Cunningham named Rising Stars Challenge MVP

CLEVELAND — The Rising Stars Challenge became the last part of All-Star Weekend to change format, and it was a success.

The event, which features the NBA’s best freshmen and sophomores, employed an entirely new format this season. Instead of just being one game involving those players, as in years past, there were four seven-man rosters led by Hall of Famers Isiah Thomas, Rick Barry, James Worthy and Gary Payton.

Three matches were played: two semi-final clashes and a championship game, in a nod to the League celebrating its 75th anniversary this season.

And after Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, led Team Barry to a 25-20 victory over Team Isiah to win the event, he said he was pleased with the format change.

“It was a lot of fun,” Cunningham said after claiming the event’s MVP award. “Great teammates, great coaches, great atmosphere… I had a good time, for sure.”

All three games employed the “Elam Ending,” which first came to All-Star Weekend two years ago in Chicago when it debuted in the All-Star Game.

“It felt good,” Rockets guard Jalen Green said after his team lost in the first semi-final when Desmond Bane hit a pair of free throws to seal the win. “It was fun. It was exciting out there. We were jumping around, playing free.”

While the opening moments of the games were reminiscent of previous Rising Stars games, which are usually full of dunks, 3-pointers, and hardly any intensity, the new format led to some added flavor in the closing moments.

When Bane was fouled by Jalen Suggs, who had missed a potential game-winning free kick moments earlier, late in the first semi-final, both Cole Anthony and Tyrese Maxey gave him a pep talk before calmly sinking the second. Give victory to his team.

In fact, all three games ultimately ended in free throws, a sign of the unusual type of defense that was being played, at least when matchups were on the line.

“I like this,” Hornets guard LaMelo Ball said. “I feel like this was great. To have something new, with the 75 and the 50 and the 25, I feel like it was creative.”

The night also featured players from G League Ignite taking part in the festivities for the first time, an additional way for the NBA to highlight its new initiative to get top prospects to skip college and spend time in the G instead. League before being eligible for the drought.