HOUSTON – Houston Rockets forward Terrence Jones was named today one of the 18 players selected for the 2014 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge to be played Friday, Feb. 14, in New Orleans during NBA All-Star 2014.
The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge will be televised live nationally on TNT at 8 p.m. (CT) and broadcast live on ESPN Radio, with live audio also available on NBA.com in multiple languages. The contest features two teams each consisting of nine rookies and nine sophomores mixed together, drafted from a pool selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches. The head coaches for both teams will be the lead assistant coaches from the 2014 NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs.
Jones (6-9, 252, Kentucky) is averaging 11.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.45 blocks in 42 games for the Rockets this season. He is also posting averages 12.8 points, 8.3 boards and 1.54 blocks in his 37 starts in 2013-14. Jones, who stands 15th overall in the NBA in blocks per game (1.45), posted a career-high 36 points (14-20 FG, 7-10 FT), 11 boards and two blocks vs. Milwaukee (1/18/14). He scored 21 of those points on a perfect 7-of-7 from the field (7-8 FT) in the second quarter, marking the best scoring quarter by a Rockets player this season. He became the second youngest player in Rockets history to post his first 30-point game at 22 years and nine days. Jones added 25 points (10-17 FG) and tied his career high of six blocks in a 103-100 win at New Orleans (1/15/14). He became the only other Rockets player in last 10 years besides Yao Ming to reach at least 25 points and five blocks in a single game. After posting just one double-double in his entire rookie campaign, Jones has already notched 13 double-doubles midway through his sophomore season.
The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge Draft is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6, televised exclusively on TNT at 6 p.m. (CT). General Managers for the teams will be announced at a later date. Following the announcement of each team on Feb. 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 lineup will be made in broadcast and in-arena on the night of the game.