The NBA shook up the Rising Stars Challenge, making it the U.S. vs. the World.
Each 10-man team had to have at least four guards, four frontcourt players, three rookies and three sophomores.
Here’s how the rosters shook out:
U.S. Team
Guards
- Trey Burke, Jazz (Sophomore)
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons (Sophomore)
- Michael Carter-Williams, 76ers (Sophomore)
- Zach LaVine, Timberwolves (Rookie)
- Victor Oladipo, Magic (Sophomore)
- Elfrid Payton, Magic (Rookie)
Frontcourt
- Shabazz Muhammad, Timberwolves (Sophomore)
- Nerlens Noel, 76ers (Rookie)
- Mason Plumlee, Nets (Sophomore)
- Cody Zeller, Hornets (Sophomore)
Coach
- Alvin Gentry, Warriors
World Team
Guards
- Bojan Bogdanovic, Nets (Rookie)
- Dante Exum, Jazz (Rookie)
- Dennis Schroder, Hawks (Sophomore)
- Andrew Wiggins, Timberwolves (Rookie)
Frontcourt
- Steven Adams, Thunder (Sophomore)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (Sophomore)
- Gorgui Dieng, Timberwolves (Sophomore)
- Rudy Gobert, Jazz (Sophomore)
- Nikola Mirotic, Bulls (Rookie)
- Kelly Olynyk, Celtics (Sophomore)
Coach
- Kenny Atkinson, Hawks
These rosters reveal the reason for the format change. The 2014 draft, which could become the most underwhelming of all time, produced just four participants – Andrew Wiggins, Dante Exum, Elfrid Payton and Zach LaVine – in the game once know as the Rookie Challenge.
The other rookies – Nerlens Noel, Bojan Bogdanovic and Nikola Mirotic (read more about him here) – were selected in previous years. The deck has never been stacked like this before.
Still, the Timberwolves scrimmage Rising Stars Challenge could be interesting. The Americans are much more guard-oriented than the larger World Team, which could lead to some interesting matchups (or awful basketball).
No clear snubs, but K.J. McDaniels, Tim Hardaway Jr., Alex Len, Pero Antic and Jusuf Nurkic all got squeezed out.