Jan 2, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) and center Alperen Sengun (28) react during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Rockets’ Green, Sengun, Smith selected to Rising Stars Event
Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. will represent the Rockets in the Rising Stars Event during All-Star Weekend, the NBA announced Tuesday.
It marks the second straight year the Rockets will be the only team with three participants after Green, Sengun, and Jae’Sean Tate took part last year in Cleveland. The 28-player pool for this year’s event, which will take place Friday, Feb. 17, in Salt Lake City, consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players, and 7 players from the G League.
Green, the second overall pick of the 2021 draft, leads the Rockets in scoring, averaging 21.7 points per game. He’ll turn 21 on Feb. 9, but his 17 games of scoring 30 points or more are the sixth most in NBA history by a player 20 years old or younger.
In his first season as a starter, Sengun is averaging 15.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, and he’s the youngest player in Rockets history to finish a game with a triple-double, doing it twice in January.
Smith, the third overall pick of the 2022 draft, is averaging 11.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 1.6 3-pointers made, making him the first player in NBA history to reach those total in the first 47 games of his NBA career.
K.J. Martin will reportedly participate in the Slam Dunk Contest on Feb. 18.
