Wizards rookie guard Bradley Beal was named to the 18-man pool of players for the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star weekend.
Beal, who is third in scoring among rookies with 13.2 points per game, was one of nine-first year players chosen along with Anthony Davis (New Orleans), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Charlotte), Damian Lillard (Portland), Harrison Barnes (Golden State), Andre Drummond (Detroit), Alexey Shved (Minnesota), Dion Waiters & Tyler Zeller (Cleveland).
With Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson among nine second-year players, the Cavaliers lead all teams with four selections. The rest of the sophomore selections are Kenneth Faried (Denver), Brandon Knight (Detroit), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio), Chandler Parsons (Houston), Klay Thompson (Golden State), Nikola Vucevic (Orlando), and Kemba Walker (Charlotte).
The rookies will be mixed with sophomores for a second straight season, with teams chosen by TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. The game will take place Friday, Feb. 15, at 9 p.m.
The complete pool:
Harrison Barnes Golden State F 6-8 210 North Carolina/USA R
Bradley Beal Washington G 6-5 207 Florida/USA R
Anthony Davis New Orleans F 6-10 220 Kentucky/USA R
Andre Drummond Detroit C 6-10 270 Connecticut/USA R
Kenneth Faried Denver F 6-8 228 Morehead State/USA 1
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Charlotte G-F 6-7 232 Kentucky/USA R
Kyrie Irving Cleveland G 6-3 191 Duke/USA 1
Brandon Knight Detroit G 6-3 189 Kentucky/USA 1
Kawhi Leonard San Antonio F 6-7 225 San Diego State/USA 1
Damian Lillard Portland G 6-3 195 Weber State/USA R
Chandler Parsons Houston F 6-9 207 Florida/USA 1
Alexey Shved Minnesota G 6-6 182 CSKA/Russia R
Klay Thompson Golden State G 6-7 205 Washington State/USA 1
Tristan Thompson Cleveland F 6-9 227 Texas/USA 1
Nikola Vucevic Orlando C 7-0 240 USC/USA 1
Dion Waiters Cleveland G 6-4 215 Syracuse/USA R
Kemba Walker Charlotte G 6-1 185 Connecticut/USA 1
Tyler Zeller Cleveland F/C 7-0 250 North Carolina/USA R
