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All-Star: History of the Rising Stars Challenge

Three Nuggets, Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokić, and Emmanuel Mudiay, were selected to play for the World Team during the Rising Stars Challenge at Smoothie King Center tonight at 7pm MST. Mudiay will not play due to a back injury but he made the trip to New Orleans to take part in other All-Star festivities.

Both Mudiay and Jokić participated in the Rising Stars Challenge last year. Mudiay had 30 points and 10 assists in Team World’s narrow 157-154 loss to Team US.

Before that, Kenneth Faried was the most recent Nuggets player to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge in 2013. He registered 40 points and 10 rebounds, leading Team Chuck to a 163-135 over Team Shaq. Faried was also awarded the Most Valuable Player for his contribution to the victory.

The Rising Stars Challenge, originally known as the Rookie/Sophomore Challenge, is an exhibition game set to lineup rookie NBA players from the United States and internationally to face one another. The selected players are split between the World Team, which is composed of foreign players and the U.S. team for natives of the United States.

The game takes place during All-Star 2017 Weekend as the main event on Friday evening and gives the players an opportunity to be matched up against players in their first or second year in the NBA.

Past Nuggets in the Rising Stars Challenge

  • 2016: Emmanuel Mudiay, Nikola Jokić
  • 2013: Kenneth Faried (MVP)
  • 2005: Carmelo Anthony (MVP)
  • 2004: Carmelo Anthony
  • 2004: Nene
  • 2003: Nene
  • 2000: Raef LaFrentz, James Posey
  • 1998: Danny Fortson, Bobby Jackson
  • 1996: Antonio McDyess
  • 1995: Jalen Rose