Turner chosen for Rising Stars Challenge
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Turner chosen for Rising Stars Challenge
Evan Turner has been selected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star weekend, the NBA announced.
In the revised format, 18 rookies and sophomores were selected by the league's assistant coaches, and the two teams will be drafted by general managers Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal in a televised event next Thursday. Previously, the rookies played against the sophomores.
The Clippers' Blake Griffin headlines the sophomore class, joined by Turner, DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings), Landry Fields (New York Knicks), Paul George (Indiana Pacers), Gordon Hayward (Utah Jazz), Greg Monroe (Detroit Pistons), Tiago Splitter (San Antonio Spurs) and John Wall (Washington Wizards).
No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving, from Cleveland, and Minnesota's Ricky Rubio are joined by fellow first-year players MarShon Brooks (New Jersey Nets), Brandon Knight (Detroit Pistons), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs), Markieff Morris (Phoenix Suns), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kemba Walker (Charlotte Bobcats), and Derrick Williams (Minnesota Timberwolves).
Turner was not selected to play in the game last year as a rookie.
Sixers' first-round pick Nic Vukevic was not selected.
The game is scheduled for Feb. 24 in Orlando (9 p.m., TNT).
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Awesome accomplishment for Evan Turner. Nic please don't be discouraged by not being selected. The league did you and the sixers a favor. You are a secret weapon:) !!!!!!!! If you keep playing the way you are playing now, next year we won't be able to hide you:)— reveugene- Nice, Evan deserves a little recognition and a chance to show what he can do outside of DC's minutes control.— edogs
- I think if Nic didn't get injured he may have been selected, but with the shortened season, even missing a couple weeks really hurt his chances.— BeFrank
- nice.is about time .because evan is a lot better than collin think.— armando7676
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
