Rookie Jabari Smith Jr. and second-year prospects Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun will represent the Houston Rockets in the Rising Stars event, which is part of the NBA’s 2023 All-Star weekend, on Friday, Feb. 17.
The 21 NBA players (11 rookies, 10 sophomores) who were selected to the event by NBA assistant coaches will be drafted onto three seven-player teams. Seven NBA G League players selected by the league office comprise the fourth team.
To select the 21 NBA players, each NBA team submitted a rookie ballot and sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two more players of any position in order of preference. Coaches were not allowed to vote for any player on their team.
Points were awarded based on where a player was ranked on each ballot, and the players with the highest total points made the cut.
Former NBA players Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, Deron Williams and Jason Terry will serve as honorary head coaches, while assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will join them.
Rising Stars tournament games will be played to a target score, meaning each game will be won on a shot or free throw instead of the clock running out. The first two games will be played to 40 points, and the final game between the winners will be played to 25 points.
The NBA announced rosters for the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars event, with Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green, center Alperen Sengun and forward Jabari Smith Jr. all being selected. #Rockets are the only team with three representatives.
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) January 31, 2023
The rebuilding Rockets, who are among the youngest teams this season, are the only NBA team with three players in the competition.
Entering February, key 2022-23 season statistics (on a per-game basis) for Houston’s prospect trio are as follows:
- Green: 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 34.6 minutes
- Sengun: 15.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 28.0 minutes
- Smith: 11.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, 29.6 minutes
Third-year forward KJ Martin is also expected to take part in the annual slam dunk contest.
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It’s OFFICIAL! Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. will be representing the #Rockets in the 2023 Rising Stars Game!
Let the countdown begin. pic.twitter.com/geiXGvQODa
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 31, 2023
