Eighteen rookies and sophomores were named to a pool of players who will be split into two teams for the 2014 NBA Rising Stars Challenge.
2014 NBA Rising Stars Challenge: Michael Carter-Williams, Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard lead pool
The NBA announced roster pools for rookies and second-year players who will compete in the Rising Stars Challenge on the Friday of All-Star weekend in New Orleans.
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Likely All-Stars Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers and Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans lead the sophomores involved in the All-Star event, while Philadelphia 76ers guard Michael Carter-Williams heads the rookie class.
The next big thing
Anthony Davis is doing things few 20-year-olds have in NBA history Carter-Williams leads all first-year players assigned to the pool with 17.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game. Only two of the nine rookies in the pool, No. 2 pick Victor Oladipo and No. 9 overall pick Trey Burke, were drafted in the top-10 of the 2013 NBA Draft. Six of the nine fell between the No. 11 pick, Carter-Williams, and the No. 24 pick, Knicks rookie Tim Hardaway Jr.
Leading the sophomores, Davis is the NBA’s best shotblocker, averaging 3.3 blocks to go with his averages of 20.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Lillard is putting up 20.6 points and 5.6 assists per game for the upstart Blazers.
Six of the sophomores were top-10 picks from the 2012 draft. Davis, the first-overall pick, is joined by Bradley Beal (third), Dion Waiters (fourth), Lillard (sixth), Harrison Barnes (seventh) and Andre Drummond (ninth).
The pool will be split into two teams via a general manager draft during a Feb. 6 TNT broadcast.
2014 Rising Stars Challenge player pool
Rookies
| Rookies | Team |
|---|---|
| Steven Adams | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| Pero Antic | Atlanta Hawks |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Victor Oladipo | Orlando Magic |
| Kelly Olynyk | Boston Celtics |
| Mason Plumlee | Brooklyn Nets |
| Trey Burke | Utah Jazz |
| Michael Carter-Williams | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | New York Knicks |
Sophomores
| Sophomores | Team |
|---|---|
| Terrence Jones | Houston Rockets |
| Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Jared Sullinger | Boston Celtics |
| Harrison Barnes | Golden State Warriors |
| Bradley Beal | Washington Wizards |
| Jonas Valanciunas | Toronto Raptors |
| Dion Waiters | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Andre Drummond | Detroit Pistons |
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