Grizzlies' Morant earns spot in Rising Stars game

To the surprise of no one, former Crestwood High School standout and current Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant will be playing in the Rising Stars game that will be played as part of the National Basketball Association All-Star weekend in Chicago.

Morant, the overall No. 2 pick in 2019 NBA draft after completing his All-American sophomore season at Murray State, is the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award.

He was averaging 17.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.5 rebounds for Memphis, which is 24-24 on the season and in eighth place in the Western Conference, the final playoff spot.

Morant has played in 42 games and is shooting 48.9% from the floor, 39.1% from 3-point range and 78.2% from the free throw line.

The Rising Star format has 10 first- and second-year players from the U.S. on one team against 10 first- and second-year players from other nations.

All-Star game starters Luka Doncic of Dallas and Trae Young of Atlanta will play in the Rising Stars game as well, which will be played on Friday, Feb. 14.

Joining Morant and Young on the U.S. team will be New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the overall No. 1 pick who is the stepson of Mayesville native Lee Anderson.

Williamson just started playing for the Pelicans after being sidelined with an injury.

Williamson is an injury replacement for Chicago's Wendell Carter Jr., who has a sprained right ankle and is not expected to play for the Bulls until after the All-Star break.

Miles Bridges, PJ Washington and Devonte' Graham of Charlotte, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn of Miami, Morant's Memphis teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. and Eric Paschall of Golden State are the other U.S. players.

Doncic leads the World team, joined by Nickeil Alexander-Walker of New Orleans, Deandre Ayton of Phoenix, RJ Barrett of New York, Brandon Clarke of Memphis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner of Washington, Svi Mykhailiuk of Detroit and Josh Okogie of Minnesota.

With Alexander-Walker, Barrett, Clarke and Gilgeous-Alexander, the game features a record four Canadians. Hachimura is the first Japanese player to be selected for the game.