Thunder rookies Alex Abrines and Domantas Sabonis will play in the Rising Stars Challenge in New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS — Alex Abrines stood in the crowded hallway of the downtown Ritz Carlton wearing green Mardi Gras beads around his wrist, when Domantas Sabonis had to translate into Spanish to explain to his teammate how certain parade goers get a pair of beads.
It drew a confused look from Abrines, then a familiar-feeling laugh between the two. They were teammates as teenagers in Malaga, Spain. They’re teammates on the Thunder, each in his first NBA season.
Sabonis and Abrines are World Team teammates in the Rising Stars Challenge, the latest Thunder youngsters to experience the annual prelude to the NBA All-Star Game.
“It’s kind of similar to the draft preparation we had draft night,” Sabonis said Thursday. “… but everyone said it’s like on steroids here.”
Abrines and Sabonis hardly had time to breathe Thursday. Abrines wrapped up an interview with NBA TV’s Sekou Smith and Lang Whitaker, then was whisked to an ESPN room for photos, then was shuttled to a table with TNT’s David Aldridge, then was handed a modern-looking collapsible water bottle, NBA hat and notepad.
Abrines said the media circuit was similar to what he went through with FC Barcelona before the Kings Cup Tournament or the Eurobasket Final Four, but “probably not as big as this.”
The Rising Stars Challenge — formerly the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge before it was changed to a U.S. vs. World format — is a big deal to the Thunder, which has made a habit of supplying the game with young talent.
Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, James Harden and Steven Adams each were selected to the game either as Thunder or Seattle SuperSonics players. Anthony Morrow appeared as a secondyear player in Golden State. Victor Oladipo has played twice in the game.
Yet, as Abrines and Sabonis stepped away from the mass of media responsibilities into the hotel’s quiet courtyard, they reflected on some sage advice from Enes Kanter.
“Just try to get buckets,” said Abrines.
“Enes just kept telling me, ‘Don’t pass the ball, just shoot,’” Sabonis said laughing. “Just have fun. He said, ‘If you pass the ball, I’ll get mad at you.’”