Pelicans Rookie Buddy Hield To Play In Rising Stars Challenge On All Star Weekend
New Orleans Pelicans rookie guard Buddy Hield will get to play on his homecourt during All-Star weekend as a member of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge game, the team announced today.
The Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December has become entrenched in he Pelicans rotation, averaging just under 9 points a game.
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge features first and second year NBA players in an exhibition game the Friday night (February 17th) before the All-Star game on Sunday. It's televised nationally on TNT.
Hield, a native of the Bahamas, will play on the World team. His teammates include forward Joel Embiid (Cameroon) of the Philadelphia 76ers, center Nikola Jokic (Serbia) of the Denver Nuggets, forward Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia) of the New York Knicks, guards Emmanuel Mudiay (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Jamal Murray (Canada) of the Denver Nuggets, guardsDanté Exum (Australia) and forward Trey Lyles (Canada) of the Utah Jazz, center Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and forward Dario Saric (Croatia) of the 76ers.
The opposing U.S. Team features big man Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, guard Devin Booker and forward Marquese Chriss of the Phoenix Suns, guard Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks, forward Brandon Ingram and guard D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers, center Frank Kaminsky of the Charlotte Hornets, center Jahlil Okafor of the Philadelphia 76ers, guard Jonathan Simmons of the San Antonio Spurs and forward Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers.