Chet Holmgren, Team Jalen win 2024 NBA Rising Stars Challenge
Chet Holmgren's first taste of NBA All-Star Weekend saw him and his team of young stars take home the 2024 NBA Rising Stars Challenge championship in Indianapolis on Friday.
After overcoming an early deficit against Paolo Banchero and Team Tamika in the first round, Holmgren and Team Jalen blasted Team Detlef's squad of NBA G-League players, 26-13, in the final round of the four-team tournament. Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin was named the event's MVP.
"It is a blessing for me and the Pacers," Mathurin said. "It's always fun having the guys supporting me ... it was fun."
Holmgren battled alongside his Oklahoma City Thunder teammate Jalen Williams, who sunk the game-winner against Team Detlef, as well as Mathurin, Dallas Mavericks rookie Derek Lively II, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jordan Hawkins, Utah Jazz second-year big Walker Kessler and San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan, who replaced Portland Trail Blazers sophomore Shaedon Sharpe due to injury.
Holmgren bested Banchero in the battle of the first and second overall picks from the 2022 NBA Draft, as the former Gonzaga standout pitched in five points, a rebound and an assist in Team Jalen's 40-35 win over Team Tamika. After down 9-0 early, Team Jalen went ahead 17-16 once Holmgren checked out for the first time. The 7-footer used his length to snatch a rebound, drive coast-to-coast and finish in traffic.
Holmgren missed out on a few highlight plays. After checking back in with the score 30-24, he missed an alley-oop to Kessler. Banchero wrapped Holmgren up on a drive to the rim to prevent an easy dunk, followed by a missed opportunity on an alley-oop from Williams.
Following Team Jalen's win, Team Detlef shocked Victor Wembanyama and Team Pau in Game 2 with a 41-36 win. The team of G-League players led by as many as a dozen early before Matas Buzelis knocked down the game-winner.
Holmgren was less involved in the finale, finishing with two points on a pair of free throws and one rebound. His length made it difficult for any highlight plays at the rim, as he forced back-to-back misses from Buzelis. Lively II scored six straight points, all dunks, before Williams drained the game-winning 3-pointer to seal the deal.
The 2024 Rising Stars Challenge marked the fifth straight year that a former Gonzaga player starred in the event for rookies and sophomores. Last season, Andrew Nembhard helped Team Pau beat Team Jalen, 25-20, alongside Banchero and Mathurin.
