While it was reported in error this week that Dallas rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. had been invited to the 2018 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest (Smith refuted reports from Yahoo! Sports’ Shams Charania on Twitter), the high-flying rookie has officially been selected to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge.
The format for the challenge has changed in recent years from rookies vs. sophomores (second-year players) to Team World vs. Team USA. Smith will represent Team USA.
Smith is second in scoring on the Mavericks averaging 14.8 points per game. That mark is good for fifth among active rookies. He’s also fourth among rookies in assists (4.6 per game), fifth in steals (.97 per game) and seventh in minutes per game (28.4).
The rookie has nine 20-point games this season and recorded his first triple double in a win over New Orleans earlier this season.
“It’s a real blessing to be a part of it,” Smith said. “It’s something I’ve been watching my whole life. The whole weekend is something I’d watch with my family.”
Smith will be joined on Team USA by Lonzo Ball (Los Angeles Lakers), Brandon Ingram (Los Angeles Lakers), Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers), Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz), Kris Dunn (Chicago Bulls) and Malcolm Brogdon (Milwaukee Bucks).
Team World consists of Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Dario Saric (Philadelphia 76ers), Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Sacramento Kings), Buddy Hield (Sacramento Kings), Dillon Brooks (Memphis Grizzlies), Lauri Markkanen (Chicago Bulls), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks) and Domantas Sabonis (Indiana Pacers).
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