The NBA’s All-Star weekend is not just a chance for the league to showcase established stars but also to feature some young talent. On February 14, the Rising Stars Game will take place, and some of the best young talents in the league will face off in a tournament. Four teams will be competing against each other—three consisting of 10 NBA rookies and 11 sophomores and one featuring seven G League players.
What is new this year is that the winning team of the Rising Stars tournament will get to go on to the NBA All-Star Game and play against the biggest stars in the league.
The NBA is debuting a brand-new All-Star format this season. Rather than playing East vs. West or having two All-Star captains draft their teams, the 24 players who were selected as All-Stars were divided into three teams, drafted by Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith. Those three teams, as well as the winner of the Rising Stars competition, will face off in a mini-tournament, featuring three games. Each player on the winning team will receive $125,000, while the players on the second-place team will get $50,000 each, and all others $25,000.
The new format is an attempt to shake up the All-Star Game and make it more competitive again. For quite some time now, many NBA fans have lamented the lack of effort in the NBA All-Star Game.
Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero did not make it to the All-Star Game this season, but the Magic are still sending some representatives to San Francisco.
Every Magic player to compete in the Rising Stars Game
Tristan da Silva
Tristan da Silva is the lone rookie on this Magic roster, and he has been one of the few steady presences in an injury-ridden season. Da Silva is currently averaging 8.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists over 49 games. Amid all the injuries, he was pushed into a much bigger role than initially anticipated but did not crumble under the pressure.
Da Silva was drafted by Tim Hardaway Sr. for the Rising Stars game, joining fellow rookies Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr.
Anthony Black
Anthony Black is currently in the midst of a much improved sophomore season. As a rookie, he struggled to find a consistent role, as Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, and Markelle Fultz all got minutes at the guard spots ahead of him. Now, Black is a consistent part of the Magic’s rotation and averages 8.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1 steal over 49 games.
Black was also drafted by Tim Hardaway Sr., joining Tristan da Silva.
Mac McClung
The Magic are also sending a G League player to the Rising Stars Game. Mac McClung has only appeared in one game with the Orlando Magic this season but is putting up big numbers in the G League, averaging 17.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists.
Besides being named a Rising Star, McClung will also participate in the NBA Dunk Contest, trying to get a third consecutive win against Matas Buzelis, Stephon Castle, and Andre Jackson Jr.