The league’s brightest young talents have been called upon.
The NBA unveiled the 28-player pool that will make up the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars February 18 showcase. Like the previous year, the Association’s best rookies, sophomores and G-league players will take part in a mini tournament designed to highlight the game’s hottest up-and-comers.
Aside from eye-popping dunks, flashy dimes, and sick crossovers, the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars will also feature players who are bound to become the next superstars of the NBA.
Rookie sensations
Paolo Banchero
Among the chosen ones who are likely to make it big is this super rookie of the Orlando Magic. Possessing physical prowess beyond his age (20). The 6-foot-10, 250-pound power forward has been solid as a rock for his squad, averaging 20.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists through 44 games. So far, he’s living up to the hype of being a top overall pick.
Benedict Mathurin
Posting 17.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists mostly as a sixth man, this 20-year-old forward of the Indiana Pacers is the only guy who could possibly steal the Rookie of the Year trophy away from Banchero. To further understand how good he is, let it be known that the sixth pick of the 2022 NBA Draft has helped Indiana to finish the first half of the season a lot better than expected.
Sizzling sophomores
Evan Mobley
The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 21-year-old 7-footer is most likely to become the next great big man of the NBA. While he may not be as flamboyant as the other stars his age, Mobley will win you over with his fundamentally sound game and sharp instincts on both ends of the floor. At the moment, he’s putting up 15.2 points on 55.4% field goal shooting while grabbing 8.9 boards a night.
Jalen Green
The Houston Rockets’ top gunner is tallying 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest. His current stat line shows improvement across the board. While the Rockets may still be a long way from becoming an elite team, the Fil-Am guard’s steady rise will eventually set him up for a highly successful future in the NBA.
G League’s finest
Scoot Henderson
If not for the otherworldly overall package of Victor Wembanyama, the G League ignite standout will be the consensus no. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. To fully grasp Henderson’s tremendous potential, we’ll just leave this here.