NBA Rising Stars 2024: Team Jalen Takes Down Giant Victor Wembanyama-Slayers in Blowout Final

After Team Detlef served the biggest upset of the Rising Stars Challenge, they fell just short of the title. His band of G-League stars lost 26-13 to Team Jalen. That was after they beat defending champion, Pau Gasol’s team led by the rookie phenom, Victor Wembanyama. That boost of confidence served well but not with Bennedict Mathurin leading Jalen Rose’s squad.

Team Jalen started on a strong 8-0 run led by Indiana Pacers’ young star, Bennedict Mathurin. Dereck Lively added three dunks in rapid succession. Their early dominance forced Schrempf to call two timeouts. With the score at 20-13, hope seemed slim for Team Detlef to mount a comeback. Meanwhile, Rose’s Jordan Hawkins came in clutch, knocking down a three-pointer. The other Jalen in the contest, Jalen Williams, clinched the Rising Stars trophy with a game-winning shot.

The star of the entire competition was Mathurin, who was named MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge. Indiana was, of course, hyped for the Pacers guard. After the game, Jalen Rose was impressed with the talent all four teams were bursting with. “They are focused and also how they root for one another,” Rose said it is what makes these rookies and G-League stars special. “They were rooting for the other team, they were rooting for the opponent, they were growing the game.”

Mathurin was ecstatic about bringing this MVP trophy to Indiana. He’s hoping to carry forward the same energy when the Pacers return from the All-Star break. Team Detlef, led by Mac McClung and Matas Buzelis, were looking pretty invincible after they ended the semifinals against Team Pau 41-36.

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Victor Wembanyama and Co. were shocked by Team Detlef

There were upstarts like Emoni Bates and Ypsilanti Lincoln, who gave Wemby and Jabari Smith a hard time. They even forced Gasol to bench the Spurs star for a while and try a different strategy.

Team Pau, which won last year, were the favorites to head to the finals. Most were looking forward to a matchup between Victor and Chet Holmgren in the final. But it was a night of shockers. Jaden Ivey, who won with Gasol last year, was overpowered by Team Jalen in the latter half of the game.

That left Jalen Rose to face off against Detlef Schrempf in the finals. Had Team Detlef won, some NBA stars had a lot of reason to fear the talent looming in the G-League. However, they were eventually able to bring the trophy home with them.

Who impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

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