Buddy Hield to play in BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
New Orleans Pelicans’ rookie guard Buddy Hield will be a participant in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, representing “Team World”.
The National Basketball Association have selected New Orleans Pelicans’ rookie guard Buddy Hield to play on the World Team, for the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Pelicans announce Buddy Hield will be playing in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge in New Orleans.
— Pelican Debrief (@PelicanDebrief) January 25, 2017
With the selection, Hield became the third player in franchise history and the first since Anthony Davis in 2014 to play in the Rookie Challenge or Rising Stars Challenge.
The Freeport, Bahamas native ranks fourth among rookies in points per game. He averages nearly nine points per game and is shooting 37 percent from three-point range. Hield also averages nearly three rebounds and one assist in 20 minutes of action each contest.
Drafted as the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft from the University of Oklahoma, Hield was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month of December. He led all rookies in scoring, with nearly 11 points per game. His points came off shooting 48 percent from beyond the arc and recording more three pointers than any other first-year NBA players this year with 33.
The NBA’s assistant coaches selected the rosters for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge. Each team of the league’s 30 teams submitted one ballot per coaching staff. Collectively, the coaches chose four guards, four frontcourt players and two players at either position group for each team. They also picked a minimum of three first-year players and three second-year players for each team.
The head coaches for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge will be lead assistant coaches from the 2017 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs.
Along with Hield, the World Team will include Joel Embiid (Cameroon) of the Philadelphia 76ers, Serbian center Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks, Emmanuel Mudiay (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Jamal Murray (Canada) of the Denver Nuggets, Danté Exum (Australia) and Trey Lyles (Canada) of the Utah Jazz, Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dario Saric (Croatia) of the 76ers.
The U.S. Team will feature Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Devin Booker and Marquese Chriss of the Phoenix Suns, Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Ingram and D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers, Frank Kaminsky of the Charlotte Hornets, Jhalil Okafor of the Philadelphia 76ers, Jonathan Simmons of the San Antonio Spurs and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers.
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The game will be televised live by TNT at 8:00 p.m. CST on Friday, Feb. 17 from the Smoothie King Center. The game will also be available on the Watch TNT App and on TNT Overtime.