Ben Simmons joins Rising Stars game on World Team
Ben Simmons might have missed out on All-Stars selection in his rookie season, but he will be joining the 2018 Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars on 16 Feb, 9 p.m. ET (17 Feb, 1 p.m. AEDT) at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Simmons was third in Eastern All-Star guard votes behind Kyrie Irving and DeMar DeRozan, and failed to make the starting roster. NBA coaches decided the remaining roster spots, and elected for John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kyle Lowry and Victor Oladipo as back court reserves.
[Read: Should Ben Simmons have made the All-Star game?]
The Rising Stars event highlights three Philadelphia players in Simmons, and teammates Joel Embiid, Dario Saric. This year, the 76ers are tied for most number of players alongside the Los Angeles Lakers (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma).
Like previous Rising Stars games, this event will feature a combination of NBA rookies and sophomores, split up into the World Team, and the US team. This year's World Team features players from nine different countries.
Simmons, who was the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November, is on track to become the first rookie to average at least 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in a regular season, since Magic Johnson in 1979-80. He has also produced five triple-doubles so far in the 2017-18 NBA season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97z6_f70eso&feature=youtu.be
Highlights courtesy Brotherhood Studios (Facebook)
Simmons continues to make a strong case for Rookie of the Year, as he leads the Philadelphia 76ers alongside Joel Embiid.
The NBA’s assistant coaches were in charge of rosters, with every team submitting one ballot, selecting four guards, four front court players and two players at either position group for each team. They also picked a minimum of three first-year NBA players and three second-year NBA players for each team.
The head coaches for the Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars will be the lead assistant coaches from the 2018 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs. The All-Star coaching staffs are determined by the best record in each conference through games played on Sunday, Feb. 4 among teams with eligible head coaches. Boston head coach Brad Stevens and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr are ineligible to coach in the NBA All-Star Game because they did so last year.
World Team Roster
Ben Simmons (PHI)
Bogdan Bogdanovic (SAC)
Buddy Hield (SAC)
Dario Saric (PHI)
Dillon Brooks (MEM)
Domantas Sabonis (IND)
Frank Ntilikina (NYK)
Joel Embiid (PHI)
Lauri Markkanen (CHI)
US Team Roster
Brandon Ingram (LAL)
Dennis Smith Jr (DAL)
Donovan Mitchell (UTA)
Jaylen Brown (BOS)
Jayson Tatum (BOS)
John Collins (ATL)
Kris Dunn (CHI)
Kyle Kuzma (LAL)
Lonzo Ball (LAL)
Malcolm Brogdon (MIL)