G League Ignite Prospects Use All-Star Weekend To Preview Their Game

Introducing the G League Ignite players that suited up for the Rising Stars game on Friday Night.

The NBA’s All-Star weekend festivities kicked off with the Rising Stars game this Friday night. This event has always featured the league’s best first and second-year players. In the past, they’ve been sorted into team rookies against team sophomores and team USA versus team world. 

Last year, though, the format switched to a fantasy draft between a few of the sport’s legends. Additionally, draft prospects from G League Ignite were added to the player pool. For example, Dyson Daniels, MarJon Beauchamp, and Jaden Hardy all played in the 2022 contest months before hearing their names called by NBA teams.

Which Rising Stars team you got tonight? pic.twitter.com/p8rzIujUu3

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) February 17, 2023

The G League players played for former NBA champion Jason Terry’s squad this year. Ignite sent Scoot Henderson, Leonard Miller, Sidy Cissoko, and Mojave King. They lost their only game, but these prospects used this big stage to give fans a brief preview of what they can bring to the league next season.

Scoot Henderson

The projected second overall pick, Henderson was the single most anticipated player at the Rising Stars event. He’s primed to take the league by storm as the newest strand of the hyper-athletic point guard archetype that’s produced the likes of Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, John Wall, De’Aaron Fox, and Ja Morant over the years.

On Friday night, he recorded four points while shooting just 1-for-5 from the field and 0-for-2 from deep. He did notch a pair of both assists and steals, but also turned the ball over on three occasions. Still, Henderson will likely get two more chances to put on a show as a rising star.

Leonard Miller

Miller is one of the more polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class. Some view him as a lottery talent, while clothes wouldn’t even consider him in the first round. This disparity in perception makes sense given his unorthodox playstyle. The Canadian is a 6-foot-10 funky-moving ball handler without a reliable jump shot but with excellent touch on floaters. It’s hard to think of similar players, but the idea of him is certainly intriguing, and his production in the G League has been very good as of late.

For team Jason, Miller attempted just three shots, but made two of them, allowing him to match Henderson’s four points. He also corralled three boards, a steal, and an assist on the way.

Sidy Cissoko

Cissoko is projected as a first-round pick by many, primarily due to his defensive ability. The 6-foot-5 French wing is a strong and versatile defensive player who has a knack for hustle plays. However, his offense is more of a question mark. Many wonder what exactly his role will be on that side of the ball.

Cissoko logged a team-low five minutes in the Rising Stars game and didn’t manage to get a shot up. He did what he could to make an impact in his stint, though, notching an offensive rebound, a steal, and an assist.

Mojave King

Best known for his shooting ability, King is a potential first-round pick. The 6-foot-5 wing out of New Zealand also has a sturdy frame with good length. He isn’t much of a creator yet, though, which significantly lowers his ceiling in the eyes of many.

On Friday night, he missed his only attempt from behind the stripe but still got a bucket along with a couple of rebounds, a block, and an assist.

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