Several of the game’s brightest young stars will go head-to-head at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte for the 2019 NBA Rising Stars Challenge at 9 p.m. ET to headline the first day of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend on Friday. The game originated back in 1994 and switched to its current Team USA vs. Team World format back in 2015. In the four years since Team World is 3-1.
Team USA features Brooklyn Nets center Jarrett Allen, Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III and guard De’Aaron Fox, Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma, Atlanta Hawks forward/center John Collins and guard Trae Young, Utah Jazz guard Donavan Mitchell, Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Jaren Jackson Jr and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
Team World is being led by last year’s rookie of the year Ben Simmons (Australia ) and clear cut favorite to be this year’s rookie of the year, Luka Doncic. They will be joined by Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby (United Kingdom), Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (Bahamas), Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (Serbia), LA Clippers guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Nets forward Rodions Kurucs (Latvia), Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Minnesota Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie (Nigeria) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman (Turkey).
The teams will sport Charlotte-inspired jerseys, which look like this:
Inspired by Charlotte’s basketball origins, the Nike-designed #MTNDEWICERisingStars uniforms put a modern twist on the jerseys worn by the ABA’s Carolina Cougars in the 1960s & 1970s. #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/uvVoPUikkw
— 2019 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) January 30, 2019
Expect to see a showcase of what the league will look like in the next coming years. On the heels of two seemingly loaded drafts, there’s no shortage of future league MVP candidates for this year’s showcase of basketball’s best up-and-comers.