NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND

Precious Achiuwa, Isaac Okoro and Ayo Dosunmu set to fly Nigeria's colours at the Rising Stars Challenge

Tunde Young 15:48 - 18 February 2022

Achiuwa, Okoro and Dosunmu will represent Nigeria at the Rising Stars game

Nigerian trio, Precious Achiuwa, Isaac Okoro and Ayo Dosunmu are among the 28 participants in the 2022 Rising Stars Challenge.

The Rising Stars Challenge is one of two events on the opening day of the NBA All-Star Weekend, coming right after the All-Star Celebrity Game.

28 players made up of 12 rookies (first-year players), 12 sophomores (second-year players) and four players from the NBA G-League Ignite squad (the NBA’s developmental league) have been broken up into four teams to compete against each other in what is a new format.

The Rising Stars Challenge is always a celebration of the best young talent in the world and will have some Nigerian representation in Toronto Raptors centre, Precious Achiuwa, Cleveland Cavaliers forward, Isaac Okoro and Chicago Bull guard, Ayo Dosunmu.

Precious Achiuwa and Ayo Dosunmu

The teams are coached and named after four NBA legends, Rick Barry, Isaiah Thomas, Gary Payton and James Worthy who have drafted seven players each and will play against each other in this mini-tournament.

Each game will be played to a Final Target Score, ending with a made basket or free throw instead of with the clock running out. It will be a “Race to 75” to celebrate the league’s 75th anniversary season — Games 1 and 2 will be played until a team reaches 50 points; Game 3 will be played until a team reaches 25 points.

Precious Achiuwa will represent Team Isaiah at the Rising Star Challenge and will most likely be a starter. His teammates include Desmond Bane of the Memphis Grizzlies, another player who has connections to Nigeria.

Precious Achiuwa

Detroit Pistons duo, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, Minnesota Timberwolves guard, Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, the guard who was recently traded from the Sacremento Kings to the Indiana Pacers. Jaden Hardy is the G-League Ignite representative.

Ayo Dosunmu on the other hand is on Team Payton, the Chicago Bulls guard will line up alongside Charlotte Hornets guard. LaMelo Ball, Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes. Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels and Scoot Henderson representing G-League Ignite.

Chicago Bulls Guard Ayo Dosunmu (L) shakes hands with Chicago Bulls Forward DeMar DeRozan (R)

Bones Hyland of the Denver Nuggets will feature as a replacement for the injured Davion Mitchell as will Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga in place of Chri Duarte who is also injured.

Isaac Okoro will represent Team Barry in the Rising Stars Challenge to be played in Cleveland which means he is at home because he plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers.