NBA All-Star Weekend is just two-and-a-half weeks away, and with the Sixers carrying a league-high 10 eligible players for the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge on their 15-man roster, the team hopes to be well represented in the game.

Although changes to the format of the game have hurt Philadelphia’s chances of breaking the event’s record of four teammates competing in one year, five members of the team have a reasonable shot to be selected for the competition.

Here’s the case for each:

*Note: There are 10 spots available on Team USA, and the split between rookies and sophomores must be no more uneven than seven to three

Michael Carter-Williams

Why He Should Make It

The reigning Rookie of the Year was the Sixers’ lone participant in the event last year and ranks first or second among sophomores in points (15.3), assists (7.1), steals (1.5), and minutes (34.2) per game; he also ranks seventh in rebounds per game (6.0). He and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder are the only two players in the league this season averaging more than 15.0 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Best Line: December 12, 2014 @ Detroit Pistons

20 points (8/12 FG, 4/5 FT), 15 assists, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 45 minutes

Vinelight

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Nerlens Noel

Why He Should Make It

In addition to frequent flashes of the all-world talent and athleticism he displayed as a freshman at Kentucky in 2012-13, the redshirt rookie has been one of the most impactful first-year defenders in recent history. Among the 19 players in the league who defend more than 8.0 opponent field goal attempts at the rim, Noel ranks third in conversion rate, allowing just a 47.3 FG% on 8.6 attempts per game. His defensive box plus-minus (a measure of the points a player prevents per 100 possessions versus a replacement player) is 3.2, good for sixth in the NBA and 13th in Sixers franchise history (minimum 500 minutes played).

The 20-year-old big man is averaging 8.0 points (fifth amongst rookies), 7.3 rebounds (first), 1.5 assists (14th), 1.6 blocks (first), and 1.5 steals (first) on the season.

Best Line: January 16, 2015 vs. New Orleans Pelicans

17 points (7/10 FG, 3/4 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals, 33 minutes

Vinelight

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Robert Covington

Why He Should Make It

Bobby Buckets has been one of the biggest surprises of the 2014-15 NBA season, going from D-League draftee to NBA benchwarmer to legitimate offensive threat in the course of about a month. Covington has started each of the last 23 games in which he’s appeared for the Sixers, averaging 13.9 points per contest and averaging 2.5 made threes on 6.9 attempts a night during stretch. Since the sophomore forward’s first start on December 12, his 57 made threes rank ninth in the league, just two fewer than San Antonio’s Danny Green (#8) and seven fewer than Golden State’s Stephen Curry (#7).

On the year, he’s averaging 12.3 points (38.9 FG%, 38.6 3P%) and 4.3 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game.

Best Line: January 9, 2015 @ Brooklyn Nets

20 points (8/12 FG, 3/6 3P), 7 rebounds, 6 steals, 40 minutes

Vinelight

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K.J. McDaniels

Why He Should Make It

Simply posting his Vinelight here and calling it a day would probably suffice, but that would be undervaluing the impact K.J. McDaniels has had as a rookie. In 44 games, he’s averaged 9.2 points (third amongst rookies), 3.8 rebounds (eighth), 1.4 assists (12th), and 1.4 blocks (second).

At 6’6”, his 1.4 blocks per game put him elite company. In league history, only five players that height or shorter have maintained that rate over an entire season – Gar Heard, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Clarence Weatherspoon, a feat made even more impressive considering that none of those players averaged fewer than 32.0 minutes per game, while McDaniels plays just 26.1 minutes per game. When the rookie swingman is on the floor, he blocks 4.5% of two-point shots attempted by opposing teams, the highest mark ever by a player his height; His block percentage ranks eighth among all players this season; the seven players ahead of him are all 6”10” or taller.

Best Line: November 29, 2014 vs. Dallas Mavericks

21 points (8/17 FG, 2/3 3P), 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 32 minutes

Vinelight

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Jerami Grant

Why He Should Make It

Although Grant’s odds of being selected to compete in the Rising Stars Challenge are significantly slimmer than those of the four players listed above, his play as of late should not be ignored. After missing the first 15 games of the season due to a right ankle sprain, he’s slowly but surely worked his way back into game shape. Over the Syracuse rookie’s first 11 games (November 29 to December 21), he averaged just 11.0 minutes per game, but in 19 outings since (December 23 to January 26), he’s seen his playing time increase to 22.1 minutes per game. His production has steadily improved as well.

Over his last 10 games, he’s averaged 8.2 points on 47.5% from the floor and 12-of-24 (50.0%) from long range to go along with 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He’s scored in double figures four times during that span and has done so in each of his last two games. Against the Knicks on January 21, he blocked eight shots in just 25 minutes of action, becoming one of just eight players to hit that mark in as many or fewer minutes since 1985.

On Monday, Sam Vecenie of CBSSports.com ranked Grant as the 10th-best rookie in the league.

Best Line: December 23, 2014 @ Miami Heat

11 points (3/7 FG, 1/2 3P), 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, 26 minutes

Vinelight

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Should any members of the squad be selected to compete in the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge or various individual events, Sixers.com will be in New York City to cover it all. The game goes down on Friday, February 13 at 9pm (EST) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.