Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle not named to NBA’s Rising Stars Game
Thybulle has made his mark on defense and is 13th in the NBA in steals.
The NBA announced the participants for its Rising Stars Game, and 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle wasn’t selected.
On Feb. 14, the game will feature 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year international players at the United Center in Chicago. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. The annual 69th annual All-Star Game will be Feb. 16.
Thybulle, the 20th pick in the 2019 NBA draft whom the Sixers moved up to select after a draft-night deal with the Boston Celtics, has emerged as one of the better defensive players in the NBA. Thybulle is leading all rookies and is 13th overall in the NBA in steals with 1.6 per game. Thybulle is averaging 0.8 blocked shots per game, which is third among NBA guards. He is averaging 4.9 points and shooting 36.6% from three-point range in 20.1 minutes.
This stops a streak. Since 2014, the Sixers had at least one participant in the game.
On Friday evening, reporter Chris Haynes of Yahoo sports, tweeted out a response from Thybulle’s agent Eric Goodwin about his omission in the Rising Starts game. Goodwin took an ending shot at the NBA assistant coaches, the ones who selected the players.
Golden State rookie Eric Paschall, of Villanova, was selected to play on the U.S. team. New Orleans’ Zion Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft who has played just four games this season, was named as an injury replacement for Chicago’s Wendell Carter Jr.
Here are all the participants.
U.S. roster: Miles Bridges, Charlotte; Wendell Carter Jr., Chicago (injured, won’t play); Devonte Graham, Charlotte; *Tyler Herro, Miami; Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis; *Ja Morant, Memphis; *Kendrick Nunn, Miami; *Eric Paschall, Golden State; *P.J. Washington, Charlotte; *Zion Williamson, New Orleans; Trae Young, Atlanta.
World roster: *Nickeil Alexander-Walker, New Orleans; Deandre Ayton, Phoenix; *RJ Barrett, New York; *Brandon Clarke, Memphis; Luka Doncic, Dallas; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City; *Rui Hachimura, Washington; Svi Mykhailiuk, Detroit; Josh Okogie, Minnesota; Moritz Wagner, Washington.
*-Rookie