The NBA is changing the format of the Rising Stars Challenge, the All-Star weekend event that features the league’s best rookies and second-year players. For the first time, the teams will be split into players who hail from the United States vs. players who natives of other countries. It’s being built as USA vs. the World.
Rising Stars Challenge will feature new USA vs. World format
Get ready for a team that features Andrew Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert. It should be fun.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
What might these teams look like? Andrew Wiggins would be member of the World squad despite attending college at Kansas because he's a native of Canada. The World team could also have Atlanta Hawks second year point guard Dennis Schroder, Utah Jazz second year center Rudy Gobert, Jazz rookie point guard Dante Exum, Milwaukee Bucks second year forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bulls rookie forward Nikola Mirotic, just to name a few.
The U.S. squad is expected to be headlined by Brooklyn Nets big man Mason Plumlee and Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo. Kings second-year guard Ben McLemore, Celtics rookie guard Marcus Smart, 76ers rookie forward K.J. McDaniels and teammates Micheal Carter-Williams and Nerlens Noel could also be in the mix. Injuries will hurt the U.S. squad, as rookies Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon and Julius Randle will each be out.
With Wiggins and Timberwolves teammate Anthony Bennett (another Canadian), the NBA had back-to-back No. 1 picks from a country other than the United States for the first time since 2005-2006, when Andrew Bogut and Andrea Bargnani did it.
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