Rookie Lakers guard Bronny James will not be a part of the 2025 NBA All-Star weekend festivities in San Francisco. On January 28, the NBA announced the rosters for the Rising Stars Challenge game, which pits NBA rookies against sophomores and G-League players.
A total of 10 rookies, 11 sophomores and 6 G-Leaguers were announced for the game, but Bronny’s name didn’t make the cut. However, Bronny’s Lakers teammate, Dalton Knecht, got the nod among the NBA rookies selected for the exhibition game.
The rookie pool includes Knecht, the Grizzlies’ Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells, the Wizards’ Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr, the Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher, the Pelicans’ Yves Messi, the 76ers’ Jared McCain, the Magic’s Tristan da Silva and Rookie of the Year favorite Stephon Castle of the Spurs.
The sophomore pool is headlined by Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, the Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly, the Raptors’ Gradey Dick, the Jazz’s Keyonte George, the Trail Blazers’ Scoot Henderson, the Warriors’ Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., the Mavericks’ Dereck Lively II, the Hornets’ Brandon Miller, the Rockets’ Amen Thompson and Thunder’s Carson Wallace.
From the G League, JD Davison, Mac McClung, Bryce McGowens, Leonard Miller, Dink Pate, Reed Sheppard and Pat Spencer will be in the Rising Stars Challenge.
James Family Turned Down NBA Invite
While Bronny didn’t make the cut for the Rising Stars Challenge, he was nearly a part of another event during All-Star weekend.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, LeBron and Bronny turned down an invite to become the first father-son duo to participate in the Skills Challenge.
“That invitation was turned down,” Haynes said on January 23. “Bronny James was also extended an invite to participate with the G-Leaguers in the Rising Stars Challenge. I’m told that offer was declined as well.”
Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal also reported that the NBA was keen for Bronny to play with G-Leaguers against James on NBA All-Star Sunday.
Bronny James Not Ready For The NBA?
“The league has thought all of it through as it brings its All-Star Game off life support, even the remote possibility that Bronny James — as part of the G League team during the Rising Stars Challenge — could end up facing his father in a Sunday night semifinal,” Friend wrote.
While Bronny has shown a lot of promise in the G-League, ESPN’s Stephen A Smith believes the 20-year-old isn’t yet ready for the NBA. On the January 29 episode of “First Take” on ESPN, Smith called out LeBron and the Lakers for putting undue pressure on Bronny.
“We know that he’s not ready yet,” Smith said of Bronny.
Meanwhile, Lakers rookie is thrilled to receive the opportunity to showcase his skills during the NBA All-Star weekend.
“It means a lot, it’s a good accomplishment,” he said, via Lakers Nation. “At the same time, it’s just the Rising Stars game. I’m more focused on the season than anything.”
“Just try to be the best version of myself on the court. Space the floor, shoot the ball, rebound and just like that. Try to learn off my vets, really. That’s about it.”
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