It's a tried and true idea in other sports, and now it's coming to NBA All-Star Weekend.
The league announced Wednesday that this year's Rising Stars Challenge will pit the USA against the World. The idea is borrowed from events such as the Ryder Cup (USA vs. Europe) and the old NHL All-Star Game format (North America vs. World).
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The game, still known to most as the rookie vs. sophomore game, is scheduled for Friday night of All-Star Weekend in Brooklyn.
This season, 10 of the NBA's top rookies and second-year players from the United States will take on 10 of the top youngsters born internationally. The teams will be selected by assistant coaches around the league and coached by an assistant from the Eastern and Western Conference coaching staffs. The East coach will come from the Hawks' staff, as it was announced Wednesday night that Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer and his assistants will coach the East All-Stars.
The World team will likely feature a strong Canadian contingent, with recent draftees Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Kelly Olynyk and Nik Stauskas all hailing from the United States' northern neighbor. Joining them could be any number of international players, including Gorgui Dieng (Senegal), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Dante Exum (Australia) and Rudy Gobert (France).
Team USA will have a load of talent, too, with Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton, Nerlens Noel and plenty others eligible to be selected.
Regardless of the rosters (to be announced later), the new format should serve as extra incentive for the participants to play with pride and put on a show to help kick off All-Star Weekend.