SAN FRANCISCO — Rising stars usually have to wait their turn to step on the big stage. They play on All-Star Weekend before it’s technically the weekend, a Friday night preview of future greatness from the NBA’s finest collection of precocious novices.
But things changed on Valentine’s Day in the Bay. The NBA’s response to the recent embarrassment of Sunday’s All-Star Game is a new mini-tournament format being introduced this season. The All-Star rosters were divided into three teams of eight, managed by Inside the NBA’s crew of Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.
The fourth entrant in Sunday’s All-Star tournament is the winner of the Rising Stars championship, which will be coached by TNT analyst Candace Parker. In a preview of Sunday’s All-Star mini-tournament, the Rising Stars group also was divided into three squads with a fourth entrant comprised of G League players completing the bracket.
Stephon Castle and Dalton Knecht led Team C to victory, becoming the first Rising Stars team to compete against the league’s biggest names on Sunday.
“About to play my first All-Star Game. That’s crazy as a rookie,” Knecht said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. We are going to try to go out there and put on a show and try to make it competitive for sure. We’re going to try to get that win.”
GO FURTHER
Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht lead Team C to Rising Stars championship, All-Star tourney berth on Sunday
