The first major player event of the 2019 NBA All-Star weekend features MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars Game. Although no OKC Thunder stars are in the match it offers plenty of excitement.
With the 2019 NBA All-Star weekend underway, the first major player event takes place Friday, February 15. Although no OKC Thunder players were selected there is plenty of great rookie and sophomore talent to feast our eyes on.
In all 20 players will be featured with 10 on the World Team and 10 on Team USA. The past two seasons the World Team has won and they’ve taken three of the four matchups since changing to this format.
In preparation for the game, Thunderous Intentions breaks down each team detailing the two sides. First up, let’s look at the World roster.
World Roster:
OG Anunoby
Forward, Toronto Raptors: 7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 33.3 percent 3PFG%
In the last game prior to the break Anunoby registered a career-best 22 points (he’s scored 20 or more just three times prior). The sophomore got a tough start to the season with the passing of his father. Just prior to leaving the team to spend time with his family Anunoby was beginning to string together solid efforts on both sides of the court.
Like Pascal Siakam, the Raptors franchise has invested time developing OG Anuonby. Keep an eye in the Raptors final 23 games as the youngster looks to build on his two-way game and overall offensive consistency both from the perimeter and driving the basket.
Don’t expect Anunoby to be a key cog in the Rising Stars game – not with some of the prime time stars on his World team. That said, do yourself a favor and check out Anunoby in comparison to his rookie and sophomore counterparts when he stands beside them. His sheer size is a bit shocking when you realize just how thick and strong his lower body is and how wide his upper body is.