Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes and three Canadian players have been selected for the upcoming NBA Rising Stars game as part of next month's all-star festivities.
Bennedict Mathurin (Montreal) and Andrew Nembhard (Aurora, Ont.), both of the Indiana Pacers, were invited to the game, as well as Leonard Miller of Scarborough, Ont., who is currently playing for the G League Ignite and is expected to be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft this summer.
Barnes, the reigning rookie of the year in the NBA, is averaging 15.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 49 games this season. Mathurin, who was the sixth overall pick in last year's draft, is averaging 17.9 points over 52 games off the bench for the Pacers. Nembhard, who the Pacers took with the 31st pick in the 2022 draft, has made 34 starts this season and is averaging 8.5 points over 45 total appearances. Miller is averaging 15.4 points through nine games with the Ignite.
Other notable names selected for the Rising Stars game include Magic star Paolo Banchero and top draft prospect Scoot Henderson.
The 21 NBA players selected will be divided into three teams of seven players each, while the seven NBA G-League players will compete as a fourth team. Team A will face Team B in the first semifinal (Game 1), and Team C will play Team D in the second semifinal (Game 2). The winner of Game 1 will meet the winner of Game 2 in the final (Game 3).
The three-game tournament will be played on Feb. 17 as part of all-star festivities in Salt Lake City. Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Jason Terry and Deron Williams will serve as honorary head coaches during the tournament.
NBA Rookies
Paolo Banchero (Frontcourt, Orlando Magic)
Jalen Duren (Frontcourt, Detroit Pistons)
AJ Griffin (Guard, Atlanta Hawks)
Jaden Ivey (Guard, Detroit Pistons)
Walker Kessler (Frontcourt, Utah Jazz)
Bennedict Mathurin (Guard, Indiana Pacers)
Keegan Murray (Frontcourt, Sacramento Kings)
Andrew Nembhard (Guard, Indiana Pacers)
Jabari Smith Jr. (Frontcourt, Houston Rockets)
Jeremy Sochan (Frontcourt, San Antonio Spurs)
Jalen Williams (Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder)
NBA Sophomores
Jose Alvarado (Guard, New Orleans Pelicans)
Scottie Barnes (Frontcourt, Toronto Raptors)
Josh Giddey (Guard, Oklahoma City Thunder)
Jalen Green (Guard, Houston Rockets)
Quentin Grimes (Guard, New York Knicks)
Bones Hyland (Guard, Denver Nuggets)
Evan Mobley (Frontcourt, Cleveland Cavaliers)
Trey Murphy III (Frontcourt, New Orleans Pelicans)
Alperen Şengün (Frontcourt, Houston Rockets)
Franz Wagner (Frontcourt, Orlando Magic)
NBA G League Players
Sidy Cissoko (Frontcourt, NBA G League Ignite)
Scoot Henderson (Guard, NBA G League Ignite)
Mojave King (Guard, NBA G League Ignite)
Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Frontcourt, Memphis Hustle/Memphis Grizzlies)
Mac McClung (Guard, Delaware Blue Coats)
Leonard Miller (Frontcourt, NBA G League Ignite)
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Guard, South Bay Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers)
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