Bucks Brogdon Selected for All-Star Rising Stars Challenge
Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon has been selected to participate in the 2017 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge as part of the 2017 NBA All-Star Weekend, the league announced. This year’s showcase of young talent continues the U.S. vs. the world format that debuted in 2015 and pits 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world. The game will take place on Friday, Feb. 17, at 8:00 PM at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, and will be televised live by TNT.
24-year-old Brogdon is averaging 9.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game in his rookie season. Among qualified rookies, Brogdon ranks second in scoring, tied for eighth in rebounding, first in assists, first in 3-point percentage (.425), and first in steals. He has scored in double figures in 24 of his 44 appearances, including 10 straight from December 30 through January 16. Brogdon’s 42.5 percent mark from beyond the arc ranks 10th in the entire league and is on pace to be the best 3-point percentage by a rookie since Stephen Curry shot 43.7 percent from three as a rookie in 2009-10. On December 31, Brogdon made history by recording a 15-point/11-rebound/12-assist triple-double in a win over Chicago, becoming just the third player in NBA history selected in the second round of the NBA Draft to record a triple-double during his rookie season.
Brogdon becomes the 9th Buck in franchise history to participate in the game, and his selection marks the fourth consecutive year in which the Bucks will be represented in the Rising Stars Challenge (Antetokounmpo in 2014 and 2015, Parker in 2016).
Both BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge rosters, chosen by the NBA’s assistant coaches, had to include four guards, four frontcourt players and two players at any position. The coaches also picked a minimum of three first-year players and three second-year players for each team.
Joining Brogdon on the U.S. squad are Devin Booker (Phoenix), Marquese Chriss (Phoenix), Brandon Ingram (L.A. Lakers), Frank Kaminsky (Charlotte), Jahlil Okafor (Philadelphia), D’Angelo Russell (L.A. Lakers), Jonathan Simmons (San Antonio), Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota) and Myles Turner (Indiana).
Representing the World Team are Joel Embiid (Philadelphia), Dante Exum (Utah), Buddy Hield (New Orleans), Nikola Jokic (Denver), Trey Lyles (Utah), Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver), Jamal Murray (Denver), Kristaps Porzingis (New York), Domantas Sabonis (Oklahoma City) and Dario Saric (Philadelphia).