Brogdon joins all-star weekend
Rookie named to Rising Stars team
Milwaukee Bucks rookie Malcolm Brogdon was selected Wednesday to the U.S. team for the Rising Stars Challenge on all-star weekend in New Orleans.
The game features 20 first- and second-year players and will be played at the Smoothie King Center at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 and televised by TNT. The U.S.-World format pits American players against foreign-born players. Brogdon, a secondround draft pick from Virginia, has performed as one of the top rookies in the NBA this season. He is averaging 9.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals and ranks second among rookies in scoring and first in assists and three-point percentage (42.5%). His clutch threepointer gave the Bucks a narrow victory at San Antonio earlier this month, the first Milwaukee win on the Spurs’ home court since 2008.
Brogdon’s three-point percentage ranks10th overall in the NBA and is on pace to be the best three-point percentage by a rookie since Golden State’s Stephen Curry hit 43.7% from beyond the arc during the 2009-’10 season.
“It’s a lot of credit to Malcolm and his play,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s a very talented young man on and off the floor.”
The 24-year-old from Atlanta also recorded a tripledouble against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 31 (15 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists), one of three triple-doubles by Bucks players this season.
He is the ninth Bucks player to participate in the game and continues a streak of appearances by Milwaukee players. Giannis Antetokounmpo played in the game in 2014 and ’15 and Jabari Parker participated last season.
The rosters were chosen by NBA assistant coaches and had to include four guards, four frontcourt players and two wild cards.
Joining Brogdon on the U.S. team are Brandon Ingram and D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers; Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota); former Wisconsin star Frank Kaminsky (Charlotte); Marquese Chriss and Devin Booker (Phoenix); Jahlil Okafor (Philadelphia); Jonathon Simmons (San Antonio); and Myles Turner (Indiana).
Representing the World team are Joel Embiid and Dario Saric of the Philadelphia 76ers; Kristaps Porzingis (New York); Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Emmanuel Mudiay (Denver); Trey Lyles and Dante Exum (Utah); Buddy Hield (New Orleans); and Domantas Sabonis (Oklahoma City).