In a unique position to send three players to the Rising Stars Challange tonight in Chicago, the New Orleans Pelicans’ will have chances to soar in the Windy City.
Let the festivities begin! It’s time for All-Star Weekend in Chicago, as the action begins with the Rising Stars Challange on Friday night, featuring a smattering of New Orleans Pelicans.
Represented on Team World by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and late-addition Nicolò Melli, with Zion Williamson representing Team USA, the trio from New Orleans will get the chance to square off for the first time outside of scrimmage situations.
Certainly, it’ll be a great chance for fans to get eyes on some exciting young talents from the New Orleans Pelicans, with most probably paying particularly close attention to Williamson.
You’ll never guess which booth is for @Zionwilliamson 🎙#NBARisingStars pic.twitter.com/0sV9U0uM3X
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 14, 2020
It’s a shame that Jaxson Hayes wasn’t added to the Rising Stars roster at any point, as his addition would put all four of the New Orleans Pelicans rookie players in the event.
While his profanity-laced video was an unfortunate viral moment, his ability to make the rim rattle will be missed at what should otherwise be a pretty fun night of basketball.
OH MY JAXSON HAYES. pic.twitter.com/8eoOIs0axj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 7, 2020
Hayes averages 7.9 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 66.4% from the field, mostly coming on high-efficiency looks around the painted area.
The 19-year-old center also leads all rookies with 51 blocked shots, with Chicago Bulls’ center Daniel Gafford in a distant second-place with 42 blocks.
One snub won’t ruin the whole event by any means, as the teams have a fairly exciting assortment of talent on display.
With Alexander-Walker, Melli, and Williamson all getting a chance to play with an assortment of different teammates, each has a chance to make an impression on the league with their performance in tonight’s action.
Nicolò Melli, Team World
Nicolò Melli might not be a household name or even a familiar face to even the NBA’s most-rabid league pass watchers. However, his game is getting some appreciation, as the Italian rookie picked up a nod in the challenge on pretty short notice.
Averaging 6.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and shooting 37.4% on 3 attempts from three per contest, Melli is adjusting well to the NBA and seems to get better with each passing week. His spot on the team came just days before the competition, but his late addition was well earned.
Joining the team after Deandre Ayton of Canada and the Phoenix Suns had to drop out from the competition, Melli will certainly be the oldest player on either Rising Stars roster.
However, Melli never intended to go to the Windy City, as the rookie will quickly have to adjust and to head to brace the17º F in Chicago, IL this weekend.
"We were having a huddle, then David Griffin came to me and said, "Hey Nic, congratulations! You're going to Rising Stars."
— The Bird Writes (@thebirdwrites) February 14, 2020
"I said,"Are you joking?!" Everyone knows I wanted to go to the Bahamas on vacation."
Nicolo Melli said he's still going to the Bahamas
Planning way ahead of time to take a trip to the Bahamas with his girlfriend, Melli was about to head somewhere much warmer and more tropical, but instead, he’ll get a chance to check out some of the All-Star Weekend festivities in the short run.
Melli is 29-years-old and really is the misfit among the group, many of which are teenagers who played just one year of college basketball before jumping into the league.
The best thing that could happen for Melli in this one is to simply not get hurt before his vacation; sure, it would be nice to see him knock down some threes to help represent the New Orleans Pelicans, but our young forward is looking forward to warmer days.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Team World
While he hasn’t been playing many minutes for the New Orleans Pelicans this season, Nickeil Alexander-Walker has a chance to shine in a bigger role in this early-career showcase.
His numbers haven’t been that exciting, as he’s averaged 5 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2 assists as an occasional member of the team’s rotations between the bench unit.
During the preseason, Alexander-Walker thrilled off of the Pelicans’ bench, often getting the chance to close out games in key moments for a team that went 5-0 in the exhibition season.
To make the most of his appearance in the Rising Stars celebration, it would be great to see Alexander-Walker get extended run time for the first time in a long time.
Theoretically, if he can get out on the court and hit a couple of nice shots, he could start getting some momentum back into his rookie season, as he’s been limited to just 12.2 minutes in 41 games this season, despite the team’s need for backups due to early-season injuries.
Between his 33.6% rate from three this season and his 3.7 turnovers per 100 possessions, Alexander-Walker has been a little underwhelming this season for the Pelicans, so getting some good runtime will be crucial for the guard.
It would be great to see Nickeil hit a few threes tonight, as it seems like he hasn’t had a whole lot of confidence in that shot during the regular season after scorching the earth from deep during the Summer League.
Overall, it’ll just be nice to see Alexander-Walker get some minutes. While he’s a really promising young talent, he simply hasn’t done enough to earn the trust of Alvin Gentry. Perhaps with a little boost of confidence from the Rising Stars challenge, he can start carrying some energy into the Pelicans’ lineups.
Zion Williamson, Team USA
Replacing Wendell Carter Jr as an interior big for Team USA, Zion Williamson is getting a well-deserved appearance in this game. After all, there might not be another player in the league who fits the “Rising Star” tag as much as Williamson.
Playing in just 10 games, the impact Zion brings every night is tangible. He’s averaging 22.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and shooting 57.6% from the floor despite playing on a strong minute restriction in his first handful of NBA opportunities.
Perhaps one of the most anticipated watches of the weekend, there’s certain to be plenty of attention on Williamson during tonight’s action.
The best thing for Zion in this game is to stay healthy and just have a heck of a time playing with a cast of other thrilling youngsters. Hopefully, for the fans, he can bring some thunderous moments that’ll light up social media, just as he’s done in practically all 10 games so far in his career.
"Zion clears out!"#WBD pic.twitter.com/HxsQF9SKFo
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 14, 2020
While some fans might wish they could catch Zion in the dunk contest instead of some of this year’s lesser-known competitors, they’ll be able to tune in and see some of his highlight-reel plays as a portion of the Rising Stars action.
At some point in the next few seasons (emphasis on next season), Williamson is going to be representing the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA All-Star Game.
Hopefully, he’ll get the chance to make an All-Star appearance in tandem with Brandon Ingram at some point, as both look like longtime fits for the team’s bright future.
As the biggest representative of New Orleans Pelicans basketball at the moment, local fans should have plenty of interest in tuning into the competition.