Tag: NBA All-Star

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Bennedict Mathurin unanimously named MVP to lead Team Jalen to title

Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship.

Indiana Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin on Friday was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mathurin produced 18 points in the opening game as Team Jalen defeated Team Tamika. He had four points, two assists and one steal in a 26-13 win in the final over Team Detlef, which consisted of seven of the top players in the G League.

While Mathurin did the bulk of the scoring in the semifinal round, Dereck Lively II had six points and Jordan Hawkins and Jalen Williams each chipped in five points in the final. Williams drained the game-winning 3-pointer to end it for Team Jalen.

The event featured four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games were played to a target score of 40, and the championship game was played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consisted of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches and the players from the G League were selected by the league office.

The four teams were coached by Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who led the G League team.

Here is how the teams performed in the event.

Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. responds to CJ Stroud’s bold basketball claim

Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. pushed back on the notion that Texans quarterback CJ Stroud once scored 40 points on him in high school.

Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Friday pushed back on the notion that Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud once scored 40 points on him in a high school basketball game.

Stroud said recently on “The Edge” podcast with Micah Parsons that he dropped 40 points and hit the game-winning shot against Jaquez and Camarillo High School as a junior at Rancho Cucamonga High School. He said the game took place at the varsity level.

But Jaquez didn’t remember it quite like that.

He addressed the claim on Friday at NBA All-Star Weekend ahead of the Rising Stars game in Indianapolis, Indiana. He admitted Stroud hit the game-winner against his team, but he didn’t sign off on him scoring 40 points in the contest.

I don’t think he had 40, but I will give him that he definitely hit the game-winner. That is true: He hit a crazy game-winner (from) halfcourt. The crowd did rush the court. I’m wishing him all of the best from SoCal. I hope he does well.

Stroud may have embellished his side of the story. His coach, Bill Burke, told Sporting News that Stroud actually finished with 28 points that game. Burke went back and found the stat sheet from that game.

Stroud was the second-leading scorer on his team that year. Burke believes Stroud had enough talent to be a Division I player, but the 22-year-old eventually focused solely on football. He attended Ohio State and was the second pick last year in the NFL draft by the Texans.

Jaquez was selected with the 18th pick last year by the Heat. He has emerged as one of the rookies and is among 11 first-year players selected to compete in the Rising Stars game. He will also participate in the Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday.

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Thunder rookie Cason Wallace appreciative of NBA Rising Stars nod

Cason Wallace on Friday expressed his appreciation for getting voted to the NBA Rising Stars game after a strong campaign with the Thunder.

Cason Wallace on Friday expressed his appreciation for getting voted to the NBA Rising Stars game amid a strong rookie campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Wallace is among 11 first-year players selected to compete in the event on Friday in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is joined by rookie teammate Chet Holmgren and sophomore Jalen Williams, though he will play on separate teams in the competition.

The 10th pick is averaging 6.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 41.2% shooting from 3-point range in 54 games with the Thunder. He is 10th among rookies in steals (37) and previously led the league in 3-point percentage (50.0).

He was honored to be named to the Rising Stars game.

It feels good just knowing that everybody is seeing my game and knowing that I’m pretty good. I appreciate them for noticing that, you know? I’m kind of flying under the radar a little, but they notice.

Wallace has stepped in this season and provided the Thunder with another on-ball defender. He was highly touted out of Kentucky on the defensive end of the floor, with his size, strength and instincts to jump passing lanes and maneuver around screens.

The 20-year-old has filled various roles, from starting to contributing to the second unit. He previously earned praise from coach Mark Daigneault for his poise and maturity as a first-year player and credits that to his brother, Keaton, and father, Mike.

“My older brother and my dad (instilled in me) that I have to grow up and be a man about certain situations and take care of my business first,” Wallace said. “I feel like I got it from them.”

Wallace has impressed the team since early in training camp and has earned the trust of his teammates and coaching staff to play a large role this season. He has drawn some tough defensive assignments, and the team completely trusts him in those situations.

His overall numbers may not earn him a place on an All-Rookie team, but the guard is contributing at a high level nightly. The team knows Wallace will bring energy and effort every game, which will be needed throughout the year.

He is happy to be doing that on a winning team.

“It is great just being a part of a winning organization and seeing that we can win a game against some of the best teams in the league,” Wallace said. “We want to keep doing that.”

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Why the 2024 NBA All-Star Game moved away from a draft and the Elam ending

Whether you missed it or not, the traditional NBA All-Star Game is back. 

Instead of a draft and the Elam ending, the 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference with four 12-minute quarters.

After a few years of experimenting with a different format, including a draft for players between 2018 and 2023, the league will now return to the original format of the game that was used for decades. The draft ocassionally had its interesting moments but it had run its course.

The Elam Ending, explained here, was initially considered a huge hit when it was first introduced to the NBA All-Star Game in 2020. But for a variety of reasons, some that had little to do with the format and more to do with a fear of players getting hurt, the games have not seen much competition of late.

Fans have noticed this and last season, viewership of the game was down to its lowest figure in more than 20 years. Someone needed to step in and save this game as its quality got worse and worse!

During an interview with JJ Redick on The Old Man and the Three podcast, NBA comissioner Adam Silver addressed these problems:

“No one was happy about the experience last year, no one at all … It’s not me necessarily saying we expect you to be playing like it’s the Finals but we need a game.”

It was obviously time for a change and so Silver decided to shake things up.

But another reason why the league has moved back to the format, according to Silver, is a tribute to the city that is hosting the 2024 NBA All-Star Game (via Indy Star):

“It’s fitting with the entire theme of our season which essentially, ‘Back to basketball,'” Silver said. “… Since we’re coming back to such a traditional market, we’re going back to the classic format.”

Rick Carlisle, head coach of the Pacers, supported the idea. He said that Indiana is among the “purer basketball” places.

Whether you missed it or not, the traditional NBA All-Star Game is back.

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Puka Nacua is playing in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game tonight

Puka Nacua will officially play in tonight’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, as will C.J. Stroud, Micah Parsons and Mecole Hardman

Puka Nacua is going to take his talents from the football field to the basketball court for one night, and it’s going to be in front of a huge audience. Nacua told Pat McAfee last week that he wanted to play in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and while it was never officially confirmed that Nacua was added to the game, McAfee did what he could to get the Rams receiver in on the fun.

Adam Schefter posted on Twitter that Nacua will officially play in the Celebrity Game in Indianapolis, as will C.J. Stroud, Micah Parsons and Mecole Hardman. The NBA All-Star account confirmed the news, too, revealing that Nacua will be on Team Shannon, which is coached by Shannon Sharpe.

Nacua is a talented basketball player, scoring 961 points, grabbing 417 rebounds and recording 316 assists in his four years at Orem High School in Utah.

He scored a career-high 27 points during the 2017-2018 season, grabbing six rebounds with two steals in that game against Desert Hills.

The NBA All-Star Celebrity Game will air on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET tonight at Lucas Oil Stadium. Below are the full rosters for each team.

Cavaliers’ Emoni Bates named as injury replacement in Rising Stars game

Cavaliers rookie Emoni Bates has been named an injury replacement player in the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday.

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Emoni Bates has been named an injury replacement player in the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Bates, who is signed to a two-way contract, will replace G League Ignite guard Ron Holland, who is dealing with a thumb injury. He will take his place on the G League team, which also features Matas Buzelis, Mac McClung and Oscar Tshiebwe.

The 49th pick is averaging 21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and one steal on 39% shooting from 3-point range in 21 games with the Cleveland Charge in the G League. He has produced three 30-point games, including a season-high 38 points on Jan. 6.

The Rising Stars game will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA were drafted onto three teams and the seven players in the G League comprise the fourth team.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol returns as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

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Puka Nacua wants to play NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and Pat McAfee may have gotten him in

Pat McAfee is trying to get Puka Nacua into the NBA All-Star Celebrity game and appears to have made it happen

Puka Nacua is a big basketball guy. He loves the Lakers, enjoys playing pick-up games and is a huge LeBron James fan. He even invited Jalen Ramsey out to Los Angeles to play some ball in the middle of the Pro Bowl flag football game.

During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show last week, Nacua said he wants to play in the upcoming NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and McAfee immediately said, “You’re in it, congratulations.”

Obviously, it isn’t that simple and McAfee doesn’t exactly have a say in who plays – especially considering the rosters were already announced – but his show is on ESPN, which is carrying the Celebrity Game.

On Monday, McAfee went a step further to help grant Nacua’s wish. He called ESPN Senior Vice President Mike Foss and asked who he needs to call in order to get Nacua into the game.”

Foss: “You just did. He’s in.”

So, apparently Nacua is going to play in the Celebrity Game on Friday night. Maybe.

The official NBA All-Star account posted the rosters on social media Monday night and Nacua’s name was left off the list, so who knows if he’s actually going to play on Friday. Perhaps he can be a late addition.

C.J. Stroud and Micah Parsons are both playing, albeit on separate teams. And we could use another Nacua vs. Stroud battle after they finished first and second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race.

Pacers’ Isaiah Wong selected as replacement in G League Up Next Game

Pacers rookie Isaiah Wong has been selected as an injury replacement in the G League Up Next Game during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Indiana Pacers rookie Isaiah Wong has been selected as an injury replacement in the G League Up Next Game during NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event features four teams of seven players competing in two semifinal games. The 28 players include 10 selected by a fan vote, while the remaining 18 players were selected by the G League and include members of the Ignite and Indiana Mad Ants as the host team.

Wong, who is signed to a two-way contract, will replace Toronto Raptors rookie Markquis Nowell, who is dealing with a left hamstring strain. He will be teammates with Luka Garza (Wolves), Tyler Smith (Ignite) and Cole Swider (Skyforce).

Wong is averaging 15.8 points, four assists and 3.5 rebounds on 41.4% shooting from the field in 30 games with the Mad Ants. He has produced seven 20-point games, including a career-high 30 points and four assists on Nov. 25.

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Rumor: Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. expected to compete in Slam Dunk Contest

Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. is reportedly expected to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.

Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. is expected to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 17 in Indianapolis, Indiana, according to Chris Haynes of TNT.

Jaquez expressed interest in participating in the event in December and was viewed as a good candidate after winning a dunk contest in high school. He declined to comment on the event last month, likely waiting until the field of participants was announced.

The 18th pick is expected to be joined by Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks rookie Jacob Toppin and Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung, who won the event last year.

The league typically asks rookies and other young players to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. The field will include an All-Star for the first time since 2017 (DeAndre Jordan) and three up-and-coming players in the NBA and G League.

Jaquez and McClung were also among 28 players selected to compete in the NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16. Jaquez will play on Team Pau (Gasol), and McClung will team with six other players from the G League on Team Detlef (Schrempf).

The Slam Dunk Contest will headline the Saturday night festivities during NBA All-Star Weekend. The evening will also feature the Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest and an NBA (Stephen Curry) vs. WNBA (Sabrina Ionescu) 3-Point Challenge.

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NBA Rising Stars 2024: Full rosters revealed in draft announcement

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams. The seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Here are the rosters drafted by Gasol, Catchings and Rose.