Jarrett Allen and Rodions Kurucs will represent the Brooklyn Nets at Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. Here’s how to watch.
The biggest question fans of the Brooklyn Nets have entering the Rising Stars Challenge Friday night at NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte: Will there be Brooklyn-on-Brooklyn crime in the annual game of the league’s top rookies and second-year players?
Second-year center Jarrett Allen of the Nets will play for Team USA in the 25th edition of the Rising Stars Challenge Friday night. Forward Rodions Kurucs, his teammate in Brooklyn, will oppose him as a member of Team World.
And it didn’t take long for the gauntlet to be dropped.
Allen, who has made a reputation with his denials at the rim of some of the game’s biggest stars, including LeBron James, Blake Griffin, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, told Kurucs when the pair was selected Jan. 29 that he was coming to block his shot.
Allen reiterated that Friday morning at the practice and media availability for Friday’s game.
Kurucs, the confident Latvian rookie who boasted of looking forward to playing against countryman Kristaps Porzingis so he could “beat his ass,” said essentially — challenge accepted.
Alright @_bigjayy_, it’s on now 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/e6EvZef1CU
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) January 30, 2019
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This year’s Rising Stars Challenge marks the third time the Nets have had two players selected, but just the second time those teammates will go head-to-head. In 2015, Bojan Bogdanovic played for Team World, with Mason Plumlee on Team USA.
In the 2001 Rookie Challenge, as it was called then, Kenyon Martin and Stephen Jackson of the New Jersey Nets both were on the Rookies squad.
Allen and Kurucs are part of an NBA-high four Nets participating in All-Star Weekend festivities. Joe Harris will compete in Saturday night’s Three-Point Contest and D’Angelo Russell was named to replace injured Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers in Sunday’s All-Star Game.
The Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors also have four representatives this weekend and every team has at least one, though Oladipo — the lone Pacer named to any of the events — will not play after last momth rupturing the quad tendon in his right leg.
Team USA includes:
- Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn Nets
- Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento Kings
- Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers (out due to injury)
- John Collins, Atlanta Hawks
- De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
- Kevin Knox, New York Knicks (injury replacement)
- Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers
- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
- Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Team World consists of:
- OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors
- Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LA Clippers
- Rodions Kurucs, Brooklyn Nets
- Lauri Markkanen. Chicago Bulls
- Josh Okogie, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Cedi Osman, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Bogdanovic is the reigning MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge after scoring 26 points to lead Team World to a 155-124 victory at New Orleans last year.
Here is how to watch the Rising Stars Challenge Friday night:
Rising Stars Challenge: Team USA vs. Team World
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, N.C.
Time: 9 p.m. Eastern
TV: TNT
Live Stream: Fubo (try it free)
The Rising Stars Challenge will follow the first event of All-Star Friday, the All-Star Celebrity Game.