LeBron James won't be the only Los Angeles Lakers' representative at NBA All-Star Weekend, as sophomores Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball were both selected Tuesday to participate in Mtn Dew Ice Rising Stars game during the 2019 All-Star Weekend.
Ball is out injured with an ankle injury, so he is not expected to participate in the exhibition reserved for players in their first two years. On Jan. 20, the Lakers announced that Ball was expected to miss four to six weeks due to Grade 3 left ankle sprain.
Meanwhile, Kuzma is scheduled to miss his second straight game with a left hip strain Tuesday night. The Rising Stars game is scheduled for Feb. 15, so Kuzma may well be fit to play by then, but if the Lakers have any concerns about injuries, they'll likely ask the power forward to grab a seat and join Ball on the bench.
Previous Lakers' participants in the Rising Stars game, according to Lakers' Media Relations, are Ball (2018), Ingram (2017 and 2018), Kuzma (2018), Russell (2017 and 2016), Jordan Clarkson (2016), Farmar (2007 and 2008), Andrew Bynum (2007), Kobe Bryant (1997), Derek Fisher (1997), Travis Knight (1997), Eddie Jones (1995, selected MVP), and Nick Van Exel (1994).
