Vander Blue will lead the West squad in the 2017 D-League All-Star Game. (Getty)
Before the NBA‘s finest takes center stage in New Orleans on Saturday and Sunday, the D-League All-Stars will get a chance to showcase their talent on Saturday afternoon.
With tip-off set for 2:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV, here’s a look at who to watch for in this year’s exhibition:
2017 NBA D-League All-Star Game Rosters
West
Keith Benson, Sioux Falls
Vander Blue, Los Angeles
Joel Bolomboy, Salt Lake City (replaces Pierre Jackson)
Dennis Clifford, Santa Cruz
Justin Harper, Los Angeles
Cory Jefferson, Austin
Dakari Johnson, Oklahoma City
Josh Magette, Los Angeles
Johnny O’Bryant III, Northern Arizona
Briante Weber, Sioux Falls
Okaro White, Sioux Falls
Reggie Williams, Oklahoma City (replaces JaKarr Sampson)
Head Coach: Coby Karl, Los Angeles
East
Anthony Brown, Erie
Quinn Cook, Canton
Jordan Crawford, Grand Rapids (replaces Yogi Ferrell)
Marcus Georges-Hunt, Maine
Jalen Jones, Maine
Shawn Long, Delaware
Alfonzo McKinnie, Windy City (replaces Ray McCallum)
Eric Moreland, Canton (replaces Chris McCullough)
Abdel Nader, Maine
Alex Poythress, Fort Wayne
Edy Tavares, Raptors 905
Axel Toupane, Raptors 905
Head Coach: Jerry Stackhouse, Raptors 905
Players to Watch
Though there are plenty of players with NBA experience (Jordan Crawford, Okaro White and Johnny O’Bryant III, to name a few), it’s someone who hasn’t played a minute in the NBA who has proven to be the most explosive scorer in the D-League this year.
That would be Duke product Quinn Cook, who is pouring in 25.7 points per game for the Canton Charge.
Vander Blue, who a couple of short stints with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers in 2014 and ’15, respectively, is just behind Cook in the scoring department, averaging 25.2 points per contest for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Of course, it’s nothing new for the former Marquette star, as he scored 23.3 per game in 2014-15 and 26.3 per contest on his way to a All-NBA D-League First-Team selection a year ago.
Abdel Nader (23.8 points per game) is another one who can light it up, as it is Jordan Crawford, who averaged 14.7 points for the Wizards back in 2012.
Beyond scoring, this game is about athletes and those who can thrive in the open court. Ones to watch in that regard include Eric Moreland, as well as Alex Poythress and Alfonzo McKinnie, who will both be in the dunk contest Saturday.