The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge will be played on Friday night, and three Cleveland Cavaliers will participate in the action. Second-year guard Kyrie Irving will team with rookie Dion Waiters on "Team Shaq," while forward Tristan Thompson will oppose them on "Team Chuck."
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The rosters were selected by coaches Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley, and O'Neal's team will be highlight by Irving, the MVP of last year's Rising Stars Challenge. In 2012, Irving netted 34 points to help Team Chuck to a 144-136 victory over Team Shaq. This year will also mark Irving's first appearance in the actual NBA All-Star Game, where he replaced Boston's Rajon Rondo as the Eastern Conference's starting point guard.
Joining Irving on Team Shaq on Friday will be Waiters, his back-court mate in Cleveland. A rookie from Syracuse, Waiters enters the All-Star break as Cleveland's second leading scorer at 14.7 points per game.
Finally, second-year Tristan Thompson will play for Team Chuck.
Thompson is averaging 11.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game entering the All-Star break.
BBVA Rising Stars Challenge
Friday, Feb. 15, 9 p.m. ET TNT
Toyota Center, Houston, TX