right now. So just blessed every second that I come out here and I represent myself, my team, my country, and the NBA on a high level.
Jaylen Brown interview quotes after 2018 Rising Stars Game
Q. Considering that you weren't invited to this last year, what was it like to get out there and show people what you do?
JAYLEN BROWN: It was fun. It was a great experience. I appreciate the NBA for having me. I appreciate the coaching staff. I think they did a good job of trying to relay a message for us to compete. We just fell a little bit short today. It happens.
Q. This All-Star brings out international fans. You're obviously used to getting fan love from college to the pros. But what was that interaction like with the international fans during All-Star?
JAYLEN BROWN: Oh, it's amazing. I love to travel. Traveling is one of the things I love to do. This summer I plan to spread my wings a little bit, so I'm looking forward to seeing some fans abroad and making some connections. Just seeing some unfamiliar faces.
Q. Any particular motivations just playing in front of a world audience the way that you were tonight?
JAYLEN BROWN: Yeah, you know, playing in front of a world audience, and definitely I feel like I've got a chip on my shoulder, so I come out with that tenacity that I want people to recognize. I want people to see. I just come out and play with that fire and let everything else fall into place.
Q. Lastly, you started and Jayson Tatum came off the bench. But you did share a few minutes of time during two different stints during the game. What was it like to be able to play with a teammate in a game like this?
JAYLEN BROWN: That's fantastic, man. J.T.'s my brother. This year we've grown tremendously together. Just studying older guys -- Kyrie, Marcus Morris, Baynes, and learning the game together, Al Horford. So me and him have gotten better together. So anytime you can grow with somebody in this league and also be successful, it's always dope being a part of situations like this. Like the Rising Stars Challenge I think is pretty cool. I think in the future, if we continue to stay together and continue to grow, I think we could be special.
Q. Little off topic, but playing with Kyrie Irving, how does he make your game better?
JAYLEN BROWN: Oh, I think that's a simple question. Kyrie draws so much attention, he's such a good player, less focus is on you. So you've got to come and show up. Kyrie is probably one of the best players in the world, so when he's on the floor, he just makes everything so much simpler. When he's not on the floor, you can tell the difference.
Q. Jaylen, I know you're not going to be in the dunk contest tomorrow night, but do you feel like you already won the dunk contest tonight with the way that ended?
JAYLEN BROWN: Oh, man. No, I think the dunk contest is going to be pretty cool. I'm interested to see. I told them I want to see what they're going to do this year, and if they do something spectacular, then I'll get in the next year. But I told them I'm going to see what you all got, and then I'll see if I get in it or not.
2018 RISING STARS GAME PREVIEW
NBA All-Star Game starter Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers headlines the list of 20 players selected by the league s assistant coaches to play in the 2018 NBA Rising Stars game on Friday, Feb. 16 (9 p.m. ET) at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Dario Saric and Ben Simmons join Embiid to give the 76ers three players in Rising Stars, tied for the most among any team. The Los Angeles Lakers also earned three selections, with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma set to play at their home arena. The game will air on TNT and ESPN Radio.
For the fourth consecutive year, the league s annual showcase of premier young talent during NBA All-Star will pit 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the U.S. against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world.
The three Philadelphia players will compete for the World Team. Joining Embiid (Cameroon), Simmons (Australia) and Saric (Croatia) are the Sacramento Kings Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia) and Buddy Hield (Bahamas), the Memphis Grizzlies Dillon Brooks (Canada), the Chicago Bulls Lauri Markkanen (Finland), the Denver Nuggets Jamal Murray (Canada), the New York Knicks Frank Ntilikina (France) and the Indiana Pacers Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania).
In addition to Ball, Ingram and Kuzma, the U.S. Team features reigning Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the Atlanta Hawks John Collins, the Bulls Kris Dunn, the Utah Jazz s Donovan Mitchell and the Dallas Mavericks Dennis Smith Jr.
2018 Rising Stars Game Roster highlights include:
The World Team s 10 players hail from nine different countries.
Embiid, who will make his NBA All-Star Game debut in his second season, leads all first- and second-year NBA players in scoring (23.8 ppg), rebounding (11.0 rpg) and blocked shots (1.88 bpg). He is set to become the first 76ers player to start an All-Star Game since Allen Iverson in 2006.
Simmons, the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November, is on pace to become the first rookie to average at least 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in a season since Magic Johnson in 1979-80.
Chicago s Markkanen (15.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg) is the fastest player to 100 career three-pointers in NBA history (41 games).
Denver s Murray was the MVP of last year s Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars, finishing with game highs of 36 points and 11 assists to lift the World Team past the U.S. Team 150-141. This season, Murray has increased his scoring average to 16.2 points from 9.9 as a rookie.
Kuzma, the 27th pick in the NBA Draft 2017 presented by State Farm and the Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November, leads the Lakers in scoring with 16.7 points per game. The last rookie to lead the team in scoring in a season was the Minneapolis Lakers Elgin Baylor in 1958-59.
Utah s Mitchell, who earned the Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for December, is averaging a team-high and rookie-best 19.2 points. The Jazz has never had a rookie lead the team in scoring for a season.
Boston s Brown (14.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and Tatum (13.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg), the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December, have started all season for the East-leading Celtics.
Chicago s Dunn ranks third in the NBA in steals (2.05 spg), leads all second-year players in assists (6.4 apg) and has raised his scoring average nearly 10 points from last season (3.8 to 13.7 ppg).
Simmons (four), Ball (two) and Dallas Smith (one) have combined for seven triple-doubles, which is one more than produced by rookies in the previous five seasons combined.
The World Team features five players who participated as campers in Basketball without Borders (BWB), the NBA and FIBA s global basketball development and community outreach program: Embiid (BWB Africa 2011), Markkanen (BWB Europe 2014; BWB Global 2015), Murray (BWB Global 2015), Ntilikina (BWB Europe 2015; BWB Global 2016) and Saric (BWB Europe 2010).
The NBA s assistant coaches chose the rosters for the NBA Rising Stars game, with each of the league s 30 teams submitting one ballot per coaching staff. Coaches selected four guards, four frontcourt players and two players at either position group for each team. They also picked a minimum of three first-year NBA players and three second-year NBA players for each team.
The head coaches for the Rising Stars game will be the lead assistant coaches from the 2018 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. The All-Star coaching staffs are determined by the best record in each conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 4 among teams with eligible head coaches. Boston head coach Brad Stevens and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr are ineligible to coach in the NBA All-Star Game because they did so last year.
NBA opening-night rosters for the 2017-18 season featured 108 international players from a record 42 countries and territories. This marked the fourth consecutive season that opening-night rosters included at least 100 international players and that all 30 teams had at least one international player.