Cooper Flagg, Stephon Castle and VJ Edgecombe headline the selections announced Monday for the NBA’s Rising Stars showcase slated for All-Star Weekend. On Tuesday, rookies were coveted early as captains selected their teams.
Castle is the reigning Rookie of the Year for the San Antonio Spurs, and Flagg is the favorite to win the award this season amid a standout rookie campaign for the Dallas Mavericks.
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In total, 21 first- and second-year NBA players and seven G League players make up the pool of competitors who will participate in the mini-tournament of four teams. The NBA player pool was selected by NBA assistant coaches. The G League players were selected by the league office.
Vince, Melo, T-Mac choose teams
NBC analysts and former NBA stars and Hall of Famers Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady will serve as team captains and coaches. On Tuesday, they selected their teams in a snake draft from the pool of 21 players.
Anthony had the first pick and chose Flagg, who was the first of four straight rookies selected before a second-year player was taken off the board. McGrady selected Flagg’s former Duke teammate and Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel at No. 2. Carter took Edgecombe at No. 3 and New Orleans Pelicans rookie Derik Queen at No. 4.
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Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware was the first second-year player selected at No. 5 to Team T-Mac, followed by fellow sophomores Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets) and Castle to Team Melo.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle (right) and the favorite to win the award this year, Cooper Flagg, have both been selected to play in the NBA’s Rising Stars showcase.
(Stacy Revere via Getty Images)
NBC analyst and former NBA player Austin Rivers will coach the team of G League players. The tournament will take place Friday, Feb. 13, and tip off the NBA’s All-Star festivities that will take place at Intuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.
NBC has taken over broadcast rights for the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, hence the involvement of NBC analysts in the process.
Team Melo
1: Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks (Rookie)
2: Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets (Sophomore)
3: Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs (Sophomore)
4: Dylan Harper, Spurs (Rookie)
5: Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans (Rookie)
6: Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers (Sophomore)
7: Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors (Rookie)
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Team T-Mac
1: Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets (Rookie)
2: Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat (Sophomore)
3: Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards (Rookie)
4: Alex Sarr, Wizards (Sophomore)
5: Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder (Sophomore)
6: Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers (Sophomore)
7: Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies (Sophomore)
Team Vince
1: VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers (Rookie)
2: Derik Queen, Pelicans (Rookie)
3: Kyshawn George, Wizards (Sophomore)
4: Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls (Sophomore)
5: Egor DÑ‘min, Brooklyn Nets (Rookie)
6: Cedric Coward, Grizzlies (Rookie)
7: Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies (Sophomore)
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G League selections (Coached by Rivers)
Sean East II, Salt Lake City Stars
Ron Harper Jr., Maine Celtics
David Jones Garcia, Austin Spurs
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, San Diego Clippers
Alijah Martin, Raptors 905
Tristen Newton, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Yang Hansen, Rip City Remix