NBA Draft

Rising Rookies: Top Performers from NBA All-Star Weekend

Ten rookies had the chance to compete this weekend in Salt Lake City.
Draft Digest Staff|
Rising Rookies: Top Performers from NBA All-Star Weekend
Rising Rookies: Top Performers from NBA All-Star Weekend

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Indiana PacersSacramento KingsOrlando MagicOklahoma City ThunderHouston RocketsDetroit PistonsSan Antonio SpursAtlanta Hawks

To kick off NBA All-Star Weekend, the top young players in the league matched up in the Rising Stars Challenge. This included ten rookies that had the opportunity to showcase their talent on the big stage.

  • Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
  • Benedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers)
  • Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons)
  • Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings)
  • Andrew Nembhard (Indiana Pacers)
  • AJ Griffin (Atlanta Hawks)
  • Jalen Williams (OKC Thunder)
  • Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio Spurs)
  • Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets)
  • Tari Eason (Houston Rockets)

While each of the ten rookie participants on their three respective teams played great, there were several that stood out among their peers.

For starters, Benedict Mathurin scored seven points in both of his two games, putting his advanced shotmaking on full display. The Pacers guard is one of the most lethal scorers in this class and was a huge reason his team won the championship.

His teammate and former No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero also had a fantastic night. He produced nine points in the opener to go along with five boards. From there, the Orlando forward scored four crucial points in the championship.

Keegan Murray was crucial in these two rookies even moving on beyond the first round, as he hit the game-winning triple in their first matchup.

While Walker Kessler and his team was eliminated in the first round, his defense was extremely impressive. He finished with two blocks and altered plenty of other shots at the rim as well. The talented center also flashed some creativity on the offensive end.

Jeremy Sochan and Jalen Williams lost in the championship game, but were two of the more impressive rookies in the group. Sochan was a walking highlight, finishing with six points in the opener. Williams was arguably the most complete rookie at the event. Doing a little but of everything, he finished with six points, six rebounds and four assists between the two contests.

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Draft Digest Staff
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