This year the NBA All Star weekend has replaced the "Rookie Challenge" with something called the "BBVA Rising Stars Challenge". Eighteen rookies and sophomores were chosen by NBA assistant coaches to form a pool from which TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal chose from to form two teams. At the last minute, two more rookies were added to the pool in Jeremy Lin and Norris Cole bringing each roster up to ten.
The teams were chosen earlier today on TNT. Go here to see the official TNT video.
The first overall pick (by Shaquille O'Neal) is duh... Blake Griffin. The second... Kyrie Irving (!) The strangest thing is that John Wall, first round pick two summers ago, doesn't go until the twelfth pick. Here are the rosters, in order of their picks:
SHAQ: Blake Griffin, Jeremy Lin, Ricky Rubio, Greg Monroe, Markieff Morris, Kemba Walker, Landry Fields, Norris Cole, Brandon Wright, Tristan Thompson
CHARLES: Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George, Derrick Williams, MarShon Brooks, John Wall, Gordon Hayward, Tiago Splitter, Evan Turner, Kawhi Leonard
0 recs | 11 comments
go blake
he should have a field day against all these guards
jon y - February 16, 2012
John Wall?
I wonder why…
SurfinQ00 - February 16, 2012
Yeah... maybe it isn't that strange.
But they picked MarShon Brooks, Markieff Morris, and Kemba Walker before Wall…
John Raffo - February 16, 2012
that is just downright wrong
Wall might not have the best of seasons but he still has way more potential then either of those players.
BelgianClipper - February 16, 2012
I doubt this is going to be that serious.
I don’t believe Blake will play that much seeing as he is in the REAL All Star game, just like last year. I honestly just want to see a couple of Linsanity-Griffin or Rubio-Griffin Lobs and that’s good enough for me.
SurfinQ00 - February 16, 2012
Yeah... Blake apparently bowed out of the dunk competition...
Would just as well liked to see him drop out of this one.
But this one’s on Friday, big game Sunday, no work on Saturday for Blake.
John Raffo - February 16, 2012
Was Barkley picking names out of a hat?
Thankful he doesn’t run an actual team. What a lopsided draft.
dulciusXasperis - February 16, 2012
His team is actually the more balanced one
Shaq’s team has way too many guards, however that it is fine in a no D all star style game.
bestclipfan - February 16, 2012
yeah but like you said, no D
Guards and shooters thrive in all star games.
dulciusXasperis - February 16, 2012
Is Blake even going to play this one?
I’m guessing Shaq must have heard he was… otherwise it was the Danny Ferry pick!
ClipperChuck - February 16, 2012
I assume he would have bowed out before the "draft"... but...
John Raffo - February 17, 2012
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