Rising Stars Challenge
The first Rising Stars Challenge took place on the 12th of February 1994 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Penny Hardaway won the MVP award for that inaugural game. The event was originally called the Rookie Challenge and featured two randomly selected teams of first-year players. This format continued until 1996 when it shifted to a conference-based matchup between Eastern and Western Conference rookies. In 1999, the NBA lockout caused the cancellation of the game entirely. The 1998 rookie class did not compete that year due to the labor dispute. When the game returned in 2000, it adopted a new format pairing rookies against sophomores. This Rookies versus Sophomores structure remained unchanged through the 2012 season. The name officially changed to Rising Stars Challenge in 2012 to reflect the inclusion of second-year players.
Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal became the first honorary coaches in 2012 with Team Chuck and Team Shaq respectively. Chris Webber and Grant Hill took over coaching duties in 2014 before the format shifted again. The 2015 edition introduced Team USA versus Team World with specific positional requirements including four back courts and four front courts per squad. Each team needed at least three rookies and three sophomores on their roster. The game duration changed from standard quarters to two twenty-minute halves plus multiple five-minute overtime periods similar to college basketball rules. Players wore their regular team uniforms except during 2009 when fan-designed jerseys were used instead. Active NBA players joined the coaching staffs starting in 2009 alongside the lead assistant coaches of the All-Star Game. The tournament-style format began in 2022 with four teams of seven players each competing for a Final Target Score of 75 points total.
Kevin Durant scored 46 points during the 2009 Rookie Challenge setting a single-game record that still stands today. Amar'e Stoudemire set an earlier record with 36 points in the 2004 game held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Daniel Gibson made history by hitting 11 three-pointers during the 2008 contest. Chris Paul recorded 9 steals in the 2007 game which remains the highest single-game steal total ever achieved. Andrew Wiggins won MVP honors after scoring 22 points while adding 18 rebounds and three blocks in the 2015 matchup. Zach LaVine led Team USA to victory in 2016 with 30 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. That same year Team USA defeated Team World 157-154 in what became the highest-scoring game in Rising Stars Challenge history. Jamal Murray tied the scoring record with 36 points during the 2017 edition held in New Orleans.
The NBA G League Ignite program joined the Rising Stars Challenge for the first time in 2022 with four players selected from their ranks. Scoot Henderson and Jaden Hardy were among the early G League prospects added to the player pool alongside traditional rookies and sophomores. The format expanded again in 2023 to include seven G League players instead of just four from the Ignite team. Jason Terry coached a dedicated G League team starting in 2023 that competed separately from the main draft teams. Detlef Schrempf took over coaching duties for the G League squad in 2024 while Jeremy Lin handled similar responsibilities in 2025. The 2025 roster included players like Mac McClung from Osceola Magic and Pat Spencer from Santa Cruz Warriors representing various G League affiliates beyond just Ignite. This integration allowed the league to showcase developmental talent alongside traditional rookie classes for the first time in the event's thirty-one year history.
COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the 2021 Rising Stars Challenge despite rosters being officially announced by the league. The NBA still named participants including LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton who would have played had the game occurred. Zion Williamson was selected as Wendell Carter Jr.'s replacement after the original participant suffered an ankle injury during training. Ja Morant and Michael Porter Jr. were among the sophomores named to the World Team before the event was scrapped entirely. The All-Star Weekend itself was downsized due to pandemic restrictions making the exhibition game impossible to stage safely. No official MVP was awarded since no game took place that year. The rosters remained on record even though the competition never happened on court.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the first Rising Stars Challenge take place?
The first Rising Stars Challenge took place on the 12th of February 1994 at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Penny Hardaway won the MVP award for that inaugural game.
Who coached Team USA and Team World during the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge format change?
Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal became the first honorary coaches in 2012 with Team Chuck and Team Shaq respectively before Chris Webber and Grant Hill took over coaching duties in 2014. The 2015 edition introduced Team USA versus Team World with specific positional requirements including four back courts and four front courts per squad.
What is the single-game scoring record for the Rising Stars Challenge?
Kevin Durant scored 46 points during the 2009 Rookie Challenge setting a single-game record that still stands today. Amar'e Stoudemire set an earlier record with 36 points in the 2004 game held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles while Jamal Murray tied the scoring record with 36 points during the 2017 edition held in New Orleans.
How many G League players joined the Rising Stars Challenge in 2023?
The format expanded again in 2023 to include seven G League players instead of just four from the Ignite team. Jason Terry coached a dedicated G League team starting in 2023 that competed separately from the main draft teams.
Why was the 2021 Rising Stars Challenge cancelled?
COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the 2021 Rising Stars Challenge despite rosters being officially announced by the league. No official MVP was awarded since no game took place that year because the All-Star Weekend itself was downsized due to pandemic restrictions making the exhibition game impossible to stage safely.