Paolo Banchero’s rookie season will include a ‘trip’ to NBA All-Star Weekend. Also the sophomore of Puerto Rican José Alvarado.
This year’s Rising Stars Game will take place in Salt Lake City on February 17, two nights before the All-Star Game.
Banchero, who leads all rookies with 20.7 points per game, can still be selected as an All-Star reserve. Those players will be revealed on Thursday.
“Anytime you get a chance to be a part of All-Star weekend, you can’t say no,” Banchero said. “Especially me, being a rookie, first year, I’ve never experienced it before, it’s always been the dream to be a part of it, whether it’s Rising Stars or as a reserve. I’m definitely excited to get there and see what happens.”
Also chosen for this year’s rookie class game: Detroit’s Jalen Duren and Jaden Ivey, Atlanta’s AJ Griffin, Utah’s Walker Kessler, Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard, Sacramento’s Keegan Murray, Jabari Smith Jr. of Houston, San Antonio’s Jeremy Sochan and Oklahoma City. Jalen Williams.
The sophomore players selected were Jose Alvarado and Trey Murphy III from New Orleans, Scottie Barnes from Toronto, Josh Giddey from Oklahoma City, Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun from Houston, Quentin Grimes from New York, Bones Hyland from Denver, Evan Mobley from Cleveland and Franz Wagner of Orlando.
There will also be a team of G League players at the Rising Stars event, consisting of Sidy Cissoko, Mojave King, Scoot Henderson, Kenneth Lofton Jr., Mac McClung, Leonard Miller, and Scotty Pippen Jr.
The 21 NBA players will be drafted into three seven-player teams. Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Deron Williams will serve as coaches for those teams, while Jason Terry will coach the G League side.
The four teams will play a semifinal game, with the two winners then playing the championship game.
