NBA unveils Rising Stars rosters despite no game in 2021

Although the 2021 NBA Rising Stars game will not be played at the All-Star Game this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the league still decided to unveil the rosters as a way to honor the players who would have made it. 

The Rising Stars game features the best rookies and second-year players in the NBA and is usually split up by the U.S. Team and World Team. 

Players named to the U.S. roster include:

• Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball
• Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards
• Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton
• Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro
• Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter
• San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Keldon Johnson
• Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant
• Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.
• New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson 
• Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman 

Players named to the World roster include:

• Heat forward Precious Achiuwa (Nigeria)
• Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Canada)
• Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija (Israel)
• New York Knicks guard/forward R.J. Barrett (Canada)
• Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo (Argentina)
• Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (Canada)
• Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (Canada)
• Wizards forward Rui Hachimura (Japan)
• Thunder guard Theo Maledon (France)
• Warriors guard Mychal Mulder (Canada)

The U.S. Team has won the Rising Stars game in each of the last two seasons. The World Team last won in 2018, led by Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic, among others.