'I know we're going to be playing pretty freaking hard:' Rising Stars vow to bring it against All-Stars on Sunday
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.
"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 about Sunday: The Rising Stars are going to try their asses off. Or at least that is what everyone said who was asked about it on Friday. This is an opportunity to make a statement.
"I think all of us freshmen and sophomores, our goal is to be an All-Star one day," Podziemski said on Friday, before his team lost its semifinal. "To have this kind of mini opportunity of playing in the All-Star Game without being an All-Star, I think us just bringing that competitive spirit will make these guys that have been All-Stars 10 or 15 times play harder. And I think that's just what everybody wants to see."
Castle, the Rising Stars MVP, now has a chance to sweep the weekend. He is a contestant in Saturday's dunk contest, and he could, quite possibly, win MVP of Sunday's All-Star Game as an encore to Friday.
"I've definitely thought about it," said Castle, who scored 18 points across Team Mullin's two victories. "I want to take it one step at a time, though. Maybe get back to me tomorrow after I win the dunk contest."
If the start of the Rising Stars event is any indication, we will not be going back to the days of old, when the league's very best took to heart its chance to showcase the game to an international audience. But a funny thing happened midway through the first semifinal. Dick picked up Castle full-court, and both teams began to play at full speed. Or as close to full speed as anyone might play in a meaningless game.
The G Leaguers (Bryce McGowens, JD Davison, Leonard Miller, Mac McClung, Reed Sheppard, Dink Pate and Pat Spencer) played even harder. This was a showcase of their talent for scouts in addition to fans.
"We're going to get everyone going early and competing," said McGowens, who drained the game-winner in the G League team's semifinal upset of Mitch Richmond's team, featuring Amen and Ausar Thompson, Toumani Camara, Bilal Coulibaly, Matas Buzelis and Julian Strawther. "The [All-Stars] have fun with it, but I think we can help get it back to that [high] level. We were definitely juiced for having that opportunity."
If this year's All-Stars fail to compete from the jump, as they did last season, when the Eastern Conference beat the West, 211-186, they will be in for a rude awakening. They will be forced to choose between matching the intensity level of the Rising Stars or risking considerable embarrassment.
"Obviously, they don't want to lose," said Jackson-Davis, who could face Warriors teammate Stephen Curry on Sunday. "If we play them, I know we're going to be playing pretty freaking hard, so I think they'll try to take it to us. They might coast for a second, but if we put it on them early, they might start trying.
"We'll see."
We will see. Sunday's competition is up to the All-Stars now.
