The NBA announced the rosters for the Rising Stars Challenge for All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, with reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama headlining the list of players. The Rising Stars Challenge will take place on Friday, Feb. 14, with 28 of the league’s best young talent competing in a mini-tournament. The winning team will get a chance to compete against the All-Stars on Sunday night.
Here’s the pool of players who will be featured during the Rising Stars Challenge:
|
Bilal Coulibaly, Wizards |
JD Davison, Maine Celtics |
|
|
Mac McClung, Osceola Magic |
||
|
Tristan da Silva, Magic |
Bryce McGowens, Rip City Remix |
|
|
Leonard Miller, Iowa Wolves |
||
|
Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes |
||
|
Reed Sheppard, Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
||
|
Pat Spencer, Santa Cruz Warriors |
||
|
Alex Sarr, Wizards |
||
|
Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies |
||
|
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs |
One thing that sticks out about the pool of players here is Wembanyama’s involvement, not because he shouldn’t be listed, but because it’s all but certain he’ll be name as one of the reserves for the All-Star Game on Sunday. If Wembanyama’s Rising Stars team wins the championship on Friday, he will then have to choose which team he would like to play for on Sunday night, as the league has stated that, “If a player is selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game and Castrol Rising Stars, he will only compete for one of the three teams of NBA All-Stars on Sunday, Feb. 16.”
It would be absolute theater to see Wembanyama spurn the All-Stars to compete with his fellow Rising Stars players…and win. It would only add to the lore of his young career.
Similar to last season, the Rising Stars Challenge will consist of four teams with rosters drafted by honorary head coaches who have yet to be announced. The Rising Stars Draft will take place on Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. ET. Three of the teams will consist of NBA rookies and sophomores while the fourth team will be comprised of the seven G League players selected.
The four teams will then compete in a mini-tournament with two semifinal matchups and a championship game, so three games in total. The two semifinal matches will be played to 40 points. The championship game will be played to 25 points.
The winning team of the Rising Stars Challenge will then be the fourth team added to the All-Star Game on Sunday night, where they’ll compete against one of the three All-Star squads.
