Rising Stars Challenge Odds: World All-Stars Underdogs Against USA All-Stars

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The first event of NBA All-Star weekend in Toronto, Ontario will be the some of the league’s most promising young stars going head-to-head. Instead of the traditional game between rookies and sophomores, the NBA has decided to mix things up with first and second-year players being separated with international players going up against players from the United States.

On Friday night, it will be World All-Stars going up against USA All-Stars with some promising young stars leading the way for both squads. Although both teams are very talented, the edge goes to the Americans, according to Bovada.lv.

At this point, USA All-Stars are the favorites sporting a -6 point spread heading into this match with the young international talent of World All-Stars.

Although the Americans are favored, the World All-Stars have a few players that could tilt the scales on Friday night. Andrew Wiggins, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Kristaps Porzingis will lead the way for the World All-Stars while D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Jahlil Okafor try to put the USA All-Stars over the top.

As expected, Wiggins is the favorite to win Rising Stars Challenge MVP honors. Wiggins is a talented up-and-comer and undisputed leader of the Minnesota Timberwolves and will hope to put on a show in his native country of Canada. The second-year forward is favored over his teammate Towns (+350) at +280.

This game may very well go either way. Both squads are stacked with young talent with a lot of potential superstars of the future, but with Wiggins playing in Canada and having the opportunity to make a statement, I’d go with the World All-Stars pulling off the upset in Toronto.