2015 Rising Stars Challenge Rosters Named

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins, who has won two straight Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards, and the Philadelphia 76ers’ Michael Carter-Williams, last season’s Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, highlight the list of 20 players selected to play in the new-look BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star 2015.

The league’s annual showcase of premier young talent will debut a format that pits 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world. The game, set for Friday, Feb. 13, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, will be televised live by TNT at 9 p.m. ET, part of Turner Sports’ 30th year of All-Star coverage. BBVA Compass is the official bank of the NBA in the U.S. and maintains its role as title partner for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge.

This year’s edition showcases 10 of the top 15 picks from the 2013 NBA Draft presented by State Farm, and all four participants in the 2015 Sprite Slam Dunk, which will be held during State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at Barclays Center.

The World Team is anchored by Wiggins, who leads all rookies in scoring (15.2 ppg). Wiggins is one of two Canadians on the roster, along with the Boston Celtics’ Kelly Olynyk, who is part of a frontcourt that includes the Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, the third-leading shot-blocker in the NBA (2.18 bpg), and the Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Mirotic, the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December. The other World Team players are Sprite Slam Dunk entrant Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Steven Adams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Bojan Bogdanovic of the Brooklyn Nets, Gorgui Dieng of the Timberwolves, Dante Exum of the Jazz and Dennis Schroder of the Atlanta Hawks.

TONIGHT ON DRAFT KINGS $2 GIVES YOU A CHANCE AT $7,000!

Carter-Williams, one of two NBA players averaging at least 15.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds, is joined on the U.S. Team by Sprite Slam Dunk competitors Zach LaVine of the Timberwolves, Victor Oladipo of the Magic and Mason Plumlee of the Nets. The rookie leader in assists (the Magic’s Elfrid Payton) and the rookie leader in rebounds, blocked shots and steals (the 76ers’ Nerlens Noel) were also selected for the U.S. Team, which is rounded out by Trey Burke of the Jazz, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Detroit Pistons, Shabazz Muhammad of the Timberwolves and Cody Zeller of the Charlotte Hornets.

Both BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge rosters, chosen by the NBA’s assistant coaches, had to include four guards, four frontcourt players and two players at any position. The coaches also picked a minimum of three first-year players and three second-year players for each team.

Must Read: Kendrick Perkins talks about being involved in trade rumors.

The head coaches for the 21st BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge will be assistants from the 2015 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. Hawks assistant coach Kenny Atkinson will guide the World Team, and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Alvin Gentry will lead the U.S. Team.

NBA All-Star 2015 will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game. In addition to the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, TNT will also air State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 14, at Barclays Center and the 64th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Madison Square Garden. Other events at Barclays Center include the NBA Development League All-Star Game presented by Kumho Tire and the NBA Development League Dream Factory presented by Boost Mobile, both airing Sunday on NBA TV. Madison Square Garden will host Friday night’s ESPN-televised Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

Below are the rosters for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge and a list of previous results:

U.S. TEAM ROSTER
Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School Experience

Trey Burke Jazz G 6-1 185 Michigan 1
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Pistons G 6-5 205 Georgia 1
Michael Carter-Williams76ers G 6-6 190 Syracuse 1
Zach LaVine Timberwolves G 6-5 183 UCLA R
Shabazz Muhammad Timberwolves F 6-6 227 UCLA 1
Nerlens Noel 76ers C 6-11 220 Kentucky R
Victor Oladipo Magic G 6-4 210 Indiana 1
Elfrid Payton Magic G 6-4 185 UL-Lafayette R
Mason Plumlee Nets C 6-11 235 Duke 1
Cody Zeller Hornets F 7-0 240 Indiana 1

Head Coach: Alvin Gentry, Warriors

WORLD TEAM ROSTER
Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School or Team/Country Experience

Steven Adams Thunder C 7-0 255 Pittsburgh/New Zealand 1
Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks G/F 6-11 217 Filathlitikos/Greece 1
Bojan Bogdanovic Nets G/F 6-8 216 Fenerbahce Ulker/Croatia R
Gorgui Dieng T’Wolves C 6-11 233 Louisville/Senegal 1
Dante Exum Jazz G 6-6 190 Lake Ginninderra/Australia R
Rudy Gobert Jazz C 7-1 245 Cholet/France 1
Nikola Mirotic Bulls F 6-10 220 Real Madrid/Montenegro R
Kelly Olynyk Celtics C 7-0 238 Gonzaga/Canada 1
Dennis Schroder Hawks G 6-1 168 Phantoms Braunschweig/Germany 1
Andrew Wiggins T’Wolves G/F 6-8 199 Kansas/Canada R

Head Coach: Kenny Atkinson, Hawks

BBVA COMPASS RISING STARS CHALLENGE RESULTS

1994 – Phenoms 74, Sensations 68 2005 – Sophomores 133, Rookies 106
1995 – White 83, Green 79 (OT) 2006 – Sophomores 106, Rookies 96
1996 – East 94, West 92 2007 – Sophomores 155, Rookies 114
1997 – East 96, West 91 2008 – Sophomores 136, Rookies 109
1998 – East 85, West 80 2009 – Sophomores 122, Rookies 116
2000 – Rookies 92, Sophomores 83 (OT) 2010 – Rookies 140, Sophomores 128
2001 – Sophomores 121, Rookies 113 2011 – Rookies 148, Sophomores 140
2002 – Rookies 103, Sophomores 97 2012 – Team Chuck 146, Team Shaq 133
2003 – Sophomores 132, Rookies 112 2013 – Team Chuck 163, Team Shaq 135
2004 – Sophomores 142, Rookies 118 2014 – Team Hill 142, Team Webber 136