NBA Rising Stars 2025: Top Contenders, Predictions for MVP Award
The NBA's stars of tomorrow get the first crack at impressing on All-Star Weekend.
Three teams comprised of rookies and sophomores and a fourth made up from G League players get the initial run under the spotlight during the Rising Stars Challenge.
These four teams face off in a bracketed event. Two semifinals open the event and a championship closes it. New this year is that this event's winner will move on and secure a spot in Sunday's All-Star tournament.
With all four rosters packed with talent, there are no shortage of MVP candidates. We'll examine some of the strongest-on-paper ones shortly.
Rising Stars Rosters
1 of 3
Team T
Anthony Black, Orlando Magic
Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic
Gradey Dick, Toronto Raptors
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Honorary coach: Tim Hardaway
Team M
Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards
Bilal Couliably, Washington Wizards
Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Honorary coach: Mitch Richmond
Team C
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Honorary coach: Chris Mullin
Team G League
JD Davison, Maine Celtics
Mac McClung, Osceola Magic
Bryce McGowens, Rip City Remix
Leonard Miller, Iowa Wolves
Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes
Reed Sheppard, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Pat Spencer, Santa Cruz Warriors
Honorary coach: Jeremy Lin
MVP Contenders
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Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
While George still needs to buffer his offensive efficiency and defensive consistency, those concerns go out the window in this environment. Here, it's all about piling up production and putting on a show, and he's more than capable of doing both.
He has slick handles, a fiery outside shot and a deep bag of scoring tricks. His stat sheet will almost certainly be loud.
Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Think of all the not nice things said about this year's rookie class and last summer's draft. Imagine who might have heard those as loudly as anyone? Risacher, the top pick of said talent grab and someone who occasionally challenges the notion that this freshman class lacks star power.
He plays like more of a dot-connector than a focal point, but when he gives himself a green light, great things can happen. He's already had a pair of 30-plus-point performances.
Reed Sheppard, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
It's been a shakier than expected start to the career of Sheppard, last summer's No. 3 pick. Minutes have proved awfully hard to come by on the ahead-of-schedule Rockets, and he has struggled to capitalize on the opportunities that have come his way.
All of that said, he looked like a star at summer league, and this might be his chance to remind everyone of his sky-high upside. Team G League would be wise to craft its offensive strategy around his skill set, and with his shooting stroke, his scoring numbers could spike.
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
A 22-year-old in his second NBA season, Thompson already looks like the ultimate glue guy. And he might be a steady outside shot away from stardom.
His athleticism is elite even by NBA standards, his feel for the game is advanced and his skill set is deep enough for him to impact every area of the stat sheet. To that final point, his last outing featured an 18-point, 11-assist, 10-rebound triple-double with two steals and two blocks.
Prediction
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There isn't a huge on-paper gap between these teams, so any of the four could capture the crown.
If forced to pick one, though, Team M feels like the right choice given its built-in chemistry advantages.
Its roster not only features twin brothers (Amen and Ausar Thompson), there's also a set of teammates with Bilal Couliably and Bub Carrington. Then, there are role players around those four, like the rim-running Yves Missi, the disruptive defending Toumani Camara and the shot-making Julian Strawther.
It might be a touch short on shooting, but that shouldn't be a fatal flaw. Our crystal ball sees Team M taking this tournament with Amen Thompson earning MVP honors.
