All-Star weekend is set to open with flair in the Rising Stars Challenge, as Rookie of the Year hopefuls Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis face off in a battle between Team USA and the World Team.
Twenty of the NBA's top young rookies and sophomore will be given the chance to revisit their high school and college careers as they again become top options in an offense-heavy affair.
Six top-five picks will be on full display in what on paper looks like a lopsided affair. Team USA holds three of the top four leaders in rookie scoring, including No. 1 pick Towns and Philadelphia 76ers No. 3 pick Jahlil Okafor.
Timberwolves wing Andrew Wiggins will look to answer for the World Team. He returns as the reigning MVP behind a 22-point performance in leading his team to a 121-112 victory a year ago.
Wiggins (Canada) is joined by a fleet of intriguing prospects in Porzingis (Latvia), Emmanuel Mudiay (Republic of Zaire), Mario Hezonja (Croatia) and Nikola Jokic (Serbia). The World Team has height, but not a whole lot of scoring. Wiggins could push into the 30-point range this go-around.
Team USA will look inside to two of the most talented big man finishers in the league in Okafor and Towns. Supporting feeds from talented passers D'Angelo Russell and Marcus Smart should prove effective, as they join Jordan Clarkson in working an inside-out game with the bigs.
It should be another high-scoring event regardless, as teams have posted at least 109 points in every game since 2007.