SH Blog: Silver Changes Rising Stars Format, Three Players Revealed For 2015 Dunk Contest

The 2015 NBA All-Star weekend is approaching quickly. It will happen in just under a month, on the weekend of February 13-15th. Commissioner Adam Silver has decided to switch things up a little bit this time around.

Take the Risings Stars Challenge, the concept that pits first and second-year upcoming talent in the League against one another on the biggest and brightest stage, for example.

Well, it’s really the only example I have right now, to be honest. But it’s a big change, and should make for a much more interesting game for fans and players involved.

Silver and the NBA announced on Wednesday that this year’s Rising Stars game will still feature the best young talent in the game, but will instead be split into Team USA vs. the World. The assistant coaches of the best East and West teams will still be given coaching duties for the two teams.

The rosters will be made up of the best first and second-year guys from the US on one team, the other being made up of the best young international players.

As Matt Moore from CBSSports.com writes, that’s not exactly good for the US:

One team will be comprised of the best first and second-year guys from the US and international players will make up the other team. There will be two ten-man rosters, presumably with five US and international rookies and five US and international sophomores.

And this is not good for Team USA.

A potential roster for the international team: Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Mirotic, Steven Adams, Dennis Schröder, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jusuf Nurkic, Bojan Bogdanovic, Rudy Gobert, Gorgui Dieng, and Dante Exum.

Meanwhile, the US guys look like: Victor Oladipo, Michael Carter-Williams, Elfrid Payton, Nerlens Noel, K.J. McDaniels, Mason Plumlee, Marcus Smart, Tim Hardaway Jr, and… well, yeah.

Either way, it’s a really interesting twist on a stale concept. And it’ll be a huge challenge for the Americans to overcome a more talented international team. It adds some drama. Well done, NBA.

Yeah. You’d be smart to put  your money on the international guys in that one. Sorry USA, that just won’t cut it this year.

You can catch that game on Friday, February 13th at 9:00 p.m. EST on TNT.

THREE REVEALED FOR 2015 DUNK CONTEST

More news from the 2015 NBA All-Star Weekend was released Wednesday regarding the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest that weekend. We don’t have the full roster yet, but we’ve got a pretty solid list of guys that could make things fun to watch this year. It’ll feature some young, bouncy talent from this short list of guys so far.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday that Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Orlango Magic’s guard Victor Oladipo, and Brooklyn Nets’ center Mason Plumlee will take part in this year’s festivities.

I said young and bouncy, didn’t I?

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s nickname is the “Greek Freak”, need I say more?

Along with those three, there’s also been some rumors about other young talent that could join them, as well as more on the Freak and Oladipo, per Wojnarowski:

Brooklyn Nets center Mason Plumlee also will be a part of the competition, sources told Yahoo Sports. Another strong possibility for the competition is Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine, sources said.

[…]

Antetokounmpo and Oladipo have emerged as the two most dynamic players from the 2013 draft class and separated themselves with their ability to play above the rim.

Antetokounmpo, known as the “Greek Freak,” is 6-foot-11 with long arms and massive hands, and has built a cult following for the Elastic Man quality to his dunks. Oladipo has been fast developing as a star for the Magic, and LaVine, 19, has a 44-inch vertical leap.

It still sounds like the NBA will continue to use the format they did last year, with the two teams of three dunkers. I wasn’t a huge fan of it, but it could grow on me. The Sprite Slam Dunk Contest will be on Saturday, February 14th at 8:30 p.m. EST at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 

SHAWN MARION TO RETIRE AFTER SEASON

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Shawn Marion announced on Wednesday that he will retire after the 2014-15 season after what will be his 16th season in the NBA.

Nicknamed “The Matrix”, Marion has had an amazing career after being drafted by the Phoenix Suns ninth overall in the 1999 Draft out of UNLV. He spent nine seasons with the Suns, making all four of his All-Star appearances during his time there.

Trix had his best statistical season of his career with Phoenix in the 2005-06 season, posting per game averages of 21.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.7 blocks. As a guard/forward, this sums up his ability to crash the glass at his 6’7″ size, and guard essentially anyone on the floor.

Paul Coro of AZCentral.com has more from Marion on his decision to retire and his time spent in Phoenix:

When the Suns drafted Marion in 1999, Marion set a goal to play 15 seasons. The 36-year-old believes he could play another three seasons but being away from his first child, 8-month-old Shawn, has convinced him to retire after this season with the Cavaliers.

“I wanted to go out on my terms,” Marion said. “The biggest thing is having a son. I got attached to him. Seeing him periodically is hard. Watching him grow up on pictures and videos is hard.”

Marion considered retirement last summer but chose to sign with Cleveland mostly for a chance at a second championship ring and the proximity to his son in Chicago.

[…]

“I was able to grow as a player and watch the city grow at the same time,” Marion said of his time in the Valley. “I really wish I could’ve won a title in Phoenix. When you spend that much time with an organization and do what I did there, you feel like it’s part of you. The fans there know I came to play and laid it on the line.

“It was a special time. Those were special fans in Phoenix. It’ll always have a part of me. I’m always going to keep a place there.”

If you’re an NBA fan, you love Marion and his game, especially the grit he brings to every team he’s on. He was a huge reason the Mavericks were able to win the 2011 NBA Title over the Miami Heat, when he was responsible for guarding current teammate LeBron James for much of that series.

You and you’re ridiculously unorthodox shot will be severely missed, Matrix. But first of all, hopefully you can help the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first-ever championship and get your second.

HAWKS WIN 14TH STRAIGHT, SEND BUDENHOLZER TO COACH EAST ALL-STARS

With the best record in the East, Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer will be heading to New York for All-Star Weekend in February. After winning their 14th straight game Wednesday night by a score of 110-91 over the Indiana Pacers, the early Coach of the Year candidate deserves to be heading there.

Dan Feldman of NBCSports and ProBasketballTalk.com:

With Atlanta’s 110-91 win over the Pacers tonight, the Hawks clinched the Eastern Conference’s best record through Feb. 1 – the cutoff date for determining which teams will send their coach to the All-Star game. The coach whose team has the best record in each conference coaches in the All-Star game (unless he coached the previous year’s All-Star game, in which case the honor goes to the coach of the second-best team). Atlanta, winners of 14 straight, is up 5.5 games on the second-place Wizards.

A question around the NBA that Feldman brings up in his article above is how many of the Hawks players will join him? It’s been a major discussion over the past week or so, and could be quite a surprise once the All-Stars are selected.

In my opinion, they should have at least two representatives this year, and possibly a third. They’re simply running away with the East right now, their current 14-game win-streak a sign of that, which ties the Atlanta Hawks franchise record for consecutive wins in a row.

They’ll go for the franchise record 15th consecutive win on Friday at home when Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder come to town.

KOBE STILL RECRUITING RONDO 

Did you really think Kobe Bryant, possibly the greatest competitor in the entire NBA, would stop trying to recruit stars to come to the Lakers? If so, shame on you.

Despite Kobe having retirement “cross his mind” after this season, the Mamba isn’t done trying to make the Los Angeles Lakers the center of the basketball universe once again.

Even though he was just traded to the Dallas Mavericks from the Boston Celtics, Kobe will continue to recruit Rajon Rondo to the Lakers until he commits to resign/sign a contract with a team.

According to reports from Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, Kobe will continue to be Rondo’s biggest fan and recruiter:

While Mavericks owner Mark Cuban expressed confidence his club can and will sign Rondo to a new deal, Bryant told the Herald he’s not about to cease working on getting him to LA.

“No way,” Bryant said. “I’m not done. I’m not stopping until he signs an extension.”

He’s 36 and not getting any younger. Kobe needs someone to pass the torch to other than the likes of Swaggy P or Linsanity. Keep pushing, anything can happen!

Stats via Basketball-Reference.com.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SH BLOGS