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NBA Announces Player Pool For 2025 Rising Stars Event

January 28th, 2025 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has officially revealed the 10 rookies, 11 sophomores, and seven G League players who have been selected to take part in the 2025 Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend in San Francisco next month.

The following players made the cut, as voted on by NBA assistant coaches (rookies and sophomores) and selected by the league office (G Leaguers):

Rookies

Sophomores

G League Players

* Note: Players marked with asterisks are on standard or two-way contracts with NBA teams.

As usual, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, while the other 21 players will be drafted to three squads on February 4.

The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.

All three contests will take place on Friday, February 14 as part of All-Star weekend’s opening night. The winning team will compete on Sunday in a similar four-team tournament, with the three other rosters made up of NBA All-Stars.

A handful of injury replacements will be necessary, with McCain, Lively, and Brandon Miller among the players who won’t be available to suit up. Additionally, since players selected as All-Stars won’t play in the Rising Stars event, Wembanyama will almost certainly need to be replaced.

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Northwest Notes: Jokic, Wallace, Conley, Clingan

January 25th, 2025 at 9:29am CST by Tristan Tucker

Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic helped bolster his MVP case with a monster performance on Thursday against the Kings, recording 35 points along with season highs of 22 rebounds and 17 assists. His 22 rebounds matched a career high while his 17 assists were one shy of tying his best-ever mark. Everything seemed to be going right for the three-time MVP in Thursday’s game, which included him making a full-court heave, writes The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando.

“I think this is the best basketball of my life, that I have ever played. I’m feeling good out there,” Jokic said. “I’m in shape. The ball is going in. I’m feeling good. I think I can influence the game on different levels.”

The Nuggets have won 10 of their last 11 games and Jokic has put up a triple-double in each of his last five appearances. He’s now averaging a triple-double on the season, putting up 30.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.1 assists per game on a .564/.479/.814 shooting line.

“If no one’s ever done it … I’m just gonna say ‘historical,’” coach Michael Malone said, per The Sacramento Bee’s David Caraccio. “You think about his 10 years here, you think about the three MVPs, you think about the championship, the finals MVP — and this is the best season he’s ever had. And that’s saying a lot.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • Thunder second-year guard Cason Wallace is known for his tremendous defensive intensity, but as Rylan Stiles of Thunder on SI writes, he has a second elite trait. Wallace is an effective cutter, ranking in the 94th percentile in the league while shooting 63% at the rim. “He has done a great job of embracing the system,” head coach Mark Daigneault said. “Early on it was a pretty narrow role offensively, it was dunker work, it was rolling, it was cutting. Now he is starting to find a little bit more with the ball in his hands.“
  • The Timberwolves haven’t hit the same highs as last season after trading Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the fall. In an interview with HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, point guard Mike Conley spoke about the team’s budding chemistry and what it might take for Minnesota to turn it around, among other topics. “I think it took them probably a better part of half a season to figure out KAT and [Rudy Gobert] before I got here,” Conley said. “They went through growing pains, and we’re in that same scenario now with adding new people into our lineups. It takes a minute. It doesn’t happen overnight. We added Julius and Donte literally in training camp. It led to a lot of ripples through who we are, offensively and defensively. I think we’re making a lot of progress.“
  • Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan made his return to the lineup on Friday against Charlotte (originally announced via the team on Twitter) after missing five games with an ankle sprain. He recorded four points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in his return.
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Thunder Notes: Culture, Wallace, Williams, Carlson

January 16th, 2025 at 10:17pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Thunder were able to fast-track their timeline for contention by establishing a firm culture under head coach Mark Daigneault that focused on skill development and small details, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon writes.

“I think that’s why we’ve been able to accelerate our development,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “All those little things that go into winning, they mean a lot to us because of our competitiveness and what our common goal is as a group.”

Oklahoma City saw success last season but was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, falling short of the Western Conference Finals. Instead of sending out their assets for another star or big name, the Thunder targeted role players in Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso who could help push their core to the top of the league.

“They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Daigneault said. “I think that’s one of the things that [Thunder general manager Sam Presti]’s nailed in this process. The types of people that we’ve brought in the door, regardless of whether they’re still here or they’re not, by and large, have been committed professionals that are ambitious, but they’re also willing to complete the team.”

We have more from the Thunder:

  • After emerging as a rookie contributor on a contending team last season, Cason Wallace began this season in a slump, averaging 6.5 points on 41.8% shooting through his first 33 games. But as Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman writes, it looks like Wallace is out of his funk after averaging 13.2 points on 58.7% shooting in his last five outings. It’s obviously a small sample, but Wallace’s mentality helped break him out of the dry spell. “Just being a hooper,” Wallace said. “Knowing that you’re gonna have shooting slumps. And I had mine early. I had one last year, just wasn’t as loud as this. Just sticking with it, knowing it would come back.“
  • Jalen Williams has a solid case to make the All-Star Game according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, which would make him one of two players from the 2022 class to do so so far (joining Paolo Banchero). Entering Thursday, Williams held averages 20.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game for the contending Thunder. Gilgeous-Alexander believes Williams is worthy of the honor. “For our team to be as good as we’ve been, obviously coming up on the All-Star Game, I think it’d only be right for him to be an All-Star,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You don’t have this record because of one All-Star. You don’t have this record because of one good player.”
  • Branden Carlson got his first shot at extended minutes in a big matchup against the Cavaliers on Thursday, Lorenzi writes. He scored 11 points in 17 minutes off the bench, playing in the first quarter. After going undrafted in 2024, Carlson signed a two-way contract with the Raptors, but was waived before the season began. The big man joined the Thunder on a non-guaranteed contract, was cut again, and was brought back last week on a 10-day deal. Although he’s only under contract for 10 days, Oklahoma City relied on Carlson with their frontcourt depth depleted as a result of injuries to Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren.
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Northwest Notes: Randle, DiVincenzo, Henderson, Jazz, Nuggets, Dort, Wallace

December 28th, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Timberwolves haven’t looked like the team that went to the Western Conference Finals last year in the early part of this season after replacing Karl-Anthony Towns with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo via trade. Randle has a $30.9MM player option for next season, and Fred Katz of The Athletic ponders whether the veteran forward will wind up opting in as opposed to hitting free agency.

As Katz points out, there are few teams with projected cap space next offseason. Trades to shed salary to create cap space are also hard to pull off, and teams may be pickier than ever with their long-term money, given the restrictions in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Katz also looks to other top potential free agents like Jimmy Butler and James Harden, and the difficulty either would have in finding suitable money from a competitive team if each declines his player option for 2025/26.

While Randle and his representation likely wouldn’t have considered proposing a team-friendly long-term deal below his projected option salary to Minnesota in the past, the new CBA landscape could change things. Randle, who is extension-eligible, is averaging 20.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game this season.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • DiVincenzo continues to round into form after a cold start to the season, shooting 48.5% from three in his past five games. After the Timberwolves won consecutive games on Wednesday and Friday, the guard spoke on the team’s chemistry, according to The Star Tribune’s Chris Hine (Twitter link). “We know what the expectations are,” DiVincenzo said. “We know everything and everybody feels it. But at the end of the day, can’t do s–t about it. We have to stay together. You either grow apart or grow together. Tonight was huge.“
  • The Timberwolves‘ narrow win over the Rockets on Friday showcased a team with title aspirations, The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski writes. Anthony Edwards hit a game-winner, head coach Chris Finch handled rotations well, and several pieces stood out. But the play of Randle and DiVincenzo is perhaps the biggest reason for optimism, Krawczynski writes, with Randle going for 27 points and DiVincenzo hitting six threes. “It’s tough. Four straight years, four different teams,” DiVincenzo said. “But the thing about this team is they’ve embraced me. They’ve embraced my ups and downs and continued to push me because I know — and they know — the tide turns. You ain’t gonna be down the whole season. That’s everybody’s mentality here, and I really feel at home.”
  • 2023 No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson‘s stats for the Trail Blazers this season are underwhelming, but he had one of the best moments of his young NBA career on Thursday against Utah. Henderson made the game-winner for Portland while scoring 18 points and 10 assists. “You dream of plays like that,” Henderson said, according to Rose Garden Report’s Sean Highkin.
  • Meanwhile, the Jazz falling to Portland in last-second fashion was an “ideal loss,” opines Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Rookie Isaiah Collier drew his second career start and showed flashes while the rest of the young core got an opportunity for big minutes.
  • The Nuggets have lost two games in a row and surrendered 149 points to the Cavaliers in their latest defeat. After Friday’s loss to Cleveland, Nikola Jokic addressed Denver’s lackluster play that has the team outside the top six in the West, according to DNVR Sports’ Harrison Wind (Twitter link). “We are not even close to where we’re supposed to be,” Jokic said. “I think how bad we’ve played, we’re in a good spot. We need to start thinking what I can do for this team to help, not what the team can do to help me…We should point [the thumb not the finger].“
  • Thunder guards Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace are both listed as out for Saturday’s game against the Hornets, according to The Oklahoman’s Joel Lorenzi (Twitter link). Dort is dealing with an ankle sprain while Wallace is suffering from a quad contusion. This will be Wallace’s first career missed game since entering the league last year.
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Northwest Notes: Henderson, SGA, Dort, Wallace, Murray

December 12th, 2024 at 12:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers second-year guard Scoot Henderson believes his team is ready to blossom, as he told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

“I think we’ll pan out to be one of the top teams in the league pretty soon with the young core that we have and the dogs on our team,” he said. “You’ve got Donovan Clingan, who’s shown little glimpses of what he can do, and Shaedon (Sharpe). I try to get those guys the ball, and I try to do my thing. My main thing is getting guys the ball, letting them rock out, and letting the world see their talent.

“I’m trying to be a leader on and off the floor and get to know the guys a little bit more. I think we’re a core that plays hard and is going to shock a lot of teams throughout the season.”

Portland has a lot of ground to make up, as the Trail Blazers are 8-16 after losing six of their last seven games.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander readily accepts his role as a team leader, he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “I embrace it for sure,” he said. “It comes with a burden. It comes with the crown. It comes with all the things you dream about as a kid being a superstar in the NBA. I definitely dreamed about being this as a player and these things come with it. And I knew that. So, I definitely embrace it.”
  • The combination of Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace held Mavericks superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to a total of 33 points in the Thunder‘s NBA Cup quarterfinal win on Tuesday. It was the lowest combined scoring total for the backcourt duo in any game that both Doncic and Irving appeared in since they became teammates. “Hell of a job by Lu and Cason,” Gilgeous-Alexander told Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “It’s more impressive to hold them that low than it is for me to get 39 points. I think to hold those two that low really gave us a chance to win the game. We felt like we had control of the game because of that. Keeping those two in check like that is very rare.”
  • Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is dealing with some hamstring irritation and it’s uncertain whether he’ll play against the Clippers on Friday. “He was able to go through portions of practice (Wednesday), which was great to have him out there,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “He got some good work in yesterday in terms of treatment and player development. And then we’ll see how he feels from his work today. I’d say for Friday night, he’s still going to be listed as questionable.”
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Western Notes: Jokic, Branham, Conley, Wallace

October 28th, 2024 at 7:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nikola Jokic was concerned about how the Nuggets performed in the preseason. Denver has also lost its first two regular season games but the superstar center says the offense simply isn’t clicking yet, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.

“I think we are struggling to score,” Jokić said. “We have scored 87 and 104 points in our two games. That’s not enough. In today’s NBA, you have to score more points. I think the defense has been good, so that’s a positive. But we are just not scoring enough points. We aren’t making shots. Open looks aren’t going in. We just aren’t converting and executing the way we need to.”

Jones points out that Christian Braun is still settling in to the starting lineup, while Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric and second-year shooting guard Julian Strawther are trying to do the same on the second unit.

We have more from the Western Conference:

  • With Spurs backup point guard Tre Jones sidelined by an ankle sprain, Malaki Branham has been thrust into the rotation, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News notes. Branham had seven points, two assists and two blocks in 14 minutes against Houston on Saturday. “We have so many guys on this team who can contribute,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “It’s about the next man staying ready and being professional. That’s one of the biggest things on our team.” The Spurs picked up the 2025/26 option on Branham’s contract earlier this month.
  • Timberwolves guard Mike Conley is experiencing some nagging wrist soreness, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. Conley has been dealing with the issue for a few years and will need to address it after his playing days are over, Krawczynski adds. However, he won’t blame his poor shooting (20%) through the first three games on his wrist, since he’s navigated the issue successfully in the past.
  • Cason Wallace showed off his defensive prowess for the Thunder against Hawks star Trae Young in the fourth quarter on Sunday, holding Young without a fourth quarter field goal. Young also committed three turnovers during that portion of OKC’s 24-point win. “It’s a lot of fun being a competitor at one of the highest levels,” Wallace told Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. “Taking pride in not wanting to get scored on, especially in an iso situation.” Wallace was the 10th pick of the 2023 draft.
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Thunder Pick Up 2025/26 Options On Four Players

October 23rd, 2024 at 2:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Thunder have exercised their 2025/26 rookie scale team options on four second- and third-year players, the team announced today in a press release.

All four players were already on guaranteed contracts for 2024/25 and have now had their salaries locked in for the following season too. Those players – and their ’25/26 salaries – are as follows:

Holmgren and Williams were full-time starters in the frontcourt last season for a Thunder team that won 57 games, claimed the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and won a playoff series.

The runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting, Holmgren played all 82 regular season games and averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 blocks in just 29.4 minutes per contest. The 22-year-old also posted a strong shooting line of .530/.370/.793.

Williams, 23, took a significant step forward across the board after finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2023. The former No. 12 overall pick registered averages of 19.1 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 4.0 RPG on .540/.427/.814 shooting in 71 games (31.3 MPG) in his second NBA season.

Wallace, 20, immediately emerged as a rotation player for Oklahoma City as a rookie, earning regular minutes with his strong perimeter defense. Like Holmgren, he appeared in all 82 games during the regular season, averaging 6.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.5 APG with a .491/.419/.784 shooting line in 20.6 MPG.

Dieng, 21, is the only one of these four players whose option decision wasn’t a mortal lock. The 6’10” forward, who was drafted 11th overall in 2022, has yet to emerge as a regular contributor in OKC, having appeared in just 33 games off the bench last season. However, the Thunder remain encouraged by Dieng’s play in the G League, where he averaged 17.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 5.4 APG in 33 Showcase Cup and regular season outings in 2023/24.

Holmgren, Dieng, and Williams will now be eligible for rookie scale extensions in the 2025 offseason, and it’s safe to assume the Thunder will make an effort to lock up at least Holmgren and Williams at that time. The team’s decision on Wallace’s fourth-year option for 2026/27 will be due next fall.

Next Thursday (October 31) is the deadline for teams to exercise rookie scale options for 2025/26. We’re tracking those decisions right here.

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Injury Notes: Barrett, Carter, Wallace, Herro, Jaquez

October 8th, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors forward RJ Barrett will miss the rest of the preseason after being diagnosed with a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder, the team announced on Tuesday in a press release. Barrett left Sunday’s game against Washington early after sustaining the injury.

As Michael Grange of Sportsnet and Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca note (via Twitter), while Barrett has only been ruled out for the preseason and will be reevaluated before opening night, it’s very possible he’ll miss some time at the start of the regular season as well.

It’s a disappointing setback for Barrett, who looked good on Sunday before getting hurt and was penciled in as Toronto’s starting small forward, and for the Raptors, who have been hit hard by the injury bug this fall. The team is also currently without Bruce Brown and rookie Ja’Kobe Walter — Brown is recovering from knee surgery, while Walter is dealing with a sprained AC joint of his own.

Here are a few more health-related updates from around the NBA:

  • After turning his left ankle during Monday’s preseason opener vs. New Orleans, Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. has been diagnosed with a sprain and is considered day-to-day, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter links). The timing of Carter’s return will depend on how his ankle responds to treatment, Beede adds. Monday was still a good day for the big man, who signed a three-year, $58.7MM extension with Orlando before the game.
  • Thunder guard Cason Wallace sprained his ankle in Monday’s preseason opener against San Antonio, but the sprain is considered a mild one, according to Bally Sports Oklahoma sideline reporter Nick Gallo (Twitter link). It’s unclear if Wallace will be available for Wednesday’s game vs. Houston, but it doesn’t at this point as if his availability for the start of the season is in jeopardy.
  • Tyler Herro (right groin strain) and Jaime Jaquez (left groin strain) of the Heat didn’t participate in an intrasquad scrimmage on Monday, and Jaquez underwent an MRI on his injury, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. However, imaging on Jaquez didn’t reveal anything concerning, Chiang says, and Herro didn’t even get an MRI because his strain is considered mild. “Everybody can take a big breath. Everything is OK,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said, referring to Herro and Jaquez as day-to-day. “This is not a storyline about new protocols. This is just the appropriate thing right now. … I expect Tyler and Jaime to be back in full contact soon. But they’re already doing a lot of stuff.”
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Northwest Notes: Markkanen, Thunder, Wallace, Wolves

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen won’t play for Finland in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Spain, Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net reports. Markkanen aggravated an impingement to his right shoulder in late March and the injury has still not fully healed.

“Certainly, this is tough,” the Jazz forward said in a statement. “Representing Finland and playing for the national team is an honor for me. Along with my teammates, we have been talking all season about how sweet it would be to advance to the Olympic Games.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

  • The Thunder had an overload of players on their roster last offseason but that won’t be the case this time around, Rylan Stiles of SI.com notes. Oklahoma City will have four open standard contract roster spots available with Gordon Hayward, Bismack Biyombo, Mike Muscala and possibly Lindy Waters III (club option) headed to free agency. They will also have at least one two-way spot available with Olivier Sarr tearing his Achilles late last season. He’s expected to be out all of next season.
  • Cason Wallace exceeded expectations in his rookie season with the Thunder, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes. Wallace, the No. 10 pick of last year’s draft, appeared in every game and make the All-Rookie Second Team. He also shot 41.9% from 3-point range and displayed strong defensive skills.
  • In draft news, Melvin Ajinca (France), Jalen Bridges (Baylor), Tristan Enaruna (Cleveland State), Ajay Mitchell (UC Santa Barbara), Jonathan Mogbo (San Francisco) and Baylor Scheierman (Creighton) worked out for the Timberwolves on Monday, the team’s PR department tweets. Scheierman is currently ranked No. 26 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
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Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Olympics, Lively Trade

May 25th, 2024 at 8:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Numerous media members were calling Anthony Edwards “the new face of the NBA” after Minnesota upset Denver, but that honor actually belongs to Mavericks star Luka Doncic, writes Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic strengthened his case as the league’s best player and top clutch performer with a game-winning three-pointer Friday night that gave Dallas a 2-0 series lead. Sherrington notes that after sinking the shot over Rudy Gobert, Doncic displayed his fearlessness by shouting “you can’t guard me” and some stronger comments at the Defensive Player of the Year.

The argument for Doncic as the league’s No. 1 star starts with five first-team All-NBA appearances, including this season. He finished third in the MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but Sherrington points out that they were both eliminated in the second round while Doncic has a chance to add to his reputation with the longest postseason run of his career.

“There are moments where he shows his brilliance and can score so easily,” Kyrie Irving said, “and then he comes back and he looks like he’s laboring a little bit, but that guy’s a warrior.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

  • Irving was able to keep his composure after missing two free throws with 1:44 remaining, Sherrington states in a separate story. The misses provided free fried chicken for all the fans in attendance, but more importantly they cost the Mavs a chance to slice the lead to one point. Irving made up for it a few seconds later with a clutch three-pointer from the corner that set the stage for Doncic’s heroics. “I think I was as surprised as a lot of people in the arena,” Irving, a 90% free throw shooter during the regular season, said of his misses from the line. “In those moments, I’ve got to stay focused and be aware of how much it means to our team to make those. But when you miss, you’ve also got to take that accountability and be better. The next-play mentality was the only thing I could carry forth. I got into that corner and knocked it down.”
  • Irving could be in line for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team this summer if Tyrese Haliburton opts out because of his hamstring issues, speculates Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Haliburton, who was held out of tonight’s Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, also missed 10 games with a hamstring strain in January.  Irving was disappointed about not making the team last month after being one of the finalists.
  • Dallas and Oklahoma City both benefited from last year’s draft-day trade, Rylan Stiles writes for Inside the Thunder. Dereck Lively II has been an interior force for the Mavericks throughout the playoffs, while Cason Wallace became a three-and-D specialist in the Thunder backcourt.
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