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The rookie-sophomore games have a bit more suspense to them, in terms of player performance, than the All Star games. These players are largely unproven when you compare them to the All Stars. All rookies are on such a large stage for the first time, and are hungry to prove themselves. The sophomores are raring to establish their superiority and teach the young ones the pecking order. The All Star game has a touch of mellowness to it when compared to this one. For 12 years from 2000 to 2011, the rookies and sophomores were pitted against each other in the event featuring them. The one part where the suspense has been a bit less, the outcome. Sophomores usually win. The head to head record reads thus-
2000 – Rookies 92, Sophomores 81 (OT)2001 – Sophomores 121, Rookies 1132002 – Rookies 103, Sophomores 972003 – Sophomores 132, Rookies 1122004 – Sophomores 142, Rookies 1182005 – Sophomores 133, Rookies 1062006 – Sophomores 106, Rookies 962007 – Sophomores 155, Rookies 1142008 – Sophomores 136, Rookies 1092009 – Sophomores 122, Rookies 1162010 – Rookies 140, Sophomores 1282011 – Rookies 148, Sophomores 1402012 – Team Chuck 146, Team Shaq 133
Rookies 3-9 Sophomores. Perhaps to right the balance, since last year they started to mix up the rookies and sophomores in two teams. Actually the last two Rookie vs Sophomore games were won by rookies, so perhaps its a matter of the sophomores wanting to save face by combining the teams together. More likely, it’s simply a better way to have a competitive contest.
The All star starters are selected by the fans’ voting and the reserves are voted on by the coaches. In the 2013 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, the players were voted to a draft pool by the NBA‘s assistant coaches. Following are the players in the pool-
Rookies in the pool-
Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets), Damien Lillard (Portland Trailblazzers), Harrison Barnes (Golden State Warriors), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Bobcats), Alexey Shved (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dion Waiters (Cavaliers), and Tyler Zeller (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Sophomores in the pool-
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets), Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Chandler Parsons (Houston Rockets), Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic), and Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats).
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Draft is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 7. Each team will have nine players chosen from the pool of players above. Instead of East vs West, or Rookies vs Sophomores, there will be two teams- Team Shaq and Team Chuck. Their GMs will be Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. Last year Team Chuck defeated Team Shaq 146-133. The teams will be coached by the lead assistant coaches from the coaching staff of the teams at the All star game. The coaches of the All star game will be the ones from the teams with the best record in the East and West. Last year’s staff can’t coach this year so that rules out the staff from OKC Thunder and Chicago Bulls.
Following are the events at the all star weekend- All star game, Rising Stars Challenge, Sears Shooting Stars, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and Sprite Slam Dunk. Other events at NBA All-Star 2013 include the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and NBA All-Star Jam Session.
