If the Toronto Raptors don’t manage to earn another all-star selection, Kawhi Leonard will still have some company when he travels to Charlotte to represent Toronto at All-Star weekend.
On Tuesday, Raptors sophomore OG Anunoby was named to Team World for the 2019 Rising Stars Challenge.
The 21-year-old will join Philadelphia 76ers standout Ben Simmons, Dallas Mavericks rookie sensation Luka Doncic and Los Angeles Clippers’ Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, among others for Team World, who will take on Team USA’s young guns on Feb. 15.
Anunoby, a native of England, has appeared in 41 games for the Raptors this season. In an up-and-down second year, the six-foot-eight small forward has averaged 7.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.
He becomes the 12th Raptor in franchise history to participate in the showcase event and the first since Jonas Valanciunas in 2014.
“The 25th Rising Stars will pit 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world in the league’s annual showcase of premier young talent during NBA All-Star,” according to the league in a press release on Tuesday.
This is the fifth straight year that the Rising Stars event will showcase a U.S. vs. World format. Players were voted in by other assistant coaches with each of the league’s 30 teams submitting one ballot per coaching staff, though no vote could be for a player on their own team.
In addition to the NBA players on the court, Boston’s Kyrie Irving and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki will serve as honorary coaches for Team USA and Team World respectively.
Team World has won the last two competitions, defeating Team USA 155-124 last year.
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