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How a Change in Rising Stars Format Would Have Helped Nets’ Young Players

By Sean Costello

Jan 28, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert (22) dribbles in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) at Target Center. The Timberwolves beat the Nets 129-109. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert (22) dribbles in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) at Target Center. The Timberwolves beat the Nets 129-109. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /
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This February in New Orleans, the NBA will continue to use their Team World vs. Team USA format for its annual Rising Stars Challenge. With no Brooklyn Nets players in the game itself, maybe a change to the format would earn the young guys their spots on the roster.

On Wednesday afternoon, the NBA announced the rosters for their Rising Stars challenge that will take place the Friday night before the All-Star Game, along with the annual Celebrity game. Two years ago, the NBA changed the format of the game from two’ teams chosen by legends, to a format containing two unusual teams, Team USA and Team World.

In the third year of the unusual format, there have been some players that believe they would be playing, had it been in another format rather than the current one. So, what if the NBA scrapped this format and went with a rather typical one? And that would be the old East vs. West format.

The last time the NBA actually used the East vs. West format was back nearly 18 years ago during the 1998-99 season. I personally would definitely enjoy seeing this format rather than the NBA’s current format for the high scoring shootout between the young guns.

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As a Nets fan, it may seem I am being a little biased in saying this, but I feel this format would benefit the Nets players. The Nets could have possibly had three rookies and sophomores on the Eastern Conference team. The three players are Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and rookies Isaiah Whitehead and Caris LeVert.

For the rookies, it seems they would have their tickets to New Orleans punched in if the NBA had used the East vs. West format. The young guys are both making names for themselves in the league already, as both Whitehead and LeVert are not only in the top 10 of the NBA’s rookie ladder, but top 10 in scoring among rookies as well.

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Those two things aren’t the only categories the Nets’ rooks are dominating in. Both are top 10 in field goals and assists among Eastern Conference rookies. These are very good numbers for the number 20 and 42 picks in the 2016 NBA Draft and guys who were highly regarded as “risks” to draft.

As for the Nets’ second year swingman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, he is a bubble player as far as making this roster goes. He definitely has a case to be made as he is top 10 in points per game, as well as top 10 in rebounds per game among Eastern Conference sophomores.

Hollis-Jefferson’s game is not offensive-minded, yet he’s ranking in the top of his class as far as stats go. That shows how good he is overall; he is a versatile and all-around player that the Nets will use as a role player going forward.

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This wouldn’t be the first time the Nets find a player not participating in All-Star weekend festivities. Many believe that there were plenty of years where big man Brook Lopez should have been an All-Star.

As for more recently, last year, Hollis-Jefferson suffered an injury early on in the season, forcing him to sit out until March, and he was not selected into this same competition. Although this isn’t a snub since Hollis-Jefferson missed so much time and of course would not have been able to play, it is a bit disappointing to know that this is the second year in a row the Nets will not have anyone representing them in any competitions during All-Star Weekend.

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As the Nets’ struggles continue on, the young guys have been a bright spot in a season that is looking to end worse than last year. Sure, none of those young guys, or any player on the roster in general will find themselves in “The Big Easy” in a few weeks, but it is understandable.

As a fan, it’s tough to know that the league is not recognizing the talent that the Nets have on their roster. Then again, that’s understandable considering how the Rising Stars Challenge and the other activities during the action-packed weekend work.

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With that being said, I will leave you with these three words that seem to be very fitting at this point: maybe next year.