Jeremy Sochan has been selected for the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars challenge

Jan 31, 2023 - 8:12 PM

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The NBA has announced that Spurs rookie Jeremy Sochan has been selected for the 2023 Jordan Rising Stars challenge at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. He is the tenth Spur to participate in the Rising Stars event since since its inception in 1994 and the first since Keldon Johnson appeared as a sophomore in 2021.

In the past, the event was a normal basketball game between the rookies and sophomores, but the event has evolved into a tournament format. The pool consists of 28 players: 11 rookies, 10 sophomores, and 7 G-League players. The 21 NBA players, who were selected by NBA assistant coaches, will be drafted into three seven-player teams that will be coached by former NBA stars Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Deron Williams. The seven G League players, selected by the NBA league office, will make up the fourth team and be coached by Jason Terry.

The format is a three-game tournament that will be played on February 17. The two semifinals games (Team A vs. Team B, and Team C. vs. Team D) will have a target score of 40 points, meaning the first team to 40 points wins without a timer. The final game, which will feature the winners from the first two games, will have a target score of 25 points to determine the championship team.

Drafted ninth overall by the Spurs in 2022, Sochan became the first Spurs rookie since Tim Duncan to start on day 1, and he has not disappointed. Already known for his defense, the power forward is averaging 10.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the season but has shown massive improvement on offense over the last month-and-a-half since switching to a one-handed free throw form. He is one of just two rookies, along with top overall pick Paolo Banchero, who has at least 400 points, 200 rebounds and 100 assists for the season so far.

Congrats, Jeremy!