Sat, 25 Mar 2023

Rookies Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey lead Rising Stars roster

Field Level Media
01 Feb 2023, 06:40 GMT+10

The NBA revealed Tuesday the 28 players who will compete in the Rising Stars Challenge, now being sponsored by Jordan Brand, on Feb. 17 as part of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City.

Orlando Magic forward and No. 1 overall draft pick Paolo Banchero, Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. and Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey were among 11 rookies the NBA named to the game. The player pool also includes 10 second-year players and seven players from the NBA G League.

Following last year's format change, four honorary coaches will draft teams of seven players for a four-team tournament. Retired NBA stars Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Deron Williams and Jason Terry will serve as the coaches.

The G League was incorporated into the game for the first time last season, with four members of G League Ignite getting invited. This season, in addition to four Ignite prospects who are preparing for future NBA drafts -- including Scoot Henderson -- the NBA also chose Kenneth Lofton Jr. of the Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies), Mac McClung of the Delaware Blue Coats (Philadelphia 76ers) and Scotty Pippen Jr. of the South Bay Lakers (Los Angeles Lakers).

McClung, a 6-foot-2 guard, will also become the first G League player to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest.

The full player pool is as follows:

Rookies

Paolo Banchero, Orlando

Jalen Duren, Detroit

AJ Griffin, Atlanta

Jaden Ivey, Detroit

Walker Kessler, Utah

Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana

Keegan Murray, Sacramento

Andrew Nembhard, Indiana

Jabari Smith Jr., Houston

Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio

Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City

Sophomores

Jose Alvarado, New Orleans

Scottie Barnes, Toronto

Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City

Jalen Green, Houston

Quentin Grimes, New York

Bones Hyland, Denver

Evan Mobley, Cleveland

Trey Murphy III, New Orleans

Alperen Sengun, Houston

Franz Wagner, Orlando

G League players

Sidy Cissoko, G League Ignite

Scoot Henderson, G League Ignite

Mojave King, G League Ignite

Kenneth Lofton Jr., Memphis Hustle

Mac McClung, Delaware Blue Coats

Leonard Miller, G League Ignite

Scotty Pippen Jr., South Bay Lakers

--Field Level Media

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