The NBA Rising Stars Game has become one of the true highlights of NBA All-Star Weekend. This year the event will be taking place from February 17-19 in Salt Lake City, Utah. It’ll give fans a chance to see how the All-Stars of the future currently stack up against one another and it will include two members of the Detroit Pistons.
It’s also arguably more competitive and enjoyable to watch than the All-Star game itself, which tends to be a scoring showcase completely devoid of defensive effort. The Rising Stars Game, on the other hand, is full of individuals who are stepping into one of the brightest spotlights of their career, and accordingly, they bring it.
NBA Rising Stars Challenge: Newish format to shine light on future studs
What we’re actually talking about here is the Jordan *sigh* Rising Stars three-game mini tournament. A number of high level players are about to go right at each other in this showcase. For all the hoopla about the Slam Dunk contest, 3-Point contest, skills challenge, and of course the All-Star game itself, nothing will rise to the level of Jordan’s mini-tournament.
Blossoming studs like Jalen Green, Scottie Barnes, Josh Giddey, Evan Mobley, Alperen Sengun and Franz Wagner will represent the sophmores mixing it up. Last year’s Rising Stars MVP Cade Cunningham would certainly be among them were it not for his shin injury. NBA G-Leaguers Scottie Pippen, Jr., and Scoot Henderson – a near lock to be the 2nd pick in the upcoming NBA Draft – will be in the mix. And of course the league’s standout rookies will get their chance to show their stuff, including two of our very own Detroit Pistons.
Detroit Pistons’ dynamic duo aim to make noise in Rising Stars Tournament
There are bigger names with more impressive rookie resumes, like Paolo Banchero, Keegan Murray and Bennedict Mathurin, but Detroit’s duo of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren have an outstanding opportunity during All-Star Weekend. Ivey and Duren have spent most of the season starting for the Detroit Pistons, but their crummy win-loss record leaves casual fans somewhat unaware of how talented the two really are. The fact is, each one of them plays such an exciting brand of basketball that either or both of the athletic marvels could make the Motor City proud.
Ivey is almost certain to get a highlight-reel dunk or two, and Duren should be playing with a chip on his shoulder after being one of the last players selected by the team coaches even though he is arguably the best big man in his class.