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Kevin Pelton
The NBA’s All-Star Weekend kicked off Friday with the Rising Stars event, featuring a twist: the winner of the tournament featuring first- and second-year NBA players (plus a G League representative) advances to participate in Sunday’s All-Star Game.
We’ll be grading the competitors in events all weekend, starting with Friday’s teams from the Rising Stars showcase. Check back after Saturday’s events — which will feature the skills challenge, three-point contest, and dunk contest — and then on Sunday when the All-Star Game takes center stage with a new four-team format.
RISING STARS
The team selected and co-coached by Naismith Hall of Famer Chris Mullin will advance to Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game with WNBA legend Candace Parker taking over as honorary GM of what will become Team Candace.
On experience and talent, this team will be outclassed on Sunday. But they developed strong chemistry over the course of two wins Friday, and if they play hard, they could present a challenge if their opponents (Shaq’s OGs featuring MVPs Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James) treat Sunday like an exhibition rather than a competition.
In her role as GM, Parker chose Amen Thompson to join Friday’s winners for Sunday’s game. Thompson was the right pick to complement this group and immediately becomes Team Candace’s strongest player.
Here are the grades for each player from the four Rising Stars teams.
Winner: Team C
Honorary coach: Chris Mullin
Stephon Castle, G, San Antonio Spurs
Final: 12 points | 3 points | 2 assists
Semifinal game: 6 points | 4 rebounds | 4 assists
Grade: A
What stood out: An easy choice as MVP, Castle scored nearly half his team’s 25 points in the final, getting them going after a slow start. Castle was equally active in the semifinal, where he played distributor more than passer, including a touchdown pass in transition to a streaking Jaylen Wells. He sent Team C to the finals with a pull-up stepback to reach the target score, then had eight of the team’s first 10 points en route to victory.
Ryan Dunn, F, Phoenix Suns
Final: 3 points | 1 block | 1 rebound
Semifinal game: 2 points | 3 assists
Grade: B+
What stood out: Enjoying the opportunity to expand the 3-and-D role he usually plays for the Suns, Dunn had three assists in the semifinal — matching his career high as a rookie. That included a pair of passes to set up cutters at the rim. Dunn was less of a factor in the final but did knock down a trail 3 as part of the victory.
Zach Edey, C, Memphis Grizzlies
Final: 2 points | 2 rebounds
Semifinal game: 4 points | 2 rebounds
Grade: B
What stood out: At 7-foot-4, Edey’s size made him difficult to stop in this setting. He made three of his four shot attempts, including a hook in the post and a putback dunk to open the scoring in the final.
Keyonte George, G, Utah Jazz
Final: 3 points | 3 rebounds
Semifinal game: 10 points | 2-4 3PT
Grade: B+
What stood out: Before making a 3 in the final to secure Team C’s victory, George also had a key score in the semifinal. George got fouled in the act and made two free throws to get Team C within one basket of winning. George made 3-of-7 from 3-point range in total and also got back on defense to steal an outlet pass with the final in the balance.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, F, Golden State Warriors
Final: 1 rebound
Semifinal game: 6 points | 3-4 FG
Grade: B
What stood out: As a screener in the pick-and-roll game, Jackson-Davis contributed in the final without making any impact in the box score. He got more opportunities to finish in the semifinal, going 3-of-4 from the field with a lob dunk in transition.
Dalton Knecht, G, Los Angeles Lakers
Final: 5 points | 2 rebounds
Semifinal game: 7 points | 4 rebounds | 4 assists
Grade: B+
What stood out: The opening play of the semifinal saw Team C set up Knecht for a 3-pointer coming off a screen to open the scoring. He finished with seven points and four assists, including a tomahawk dunk. Knecht had a harder time finding the range in the final, missing three of his five shots, but did have a scoop layup in transition and a deflection to set up a rare steal.
Jaylen Wells, F, Memphis Grizzlies
Final: 5 points | 2-5 FG
Semifinal game: 5 points | 2 rebounds
Grade: B-
What stood out: The lone Team C starter to go scoreless in the final, Wells had a more memorable semifinals. He leaked out for a dunk set up by Castle and also made a deep 3-pointer, his only one of the night.
Runner-Up: Team G League
JD Davison, G, Maine Celtics
Final: 2 rebounds | 1 assist
Semifinal: 5 points | 2-5 FG
Grade: B-
What stood out: For one of the G League’s leading scorers, it was a quiet night from Davison, who was scoreless in the final. He made a 3-pointer in the early stages of the semifinals and just one more basket the rest of the game, finishing 2-of-7 across both games from the field.
Mac McClung, G, Osceola Magic
Final: No major stats
Semifinal: 5 points | 2 assists
Grade: B-
What stood out: Team G League put the ball in McClung’s hands early and saw him hand out a couple of assists, one of them to Leonard Miller for a dunk. Aside from a strong right-hand drive for a layup, however, McClung wasn’t a major factor as a scorer. And the two-time defending dunk champion didn’t give us any preview of his quest for a three-peat on Saturday night.
Bryce McGowens, F, Rip City Remix
Final: 2 points
Semifinal: 12 points | 5-9 FG | 2-4 3PT
Grade: A-
What stood out: A 3-pointer from McGowens, who had surprisingly been on the bench for crunch time leading up to the final possession, sent Team G League to the final. McGowens had 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting overall in the semifinal, then came off the bench in the final, making his only shot attempt.
Leonard Miller, F, Iowa Wolves
5 points | 2 blocks | 2 assists
Semifinal: 14 points | 7 rebounds
Grade: A-
What stood out: The leading scorer for Team G League in the semifinal, Miller shot 7-of-9 from the field and led the team in rebounding. Miller was especially effective in transition, outrunning the defense, and also had a powerful dunk after he dribbled out to the perimeter and back. Miller memorably made a 3-pointer over Edey in the final and also blocked a 3, but missed five of his seven shot attempts overall.
Dink Pate, G, Mexico City Capitanes
Final: 5 points | 2-6 FG
Semifinal: 4 points | 7 rebounds
Grade: B-
The lone draft-eligible player to participate Friday — he’s projected to go early in the second round by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo — Pate flashed NBA-caliber athleticism but also showed room for improvement in his shot selection. Pate’s powerful tip dunk was impressive, as was a runner over Edey. Overall, however, he shot 4-of-13 and made just one of five 3-point attempts. Two of them missed the rim entirely. Not yet 19, Pate has time to develop his shot selection.
Reed Sheppard, G, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Final: 0-1 FG
Semifinal: 2 assists | 0-3 FG
Grade: C-
What stood out: The No. 3 overall pick, playing for Team G League after putting up a 49-point outing in a brief three-game stint with the Vipers, wasn’t as effective on Friday night. Sheppard was quiet on offense and missed all four of his shot attempts. Though his team won, Sheppard will have to hear from Houston Rockets teammate Amen Thompson about getting beat in the post for a dunk.
Pat Spencer, G, Santa Cruz Warriors
Final: 2 points | 3 rebounds
Semifinal: 2 rebounds | 0-1 FG
Grade: C+
What stood out: Scoreless with a turnover in the backcourt during the semifinal, Spencer acquitted himself better as a starter in the final. He had three of Team G League’s five offensive rebounds and cut backdoor for a layup.
Semifinalist: Team M
Matas Buzelis, F, Chicago Bulls
Semifinal: 4 points | 2 rebounds
Grade: C+
What stood out: We got the full Buzelis experience off the bench, highlighted by a grab and go for a powerful dunk and a steal followed by a pass over his back to Amen Thompson for a layup. On the flip side, Buzelis airballed a 3-pointer and got out of control while driving late, resulting in a costly turnover.
Toumani Camara, F, Portland Trail Blazers
Semifinal: 8 points | 2 rebounds
Grade: B
What stood out: It was an eventful night for Camara, who made an early 3-pointer after jab stepping and got Team M within one possession of victory by making three late free throws. In between, Camara couldn’t finish twice after getting to the rim on nice cuts.
Bub Carrington, G, Washington Wizards
Semifinal: 5 points | 4 assists
Grade: A-
What stood out: Splitting time as point guard, Carrington handed out a game-high four assists and made both shots he took — one of them a 3-pointer.
Bilal Coulibaly, F, Washington Wizards
Semifinal: 4 points | 3 rebounds
Grade: B
What stood out: Playing alongside his Wizards teammate Carrington, Coulibaly showcased his athleticism on a couple of impressive plays. Coulibaly got a layup on a cut and later followed his own miss to finish with a dunk. However, Coulibaly didn’t have quite enough control midair to finish a lob from Amen Thompson for what could have been a spectacular dunk.
Julian Strawther, G, Denver Nuggets
Semifinal: 3 points | 2 points
Grade: C+
What stood out: Strawther got up three 3-pointers in his eight minutes of action, making one of them. Another attempt was wide right, hitting hard off the backboard.
Amen Thompson, F, Houston Rockets
Semifinal: 11 points | 5-6 FG
Grade: A-
What stood out: Despite three turnovers, Thompson would have been the MVP had his team won its semifinal. He scored a team-high 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including an unorthodox play where Thompson intended to set up his twin brother Ausar for a lob but made the shot instead. Thompson also overpowered his Rockets teammate Reed Sheppard in the post for a dunk, and had another dunk to move Team M within a point of victory. The strategy there was questionable: Team M would have won by making a 3 and never got the ball back.
Ausar Thompson, G, Detroit Pistons
Semifinal: 4 points | 2 assists
Grade: C-
What stood out: There were good moments for Thompson, who seemed to float to the basket to finish a dunk and managed to draw a foul when his twin brother Amen was trying to lob him the ball. Thompson made that free throw to complete the three-point play, but missed all four in the late stages of the game.
Semifinalist: Team T
Honorary coach: Tim Hardaway
Anthony Black, G, Orlando Magic
Semifinal game: 4 points | 4 assists | 2-for-5
Grade: B
What stood out: Black handed out a team-high four assists, including a nice feed to Gradey Dick for a layup. He also had a hard take for a layup himself but missed three shot attempts.
Tristan da Silva, F, Orlando Magic
Semifinal: 5 points | 2-2 FG
Grade: B+
What stood out: Coming in off the bench, da Silva gave his team a nice lift. He quickly found teammate Black with a hit-ahead pass for a layup and knocked down a trial 3 in transition to make things interesting.
Gradey Dick, G, Toronto Raptors
Semifinal: 12 points | 5-7 FG
Grade: A
What stood out: Dick was the standout for the losing team in the first semifinal, scoring a game-high 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Dick knocked down a pair of 3s and also drove to the hoop for a layup after Dalton Knecht overplayed on the perimeter in pursuit of a steal.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., G, Miami Heat
Semifinal: 4 points | 2 rebounds
Grade: B-
What stood out: It was a quiet game for Jaquez, whose only bucket came on a wide-open 3 when the defense didn’t close out on him after an offensive rebound. Jaquez also set up da Silva with a lookaway pass.
Brandin Podziemski, G, Golden State Warriors
Semifinal: 2 points | 3 assists
Grade: C
What stood out: Playing in front of home fans, Podziemski couldn’t get much going. He did hand out three assists, but missed three of his four shot attempts. The lone exception came when Podziemski snuck in for an offensive rebound and put it back from the ground.
Zaccharie Risacher, F, Atlanta Hawks
Semifinal: 4 points | 2 rebounds
Grade: B
What stood out: The No. 1 overall pick missed his first two shot attempts, one of which came on an end-to-end drive, before getting in the scorebook with a dunk on a nice cut. He followed that up with a difficult off-hand finish over Edey.
Alex Sarr, F, Washington Wizards
Semifinal: 3 points | 1-2 FG
Grade: B-
What stood out: The 7-foot Sarr showed off his versatility in the Rising Stars format. He brought the ball up and set up a Dick 3-pointer with a dribble handoff, then later made a 3 with Edey right in his face. Sarr was less impactful as a traditional big, with just one rebound and no blocks.