Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams Take Home Hardware, Wallace Bounced in First Round

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Thunder
By Rylan Stiles | Last updated 2/17/24

On Friday Night, the NBA put on its annual Rising Stars Challenge. For the second straight season, the format got a facelift, going to a four-team tournament coached by basketball legends.

After the Rising Stars draft, Cason Wallace ended up separated from his Thunder teammates on Team Catchings, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren wound up on Team Rose.

As the Thunder players were put on opposite sides of the bracket, there was no storybook championship as Wallace's squad was ousted in the first round in a surprising upset as Team Schrempf's G League team dethroned the Victor Wembanyama-led catching team. However, the Kentucky product shined off the bench pouring in eight points.

Holmgren and Williams had a vastly different night than their rookie teammate, bringing back the Rising Stars trophy, and putting more cash in their own -pockets. The Santa Clara product hit the game-winner in the target score format of the title game.

Jalen Williams on his game winner pic.twitter.com/xIkQom6PQb
— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) February 17, 2024

In the championship game, Williams chipped in five points, three assists, and two rebounds. Holmgren turned in two points, as many rebounds, and swatted a shot.

The Oklahoma City trio had a successful night, and the organization is not done yet. Keyontae Johnson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander still have their events to go on Sunday.

The Thunder will pick up their schedule on Thursday, Feb 22 at 7 p.m. against the L.A. Clippers which could be the debut of Gordon Hayward and Bismack Biyombo to spark the team after the mid-winter classic.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Thunder and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: