EL SEGUNDO – Lakers guards Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell were two of 10 American rookie and sophomore players selected by the league’s assistant coaches to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge, it was announced today. The duo becomes the eighth and ninth Lakers elected to the game (previously known as the Rookie-Sophomore Game), joining Jordan Farmar, Andrew Bynum, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Travis Knight, Eddie Jones, and Nick Van Exel. The game will be played on Friday, Feb. 12 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto during NBA All-Star 2016.
Following up his All-Rookie First Team selection last season, Clarkson is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in 45 games (all starts). The sophomore is second among all second-year players in scoring, and tied his career-high with a 30-point showing 11/3 vs. Denver. He is currently on a 15-game stretch of scoring in double-figures, the longest streak of his career, and has led the Lakers in scoring 11 times this season.
The second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Russell is averaging 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in 45 contests (22 starts). Amongst rookies, the 19-year-old ranks 3rd in assists, 3rd in steals, 4th in points, and 8th in three-point shooting percentage. He leads all rookies with 70 three-pointers made, and set a career-high with five triples 12/11 at San Antonio. Russell scored 27 points on 11-16 shooting 1/7 at Sacramento – the most for a Laker bench player this season – and recorded his first career double-double 12/4 at Atlanta with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The pair will join teammate Kobe Bryant, who was selected by fans as a starter for the All-Star Game, for All-Star Weekend in Toronto next month.
