Top three NBA draft picks Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe headline the 10 rookies named to the annual Rising Stars showcase as part of NBA All-Star weekend.
The 28 players selected to compete at Rising Stars were revealed Monday night. In addition to the rookies, there are 11 second-year NBA players (“sophomores”) and seven representatives from the NBA G League.
On Tuesday, the 21 NBA players will be drafted onto three teams of seven by honorary coaches Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. Austin Rivers will serve as honorary coach of the G League team. All four coaches are former NBA stars and current NBC Sports analysts, who will broadcast All-Star festivities this year.
The format remains a mini-tournament with two semifinals and a championship game. The semifinals will be first to 40 points, and the championship game will be first to 25. The event is set for Feb. 13 in Inglewood, Calif.
NBA players were selected by assistant coaches from around the league, while the league office picked the G League representatives.
Flagg, the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks last summer, leads all rookies with 18.8 points per game. Right behind him is his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets, at 18.7. Knueppel, who’s shooting 42.2% from 3-point range, was also named a Rising Star.
Edgecombe averages 15.4 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers, third among rookies. Spurs guard Harper contributes 10.2 points and 3.5 assists per game.
Harper’s older brother, Ron Harper Jr., was among the G League players selected to the game.
NBA Sophomores
Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)
NBA Rookies
Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
Egor Dëmin (Brooklyn Nets)
VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)
NBA G League Players
Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)
Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)
David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego Clippers)
Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
