New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - The NBA has announced a new format for the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge, which will now pit the top first- and second-year players from the United States against international players.
NBA assistant coaches will select the 10 U.S. players and 10 international players who will make up the rosters. An assistant coach from the 2015 All- Star game coaching staff, which is yet to be determined, will coach each team.
The format replaces the previous one, which lasted three seasons and saw former NBA stars and current TV personalities Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Grant Hill and Chris Webber draft teams made up of rookies and second- year players. Barkley and O'Neal coached against one another in 2012 and 2013, while Hill and Webber matched up last season.
The game has gone through a number of overhauls through the years. It debuted in 1994 and tinkered with different formats, including East vs. West, before settling in on Rookies vs. Sophomores. That challenge played from 2000 to 2011, with the Sophomores winning eight of the 12 games.
Notable MVP winners of the exhibition include Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and John Wall.
The Rising Stars Challenge will take place on Friday, Feb. 13, two days before the All-Star game, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
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