In a major upset, global sensation Jeremy Lin was added to the player pool for the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend.
Lin, the second-year point guard of the New York Knicks, was a late addition to the pool, as was Miami Heat rookie guard Norris Cole.
TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal served as GMs and chose from a pool of 10 sophomores and 10 rookies. Here are there picks (O’Neal had the first pick):
TEAM SHAQ
Blake Griffin
Greg Monroe
Markieff Morris
Ricky Rubio
Jeremy Lin
Kemba Walker
Landry Fields
Norris Cole
Brandon Knight
Tristan Thompson
TEAM CHUCK
DeMarcus Cousins
Derrick Williams
Paul George
Kyrie Irving
MarShon Brooks
John Wall
Gordon Hayward
Tiago Splitter
Evan Turner
Kawhi Leonard
The inaugural Rising Stars Challenge is Friday night, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.
Shaq’s team is so weak on wings it’s ridiculous. I’m a huge Lin guy, but taking him and Norris Cole over Alec Burks or Iman Shumpert doesn’t make sense to me. You’ve got Rubio, Kemba, and Knight already. Adding ColeTrain and Jeremy seems foolish. Then again, it’s just an exhibition game.
Christian,
Don’t fret so much. Red Auerbach once coached Allen Iverson in one of these games.
CB