‘I know we’re going to be playing pretty freaking hard:’ Rising Stars vow to bring it against All-Stars on Sunday

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SAN FRANCISCO — The NBA’s collection of Rising Stars had a singular focus on Friday.

“We could definitely wreck the All-Star Game,” said Houston Rockets rookie Amen Thompson, a member of one of the four teams of top prospects who competed for the chance to face the All-Stars on Sunday.

For this year’s All-Star format the NBA will field three teams of eight in a tournament that also includes the champion of Friday’s Rising Stars competition — a team coached by Chris Mullin, boasting Stephon Castle, Keyonte George, Zach Edey, Dalton Knecht, Jaylen Wells, Ryan Dunn and Trayce Jackson-Davis.

Mullin’s team defeated a group of G League players in the title tilt of Friday’s similar event, 25-14.

“We’re going against the All-Stars, and a lot of them are Hall of Famers, so we’ve got to go out there and try to make our own story,” said Knecht, who contributed 12 points to his team’s two victories on Friday.

Will he talk any trash on Sunday to his Los Angeles Lakers teammate, LeBron James?

“I usually don’t start talking,” added Knecht. “I usually try to finish it.”

In case you were wondering how seriously the young players are taking this opportunity.

And here’s the thing: The Rising Stars could absolutely ruin the weekend. If they upset the All-Stars and (gulp) come out victorious in Sunday’s championship game, we already know the leading topic of every sports commentary show on Monday: NBA players did not try, and nothing can save the All-Star Game.

Dalton Knecht has been on the move lately. His next stop is the NBA All-Star tournament on Sunday. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

“We have nothing to lose. We’re here to go out and compete,” said Toronto Raptors sophomore Gradey Dick, whose team — coached by Tim Hardaway and featuring Zacharie Risacher, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Alex Sarr, Anthony Black, Brandin Podziemski and Tristan da Silva — lost Friday’s first semifinal by a 40-34 margin. “At the end of the day, it’s basketball, and we want to win. Anyone in front of us we want to beat.”

There is a flip side to that coin. NBA players, motivated to beat the Rising Stars, might actually compete.

The only thing we know for sure…

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Source link : https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/i-know-were-going-to-be-playing-pretty-freaking-hard-rising-stars-vow-to-bring-it-against-all-stars-on-sunday-053701083.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-02-15 05:37:00

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