The NBA kicked off its All-Star festivities this Friday in San Francisco, with the Chase Center – home of the Golden State Warriors – hosting the ‘Rising Stars Challenge’. This tournament, featuring rookies, second-year players, and G League players, was played in a ‘Final Four’ style format, with Team C emerging as the champion. What made this victory particularly sweet was the added prize that came with it – a spot in Sunday’s main event, where they’ll face off against the biggest names in the league.

So, on Sunday, we can expect a real ‘Final Four’ showdown, with three teams packed with NBA superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic. And then there’s the fourth team – Team C, the winners of the ‘Rising Stars Challenge’, who’ll get to rub shoulders with some of the brightest stars in the league. This team is made up of players like Stephon Castle from the San Antonio Spurs, Dalton Knecht from the Los Angeles Lakers, Jaylen Wells from the Memphis Grizzlies, and a few others.

Team C’s road to the final wasn’t easy, of course. They’ll be facing off against Team Shaq – led by none other than Shaquille O’Neal – which features an impressive lineup including LeBron, Curry, Durant, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, and James Harden. The winning team on Sunday will take home a cool $125,000 per player. Before that, though, the All-Star festivities will continue on Saturday with the traditional skills, three-point, and slam dunk contests.

Friday’s ‘Rising Stars Challenge’

The ‘Rising Stars Challenge’ itself was quite the spectacle, with basketball legends like Oscar Robertson and Pau Gasol watching from the front row. The teams were coached by former players Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond, Chris Mullin, and Jeremy Lin. In the first semifinal, Stephon Castle scored the winning basket, securing Team C’s 40-34 win over Team T. The second semifinal was a bit more nail-biting, with Team G League pulling off a surprise win over Team M with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Bryce McGowens.

The semifinals were played without a clock, with the first team to reach 40 points declared the winner. In the final, the goal was to reach 25 points. Despite the relaxed atmosphere of the All-Star weekend, the final saw some intense defensive plays, with both teams vying for a spot in Sunday’s main event. Team G League put up quite a fight, taking an early 8-12 lead, but Team C came back strong, closing out the game with a 14-2 run capped off by a game-winning three-pointer from Keyonte George.

Stephon Castle was named the MVP of the ‘Rising Stars Challenge’, with 12 points in the final. As for the $125,000 check on offer for Sunday’s tournament, it’s definitely going to be a thrilling contest.

Other All-Star Events

This year’s All-Star also has a second venue – the Oakland Arena, which was the Warriors’ home stadium until 2019. On Friday, the Oakland Arena hosted the ‘All-Star Celebrity Game’, an exhibition match featuring figures from the entertainment world and former NBA players like Baron Davis. It was definitely a fun, lighthearted affair, with plenty of laughs and good vibes all around.