The NBA announced Tuesday that it will change the format of the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend 2023 in Cleveland.
What was once simply a matchup between the best rookies and sophomores in the league took a turn in recent seasons when the format changed to group rookies and sophomores by nationality into two teams: USA vs. World.
Now, under the new format, the Rising Stars Challenge will have a completely different look, consisting of a four-team, three-game tournament to decide a winner.
For a full explanation on how the new Rising Stars Challenge will work, take a look below.
New Rising Stars format at NBA All-Star Weekend, explained
The Rising Stars Challenge will now consist of four teams of seven players competing in a three-game, single-elimination mini-tournament. Each game will be played with a final target score.
How many players will compete in the Rising Stars event?
There will be a 28-player pool, made up of 12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four members of the G League Ignite development team.
Who will train and how will the teams be selected?
Members of the NBA 75th Anniversary team and assistant coaches for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game will make up the coaching staff of each team.
Each team will select seven players, which will include one G League Ignite player per team.
How will the mini-tournament work?
You can find the three game single elimination tournament bracket below.
— NBA (@NBA) January 25, 2023
The first round games will be played with a final target score of 50. The championship round will be played with a final target score of 25. The games will be 5v5 and the scoring will be 2 and 3.
The competition consists of a “Race to 75” points, in honor of the NBA’s historic 75th anniversary season.
You can watch the new Rising Stars format on Friday, February 18 at 9 pm ET on TNT.