Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, More Replaced in 2025 NBA Rising Stars Game
San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller are among four players who have been replaced in this year's 2025 Castrol Rising Stars, a four-team All-Star Weekend tournament and showcase featuring the NBA's top rookies and second-year players as well as the G-League's top talents.
The NBA released information Friday evening.
Wembanyama was named an All-Star Game reserve, so he'll be taking part in the weekend's main event on Feb. 16 in San Francisco's Chase Center. Miller, unfortunately, is out for the season with a torn ligament in his right wrist.
Philadelphia 76ers rookie guard Jared McCain is also out for the event after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. Dallas Mavericks second-year big man Dereck Lively II is out with a stress fracture in his right ankle.
That quartet will be replaced by Phoenix Suns rookie guard Ryan Dunn and a trio of second-year NBA players: Anthony Black of the Orlando Magic, Toumani Camara of the Portland Trail Blazers and Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons.
This year's Rising Stars Challenge features a new twist: The winning team will enter a four-team tournament on Sunday featuring the NBA's All-Stars. That group will be drafted into three separate teams selected by Inside The NBA analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith. So that's why Wembanyama is out for Rising Stars, as he'll be playing one of those teams and would be unavailable to play on a potential championship squad from Friday.
Castrol Rising Stars will begin at 9 p.m. ET on Friday, February 14. The All-Star Game will then begin two days later at 8:20 p.m.
