Charlotte Hornets Forward Cody Zeller Selected To Participate In BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge

The NBA today announced that Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Zeller has been selected to participate in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge that will be played on Friday, Feb. 13. The game will be part of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend in New York and will showcase the NBA’s best young players. For the first time since its inception, the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge will feature a new USA versus the World format.

The BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge will pit first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against first- and second-year NBA players from around the world, with assistant coaches from around the league selecting 10 U.S. players and 10 international players for the game.

Zeller is enjoying a breakout 2014-15 campaign, improving in many statistical categories on the season. This season, Zeller is averaging career highs in points (7.6) and rebounds (5.5), while also shooting a career-best field-goal percentage of .451 (119-264) and free-throw percentage of .750 (96-128).

The full list of participants for NBA All Star Weekend’s BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge is below:

U.S. TEAM ROSTER

Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School Experience

Trey Burke Jazz G 6-1 185 Michigan 1

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Pistons G 6-5 205 Georgia 1

Michael Carter-Williams 76ers G 6-6 190 Syracuse 1

Zach LaVine Timberwolves G 6-5 183 UCLA R

Shabazz Muhammad Timberwolves F 6-6 227 UCLA 1
Nerlens Noel 76ers C 6-11 220 Kentucky R

Victor Oladipo Magic G 6-4 210 Indiana 1

Elfrid Payton Magic G 6-4 185 UL-Lafayette R

Mason Plumlee Nets C 6-11 235 Duke 1

Cody Zeller Hornets F 7-0 240 Indiana 1

Head Coach: Alvin Gentry, Warriors

WORLD TEAM ROSTER

Player Team Pos. Ht. Wt. School or Team/Country Experince

Steven Adams Thunder C 7-0 255 Pittsburgh/New Zealand 1

Giannis Antetokounmpo Bucks G/F 6-11 217 Filathlitikos/Greece 1

Bojan Bogdanovic Nets G/F 6-8 216 Fenerbahce Ulker/Croatia R

Gorgui Dieng T’Wolves C 6-11 233 Louisville/Senegal 1

Dante Exum Jazz G 6-6 190 Lake Ginninderra/Australia R

Rudy Gobert Jazz C 7-1 245 Cholet/France 1

Nikola Mirotic Bulls F 6-10 220 Real Madrid/Montenegro R

Kelly Olynyk                  Celtics              C          7-0        238       Gonzaga/Canada                                   1
Dennis Schroder           Hawks              G          6-1        168       Phantoms Braunschweig/Germany         1
Andrew Wiggins            Timberwolves G/F         6-8        199       Kansas/Canada                                     R

Head Coach: Kenny Atkinson, Hawks