Tyrese Haliburton won't be the only Indiana Pacers player involved with All-Star weekend. The NBA announced the participants for the 2024 Rising Stars event, and both Bennedict Mathurin and Oscar Tshiebwe are participants.
Mathurin, a second-year guard, is one of the 10 NBA sophomores that was selected for the event. He is averaging 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game so far this season, and almost all of his per-36 minute numbers are up from his rookie season. He is a worthy choice for the outing.
Mathurin participated in the Rising Stars festivities last year as well. He finished with 14 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal across two games. His team, which also contained Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, won the event.
"It's a first taste of what I want to do for the rest of my career," Mathurin said at the time. "I'm going to put in the hard work to one day be an All-Star."
Mathurin isn't the only player who will be participating. Tshiebwe, who is on a two-way contract, has also been named to the showcase of young talent. He was a part of the G League group that will take part in the event — there are seven G Leaguers.
Tshiebwe is a rookie center who has split time between the Pacers and their G League affiliate team, the Indiana Mad Ants. He has six NBA appearances this season, where he has averaged 3.5 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
In the G League, Tshiebwe has been fantastic. He's appeared in 20 games and is averaging 14.4 points and 14 rebounds per game. His skill on the glass is game changing.
"A lot of times, our best offense is to just shoot it and let him go get it," Mad Ants head coach Tom Hankins joked earlier this season.
Tshiebwe is the only player on a two-way contract in the event. Four of the seven G League players come from the G League Ignite program.
"Wonderful kid. Everybody in our entire organization just loves him," Pacers head coach Carlisle said of Tshiebwe.
The rising stars festivities will take place on February 16 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, which is located in downtown Indianapolis. The 28 invited players will be divided into four teams of seven that will compete in a mini-tournament featuring three games.
Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings will coach one of the teams while Pacers legends Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf will guide two other groups. The final unit will have Pau Gasol running the sidelines.
This is the second-straight year that Indiana has had two players in the Rising Stars event. With All-Star festivities in their back yard this season, the Pacers will hope to have even more representation across other events. Mathurin and Tshiebwe earned the chance to be two of those players.
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