Clorox Rising Stars Primer: Rosters, Top Teams, and Sneaky Stat Stuffers

All-Star weekend is officially upon us, and Thunder guard Josh Giddey is in the mix.

Following Friday’s Celebrity All-Star Game (6 p.m. CST,) a squadron of 12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite members will hit the center stage for the Clorox Rising Stars game (8 p.m. CST.)

Drafted by NBA 75th Anniversary Honorees earlier in the month, the player pool has been divvied up into four seven-man rosters.

In the competition, a three-game tournament is set to take place. The first round will hold a match to 50 points. The two first-round winners will then meet in the championship game in a first to 25 points setup.

Here’s the full take on Friday’s frenzy:

Team Barry

Selected by 8-time All-Star Rick Barry, Team Barry hits the Rising Stars Challenge as the rookie class’ finest. Headlined by consensus top five rookies in Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, and Franz Wagner – the roster is bound to be a fun bunch. To cater towards the rookies, the roster also holds ties to the Houston Rockets with Alperen Sengun and Jae’Sean Tate paired while Mobley adds his hometown sidekick in Isaac Okoro.

G League Ignite guard Dyson Daniels rounds out the roster.

When assessing Team Barry’s roster, the bag of tricks are wide open for this crew. The pairing of Cunningham and Mobley off of high-ball screens should leverage a high output of looks, and with Wagner and Okoro being solid 3-and-D contributors – their youth can easily be outweighed with chemistry.

Surprisingly, the most intriguing players from Team Barry’s roster rest in a mid-round pick and a player outside of the NBA. Alperen Sengun, this year’s No. 16 Pick, has lit up a storm in Houston for his dazzling passing ability and graceful footwork around the basket. When you mesh the 19-year-old’s archetype with another agile big in Mobley and a true playmaker in Cunningham – you’ve placed a wild card in the tournament.

This same statement holds true with 18-year-old Dyson Daniels. Daniels, a projected mid-first-round pick, adds an interesting flair to the playmaking core. At 6-foot-6, the Aussie is a natural passer as making dishes out of a pick-and-roll comes second nature. Played alongside Cunningham, Daniels provides an instant spark and another oversized guard candidate for Sam Presti come draft day.

Team Isiah

Just like the Bad Boy Pistons, Isiah Thomas elected to pile up on scrappiness, defensive ability, and maturity for the tournament. Thomas’ team is completely deprived of rookies as he nabbed half of the list of sophomores – netting 6-of-12 prospects.

Thomas’ team comes with a dynamic duo in Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and newly acquired Tyrese Haliburton from the Pacers. To cater towards the combo, premier two-way piece Desmond Bane and Saddiq Bey support the three while Isaiah Stewart and Precious Achiuwa solidify the frontcourt.

Betting circles have coined Team Isiah as a favorite heading into the hardwood – and the eye test agrees. The backcourt tandem of Edwards and Haliburton smash all other rosters and with one of the best 3-and-D pieces in the league in Bane filling in – the group is a threat on both ends. Bottle this up with a stirred-up Isaiah “Beef Stew” Stewart, and Team Isiah should be cooking in Cleveland.

Jaden Hardy is also a name to highlight. Hardy, the No. 2 prospect out of high school, tore up the Winter Showcase bracket play posting 17.7 points across 12 games. The 19-year-old is a sneaky lottery entrance headed into draft night, but his oozing potential as a shot creator puts him under the microscope during play.

Team Payton

Gary Payton found himself on the other end of his “Glove” namesake, as with two players pulled for injury – the group has added two new replacements. Luckily for him, his replacements in Jonathan Kuminga and Bones Hyland assure some instant highlights.

Centered around the Rising Stars lone All-Star selection, LaMelo Ball, Team Payton has a bolstered backcourt with Ayo Dosunmu and 18-year-old Scoot Henderson at the helm. To round out the roster, Scottie Barnes and Jaden McDaniels bring some much-needed length.

Despite missing out on a center, Team Payton has the best shot of fireworks Friday evening. Known for his jaw-dropping reels, LaMelo Ball is bound to relive his Chino Hills days whether it be through half-courts, full-court passes, or off-the-cuff dribble moves. You pair Ball with a frontcourt flier in Jonathan Kuminga – they may very well sweep the Sportscenter Top 10.

Though ineligible for the upcoming draft, Scoot Henderson is the ultimate prize in the Ignite’s Rising Star’s roster. Henderson, who played the entire Winter Showcase at age 17, made seasoned veterans look like children posting a three-game streak with 31, 22, and 27 points, respectively. The guard is one of the best accelerators and finishers for the Ignite, and paired with Ball and Dosunmu – he’ll fit right in.

Team Worthy

James Worthy mimicked his Showtime Lakers in the Rising Stars Draft, and he did a hardy job with it. With a roster consisting of six guards, Worthy’s unit comes in with a slight disadvantage, but also a ripe opportunity for the roster.

Thunder guard Josh Giddey stars on James Worthy’s squad as the 6-foot-8 guard essentially is the unit's Magic Johnson – acting as a playmaking mismatch across the board. Splashing the guard pot, Jalen Green, Tyrese Maxey, Cole Anthony, Jalen Suggs, and MarJon Beauchamp add a kick while second-round pick Herbert Jones stands as the only legitimate frontcourt figure.

Given the group's unique roster construction, Team Worthy enters the tournament as a heavy underdog. But, wackiness tends to yield success come All-Star Weekend – and Team Worthy has it.

For the first time this season, Thunder and Rockets fans may join as one as the pairing of Josh Giddey and Jalen Green make the most exciting duo on any roster.

Giddey, who enters the break on three-consecutive triple-doubles, has put himself on a passing pedestal this season. After a sluggish start, Green is back on his feet as a shot creator, but his thru the roof bounce is what makes him so special for the evening. Giddey hitting Green on an alley-oop is bound to happen Friday, and it's bound to cause a media stir in its aftermath. Get your Twitter thumbs ready.

What to Expect From Josh Giddey

As learned this past week, a Josh Giddey triple-double is always on the menu – but given point limitations – the streak may take a hiatus. Instead, Giddey will be a top target both offensively and defensively for team Worthy as his passing play churns a deadly pick-and-roll while his 6-foot-8 frame forces him to the power forward spot. As a result, fellow lottery members Mobley and Barnes could match up for some entertaining play. It’s hard placing a projection on the 19-year-old, but I’d expect to see at least one alley-oop, a no-look, and a behind-the-back pass. Though, that’s not a rarity with the guard from Down Under.

Game Predictions

The dynamics of a 50-point and 25-point contest during the All-Star break could ultimately shake the night into a three-point battle. Under those circumstances, it’s anyone’s game for the taking.

At face value, Team Isiah carries the best shot of winning as the self-creation skills of Edwards and Haliburton, coupled with Bane’s lethal catch-and-shoot, place them as a top-scoring team. Add this with the fact they have two bigs and their roster is the most complete.

As for under-the-radar standouts, I’d throw Jalen Green a bone for a starring role as his trampoline bounce plus his Harden-Esque stepback make him a deadly force, especially if defensive levels are low. I’d peg Bones Hyland as another star as his on-ball creation makes him an easy top scorer when he’s feeling it.

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