Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. badly wanted to participate in the Rising Stars challenge at All-Star weekend, but the call never came Friday morning.
Porter was left off the roster for the annual showcase of the NBA’s top first- and second-year players, as voted on by the league’s assistant coaches. That’s despite being in the top 10 among league rookies (averaging 10 or more minutes per game) in rebounding, 3-point shooting and overall field goal percentage.
After playing inconsistent minutes the first month and a half of the season, Porter has firmly entrenched himself within the Nuggets’ rotation and been a key contributor for a team in playoff contention.
Since Dec. 1, Porter’s averaged 9.3 points on 52% shooting from the field, including nearly 47% from 3-point range. He’s also pulling in almost five rebounds per game.
In January, he’s come on even more, with double-doubles in four of his last seven games.
Here’s a complete roster of participants:
U.S. roster
| No. | Player (Team) | Pos. | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Miles Bridges (Charlotte) | F | 1 |
| 34 | Wendell Carter Jr. (Chicago)* | C | 1 |
| 4 | Devonte’ Graham (Charlotte) | G | 1 |
| 14 | Tyler Herro (Miami) | G | R |
| 13 | Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis) | F | 1 |
| 12 | Ja Morant (Memphis) | G | R |
| 25 | Kendrick Nunn (Miami) | G | R |
| 7 | Eric Paschall (Golden State) | F | R |
| 25 | PJ Washington (Charlotte) | F | R |
| 1 | Zion Williamson (N. Orleans)^ | F | R |
| 11 | Trae Young (Atlanta) | G | 1 |
International roster
| No. | Player (Team) | Pos. | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker (N. Orleans) | G | R |
| 22 | Deandre Ayton (Phoenix) | C | 1 |
| 9 | RJ Barrett (New York) | G/F | R |
| 15 | Brandon Clarke (Memphis) | F | R |
| 77 | Luka Dončić (Dallas) | G/F | 1 |
| 2 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) | G | 1 |
| 8 | Rui Hachimura (Washington) | F | R |
| 19 | Svi Mykhailiuk (Detroit) | G/F | 1 |
| 20 | Josh Okogie (Minnesota) | G | 1 |
| 21 | Moritz Wagner (Washington) | C | 1 |
*Injured/will not play
^Injury replacement
