2016 NBA RISING STARS CHALLENGE - FINAL
TEAM USA 157 - TEAM WORLD 154
Halftime: Team USA 88, Team World 79
MVP: Zach LaVine - 30 Points, 7 Rebounds, 4 Assists
Attendance: 18,298
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Recap
The 2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge took place on February 12, 2016, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, during NBA All-Star Weekend. Team USA defeated Team World 157-154 in the second year of the USA-versus-World format, producing one of the highest-scoring and most entertaining games in the event's history.
The contest featured 311 combined points, surpassing the previous combined scoring mark of 298 set during the 2013 Rising Stars Challenge. Both teams showcased an extraordinary collection of young offensive talent, with fast breaks, three-point shooting and spectacular dunks dominating the evening.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine earned Most Valuable Player honors after scoring 30 points, collecting seven rebounds and distributing four assists for Team USA. LaVine shot 13-for-20 from the field, made two of three three-point attempts and converted both free throws.
LaVine's performance demonstrated the explosive athleticism that had already made him one of the NBA's most exciting young players. His scoring helped Team USA withstand a late rally from Team World and secure the three-point victory.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson contributed 25 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Clarkson made five three-pointers, the most by any Team USA player, and converted all four free throws.
Phoenix Suns rookie Devin Booker added 23 points in just over 18 minutes. Booker made nine of 13 field-goal attempts and five of eight three-pointers, providing Team USA with another dangerous perimeter scorer.
Los Angeles Lakers rookie D'Angelo Russell finished with 22 points and a team-high seven assists. Russell shot nine-for-15 from the field and made four of seven three-point attempts.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The rookie big man made eight of his 15 field-goal attempts and provided additional scoring around the basket.
Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor scored 13 points, while Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker contributed 12 points and five assists. Utah Jazz forward Rodney Hood added 11 points, and Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart finished with three points, four rebounds and five assists.
Orlando Magic guard Elfrid Payton went scoreless but contributed a rebound and a steal in limited playing time.
Team World was led by New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis and Denver Nuggets rookie Emmanuel Mudiay, who scored 30 points apiece.
Porzingis made 12 of his 16 field-goal attempts, including five of eight three-pointers, and added five rebounds and four assists. His combination of size, outside shooting and mobility demonstrated why he was regarded as one of the league's most promising young international players.
Mudiay recorded a double-double with 30 points and a game-high 10 assists. He made 12 of 20 field-goal attempts and five of 10 three-pointers, providing Team World with both scoring and playmaking.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins, the MVP of the 2015 Rising Stars Challenge, scored 29 points for Team World. Playing in his native Canada, Wiggins made 13 of 15 field-goal attempts and added five assists.
Orlando Magic rookie Mario Hezonja contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Hezonja's versatile performance was one of the strongest all-around efforts of the game.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic scored 12 points, grabbed eight rebounds and recorded four assists. Remarkably, all eight of Jokic's rebounds were offensive rebounds, highlighting his positioning and ability to create additional scoring opportunities.
Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell recorded 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while Houston Rockets center Clint Capela contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.
Brooklyn Nets forward Bojan Bogdanovic scored six points, Utah Jazz guard Raul Neto added two points and nine assists, and Utah Jazz forward Trey Lyles contributed two points and two rebounds.
Team USA built an 88-79 halftime lead behind its perimeter shooting and balanced scoring. Team World responded with a strong second half, outscoring Team USA 75-69 and nearly erasing the deficit.
Despite the comeback, Team USA held on for the 157-154 victory. Team USA made 19 of 46 three-point attempts, while Team World connected on 15 of 38 shots from beyond the arc.
Team World shot an impressive 60.4 percent from the field and held a 51-34 advantage in individual player rebounds. However, Team USA committed only 11 turnovers compared with 19 for Team World, helping offset the international team's rebounding and shooting advantages.
The 2016 Rising Stars Challenge featured numerous future NBA All-Stars and major award winners, including Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, Devin Booker, Kristaps Porzingis, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins and D'Angelo Russell.
The event was particularly notable for Jokic, who would eventually become one of the most accomplished centers in NBA history. At the time, he was still an emerging second-round draft pick playing his rookie season with Denver.
With 311 combined points, three 30-point scorers and several outstanding individual performances, the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge remains one of the defining games of the USA-versus-World era.
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Game Information
Date: February 12, 2016
Arena: Air Canada Centre
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Attendance: 18,298
Final Score: Team USA 157, Team World 154
Halftime: Team USA 88, Team World 79
Second Half: Team USA 69, Team World 75
Combined Points: 311
Most Valuable Player: Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves
MVP Statistics: 30 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
MVP Shooting: 13-20 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2-2 FT
Leading Scorers: Zach LaVine, Kristaps Porzingis and Emmanuel Mudiay, 30 each
Leading Rebounder: Dwight Powell, 11 rebounds
Leading Assists: Emmanuel Mudiay, 10 assists
Team USA Head Coach: Larry Drew
Team World Head Coach: Ettore Messina
Officials: J.T. Orr, Scott Twardoski, Ben Taylor
Game Format: USA vs. World
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Score by Half
| Team | First Half | Second Half | Final |
|---|
| Team USA | 88 | 69 | 157 |
| Team World | 79 | 75 | 154 |
2016 NBA Rising Stars Box Score - Team USA
Head Coach: Larry Drew | Result: Won 157-154
| Player | NBA Team | MIN |
FG | 3PT | FT |
+/- | OR | DR |
REB | AST | PF |
STL | TO | BLK |
BA | PTS |
| Zach LaVine (MVP) | Minnesota Timberwolves | 23:40 | 13-20 | 2-3 | 2-2 | -9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| Jabari Parker | Milwaukee Bucks | 23:40 | 6-10 | 0-2 | 0-0 | -9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | Minnesota Timberwolves | 21:40 | 8-15 | 0-3 | 2-2 | -6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
| Jordan Clarkson | Los Angeles Lakers | 23:40 | 8-20 | 5-14 | 4-4 | -9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Marcus Smart | Boston Celtics | 21:40 | 1-8 | 1-5 | 0-0 | -6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| D'Angelo Russell | Los Angeles Lakers | 16:20 | 9-15 | 4-7 | 0-0 | +12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 22 |
| Devin Booker | Phoenix Suns | 18:20 | 9-13 | 5-8 | 0-1 | +9 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 |
| Elfrid Payton | Orlando Magic | 16:20 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 | +12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jahlil Okafor | Philadelphia 76ers | 17:57 | 6-7 | 1-1 | 0-0 | +11 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Rodney Hood | Utah Jazz | 16:43 | 5-6 | 1-2 | 0-0 | +10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| TEAM TOTAL | | 200:00 | 65-116 | 19-46 | 8-9 | -- | 13 | 21 | 34 | 36 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 157 |
Team USA shooting: 56.0% FG, 41.3% 3PT, 88.9% FT. Team rebounds: 9. Total turnovers: 11.
Roster note: Devin Booker replaced Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel, who was unable to participate because of an injury.
2016 NBA Rising Stars Box Score - Team World
Head Coach: Ettore Messina | Result: Lost 157-154
| Player | NBA Team | MIN |
FG | 3PT | FT |
+/- | OR | DR |
REB | AST | PF |
STL | TO | BLK |
BA | PTS |
| Andrew Wiggins | Minnesota Timberwolves | 29:42 | 13-15 | 0-2 | 3-4 | +10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | New York Knicks | 27:39 | 12-16 | 5-8 | 1-2 | +2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 30 |
| Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | 16:53 | 6-10 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -9 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Bojan Bogdanovic | Brooklyn Nets | 15:51 | 2-6 | 2-6 | 0-0 | -2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Emmanuel Mudiay | Denver Nuggets | 25:01 | 12-20 | 5-10 | 1-2 | -1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 30 |
| Mario Hezonja | Orlando Magic | 23:31 | 8-19 | 3-9 | 0-0 | -4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Dwight Powell | Dallas Mavericks | 16:01 | 6-9 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -1 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Raul Neto | Utah Jazz | 17:59 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Clint Capela | Houston Rockets | 15:07 | 6-9 | 0-1 | 0-0 | +2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| Trey Lyles | Utah Jazz | 12:16 | 1-6 | 0-2 | 0-0 | -11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| TEAM TOTAL | | 200:00 | 67-111 | 15-38 | 5-8 | -- | 19 | 32 | 51 | 45 | 9 | 9 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 154 |
Team World shooting: 60.4% FG, 39.5% 3PT, 62.5% FT. Team rebounds: 5. Total turnovers: 19.
Roster note: Utah Jazz forward Trey Lyles replaced Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic, who was unable to participate because of an injury.
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Team Statistics
| Statistic | Team USA | Team World |
|---|
| Final Score | 157 | 154 |
| First Half | 88 | 79 |
| Second Half | 69 | 75 |
| Field Goals | 65-116 | 67-111 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 56.0% | 60.4% |
| Three-Pointers | 19-46 | 15-38 |
| Three-Point Percentage | 41.3% | 39.5% |
| Free Throws | 8-9 | 5-8 |
| Free Throw Percentage | 88.9% | 62.5% |
| Offensive Rebounds | 13 | 19 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 21 | 32 |
| Player Rebounds | 34 | 51 |
| Team Rebounds | 9 | 5 |
| Assists | 36 | 45 |
| Steals | 13 | 9 |
| Blocked Shots | 1 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 19 |
| Personal Fouls | 5 | 9 |
| Combined Points | 311 |
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Statistical Leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Total |
|---|
| Points | Zach LaVine / Kristaps Porzingis / Emmanuel Mudiay | Both Teams | 30 |
| Rebounds | Dwight Powell | Team World | 11 |
| Offensive Rebounds | Nikola Jokic | Team World | 8 |
| Assists | Emmanuel Mudiay | Team World | 10 |
| Steals | Jordan Clarkson | Team USA | 4 |
| Three-Pointers Made | Jordan Clarkson / Devin Booker / Kristaps Porzingis / Emmanuel Mudiay | Both Teams | 5 |
| Team USA Scoring Leader | Zach LaVine | Team USA | 30 |
| Team World Scoring Leaders | Kristaps Porzingis / Emmanuel Mudiay | Team World | 30 |
| Team USA Assists Leader | D'Angelo Russell | Team USA | 7 |
| Team World Rebounds Leader | Dwight Powell | Team World | 11 |
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge Historical Notes
311 Combined Points
Team USA and Team World combined for 311 points, establishing a new scoring record for the Rising Stars Challenge at the time. Team USA scored 157 points, while Team World finished with 154.
Zach LaVine Wins MVP
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine scored 30 points, grabbed seven rebounds and recorded four assists to win the Rising Stars MVP award.
Three Players Score 30 Points
Zach LaVine, Kristaps Porzingis and Emmanuel Mudiay each scored 30 points. Andrew Wiggins nearly joined them, finishing with 29.
Kristaps Porzingis Makes Five Three-Pointers
New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points, making five of eight three-point attempts. He also recorded five rebounds and four assists.
Emmanuel Mudiay Records a Double-Double
Denver Nuggets rookie Emmanuel Mudiay scored 30 points and distributed 10 assists, leading all players in the latter category.
Nikola Jokic Makes His Rising Stars Debut
Denver Nuggets rookie Nikola Jokic scored 12 points and collected eight offensive rebounds. He also recorded four assists in less than 17 minutes of playing time.
Devin Booker Scores 23 Points
Phoenix Suns rookie Devin Booker scored 23 points, making five three-pointers. Booker was added to Team USA after Nerlens Noel withdrew because of an injury.
Andrew Wiggins Returns to Canada
Canadian forward Andrew Wiggins scored 29 points for Team World in Toronto, making 13 of 15 field-goal attempts. Wiggins had won the Rising Stars MVP award in 2015.
Three Utah Jazz Players Participate
Rodney Hood represented Team USA, scoring 11 points. Raul Neto and Trey Lyles represented Team World, scoring two points apiece. Neto also recorded nine assists.
Dwight Powell Leads All Rebounders
Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell scored 12 points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, including five offensive rebounds.
2016 NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto
Toronto hosted the NBA All-Star festivities for the first time in 2016. The Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 196-173 in the main All-Star Game, with Russell Westbrook winning MVP honors. Zach LaVine won the Slam Dunk Contest, Klay Thompson won the Three-Point Contest, and Karl-Anthony Towns won the Skills Challenge.
2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge FAQ
Who won the 2016 NBA Rising Stars Challenge?
Team USA defeated Team World 157-154 on February 12, 2016.
Who was the 2016 Rising Stars MVP?
Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves won MVP after scoring 30 points, collecting seven rebounds and recording four assists.
Where was the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge played?
The game was held at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
How many total points were scored?
The teams combined for 311 points, a Rising Stars Challenge record at the time.
Who scored the most points?
Zach LaVine, Kristaps Porzingis and Emmanuel Mudiay each scored 30 points.
How many points did Nikola Jokic score?
Jokic scored 12 points and added eight rebounds and four assists for Team World.
Who led the game in assists?
Emmanuel Mudiay led all players with 10 assists for Team World.
Who coached Team USA and Team World?
Larry Drew coached Team USA, while Ettore Messina coached Team World.
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