SALT LAKE CITY (January 29, 2014) – The NBA announced today that Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke has been selected to the 2014 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge to be played Friday, Feb. 14, in New Orleans during NBA All-Star 2014. The participants in the Rising Stars Challenge, which features two teams each consisting of nine rookies and sophomores mixed together, were chosen by the NBA’s assistant coaches, with one ballot submitted per team.
“It’s an honor to be chosen to the Rising Stars Challenge and to be able to represent the Jazz during All-Star Weekend,” said Burke. “The coaching staff and my teammates here in Utah have put me in a position to earn this recognition. I am thankful for this opportunity and look forward to playing in the game.”
A 2013 first-round draft pick (ninth overall) out of Michigan, Burke is currently averaging 13.3 points, 5.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 33 games (31 starts) during his rookie season. The 6-1, 190-pound guard has scored in double figures 24 times this season, grabbed 10+ assists three times and registered a double-double on three occasions. On December 18, Burke set the NBA rookie high-mark for scoring this season, registering 30 points along with eight assists and seven rebounds at Orlando. He was also named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played during the month of December.
Burke will be the eighth player in Jazz history to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge, joining Bryon Russell (1994), Andrei Kirilenko (2002, 2003), Deron Williams (2006, 2007), Paul Millsap (2007, 2008), Ronnie Brewer (2008), Derrick Favors (2012) and Gordon Hayward (2012).
The 18 selected NBA rookies and sophomores (nine each) will be mixed together on teams for the third-straight year. The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge Draft is scheduled for Thursday, February 6, and will be televised on TNT at 5 p.m. MST. General Managers for the two teams will be announced at a later date.
Following the announcement of each team on February 6, fans will be able to vote online from both their computer and mobile device for the starters of each team. The starting lineups will be determined by the players garnering the top votes for their respective positions, with two backcourt and three frontcourt spots for each team. The announcement of the starting lineups will be made in broadcast and in-arena on the night of the game. The head coaches for both teams will be the lead assistant coaches from the 2014 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs.
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge will be played on Friday, February 14 at 7 p.m. MST at New Orleans Arena, site of that Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game. The game will be televised live nationally on TNT and broadcast on ESPN Radio.