The NBA All-Star Weekend is not only an opportunity for the league to showcase its biggest and brightest stars, but also its future.
The NBA’s Rising Stars Game will feature the league’s young stars, including rookies Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks), Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets) and VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers).
The trio also makes up the top 3 in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year race, according to odds on BetMGM.
Flagg (-1000) is considered the favorite, followed by Knueppel (+600) and Edgecombe (+8000).
Flagg has averaged 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in 48 games played this season.
All three rookies were selected in the first round by the game’s honorary coaches. NBA alumnus Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter are serving as the honorary coaches for the three respective teams. Austin Rivers will also coach a team made up of G League players.
The four teams will compete in a mini tournament at the Intuit Dome. A winner will be decided in the semifinal games when a team is the first to reach or surpass 40 points. The championship game winner will be decided with the first team to reach or surpass 25 points.
Baron Davis and Quentin Richardson were among the former NBA players to have played in the game.
Richardson was a participant in the game when it was referred to as the NBA Rookie-Sophomore Challenge in 2002. Davis competed in the game a year prior.
Looking ahead at this year’s talent, Davis mentioned Flagg, Edgecombe, Derik Queen and Kyshawn George as players he’s excited to watch.
“All these young kids are so good now,” Davis said. “To watch them play and go at each other will be a different type of vibe and be highly competitive. They all want to be No. 1.”
Richardson believes the game and weekend will serve as a rewarding experience for the younger talent, especially those willing to make the most of it.
“I would say to take part in the weekend,” Richardson said. “I know, as some of the younger players, they will have to make appearances and things like that, but that was one of the things I was happy to do. … Sometimes you go to those events and have a great time and meet people you wouldn’t have met.
“Don’t be the guy who’s just turning things down. That’s what the weekend is about: Having fun, but there’s also a lot of business around that weekend.”
Even in the years following his retirement, Davis has served as an example for the younger generation of players when it comes to staying involved within the NBA off-court community and activities.
Davis served as a host for a competition put on by the NBA Foundation and the LA Clippers.
The All-Star pitch competition brought Los Angeles-based companies focused on driving community impact to pitch innovation solutions to a panel of business leaders, investors and other entrepreneurs.
The competitors are competing for $200,000 in total cash prizes.
“What is super exciting is that there are so many young and great minds, especially in this city of Los Angeles, that are building businesses that can be extremely explosive and that can create a lot of jobs,” Davis said. “What the NBA is doing with the foundation and really pouring into the entrepreneurs is not just with the competition, but it’s also the time and the platform they are allowing them to stand on.”
Who will play in the NBA Rising Stars Game?
Team Melo: Cooper Flagg, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears, Donovan Clingan, Collin Murray-Boyles
Team T-Mac: Kon Knueppel, Kel’el Ware, Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Ajay Mitchell, Jaylon Tyson, Cam Spencer.
Team Vince: VJ Edgecombe, Derik Queen, Kyshawn George, Matas Buzelis, Egor Demin, Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells.
Team Austin: Sean East II, Ron Harper Jr., Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Alijah Martin, Tristen Newton, Yang Hansen, Mac McClung, David Jones Garcia.
NBA Rising Stars Game Schedule
Game 1: Team Melo vs. Team Austin
Game 2: Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac
Rising Stars Championship: (G1 winner vs. G2 winner)
How to watch NBA Rising Stars Game?
When: Friday, Feb. 13, 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET)
TV/Stream: Peacock
Where: Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California) | Tickets