Lijepe vijesti stižu iz SAD-a i NBA lige; dva hrvatska reprezentativca, Mario Hezonja i Bojan Bogdanović, nastupiti će na All-Star vikendu u sklopu ”BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge” utakmice koje se igra u petak, 12. veljače.
Rising Stars je utakmica najboljih igrača prve (rookie) i druge (sophomore) godine, a momčadi će ponovno biti podijeljene na selekciju SAD-a i ostatka svijeta.
Američki roster će predstavljati Jahlil Okafor (rookie, 76ers), Nerlens Noel (sophomore, 76ers), Jordan Clarkson (sophomore, Lakers), D’Angelo Russell (rookie, Lakers), Rodney Hood (sophomore, Jazz), Jabari Parker (sophomore, Bucks), Elfrid Payton (sophomore, Magic), Marcus Smart (sophomore, Celtics), Karl Anthony-Towns (rookie, Timberwolves) i Zach LaVine (sophomore, Timberwolves).
Ekipu ”Svijeta” predstavljat će Kristaps Porzingis (rookie, Knicks), Bojan Bogdanović (sophomore, Nets), Clint Capela (sophomore, Rockets), Mario Hezonja (rookie, Magic), Nikola Jokić (rookie, Nuggets), Emmanuel Mudiay (rookie, Nuggets), Nikola Mirotić (sophomore, Bulls), Raul Neto (rookie, Jazz), Andrew Wiggins (sophomore, Timberwolves) i Dwight Powell (sophomore, Mavericks).