Rising Stars: How OKC Thunder Players Have Performed Over the Years
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The Rising Stars game has long been a place for Oklahoma City Thunder players to make an early impression.
Some of Oklahoma City’s participants have turned into solid role players, while others have turned into some of the NBA’s best players. In the most recent edition of the Rising Stars game, Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey joined forces on Team Joakim.
In a tournament format, the two got to the championship game before falling short. Giddey finished the night with seven assists.
Giddey was the Thunder’s only representative in the first year of the tournament format in 2022. He finished that game with two points, nine rebounds and six assists but lost in the first round.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his only appearance with the Thunder in 2020, scoring 16 points in a loss with Team World. Before that, no Thunder player had made it since Domantas Sabonis and Alex Abrines combined for 13 points in a Team World win in 2017.
Although the Thunder struggled to get their young talent in the game after Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant became established stars, one player broke through.
In 2014 and 2015, Steven Adams was selected as a Rising Star. He played 17 minutes his rookie season, going for six points, four blocks and two steals. The big man could not play in 2015 after suffering a right-hand injury before All-Star weekend.
Until Adams made the game in 2014, the Thunder’s only Rising Stars were the players who defined the first generation of Oklahoma City basketball. In 2011, James Harden and Serge Ibaka played well with the Sophomores.
Harden scored a team-high 30 points while shooting 11 of 19. Meanwhile, Ibaka scored 14 and added two blocks.
Another MVP joined Harden in the game in 2010, with Westbrook competing against his teammate. Westbrook led the Sophomores with a game-high 40 points on 18 of 29 shooting.
Yet, Harden’s 22 helped the Rookies get the win. Although a loss prevented Westbrook from winning Rising Stars MVP in 2010, a different Thunder player earned the honor a year earlier.
In Oklahoma City’s inaugural season, it had three players in the Rising Stars game, with Jeff Green joining Durant on the Sophomores. Green scored 13, and Westbrook scored 12, but Durant had one of the best Rising Stars performances in the game’s history.
The future MVP scored 46 points, making 17 of his 25 shots in a win, including a reverse baseline dunk to cap off his night.
Williams, Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace might not have performances like Durant or Westbrook, but they can show their talent and why the Thunder are a contender moving forward.
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