UK has been represented 26 times in NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge. See who’s on the list.

Jamal Murray has been selected for the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge, an event in which he was named MVP as a rookie last season, becoming the latest in a long line of former Kentucky players to take part.

Murray, in his second season playing for the Denver Nuggets, is the only UK representative in this year’s Challenge, which will be held NBA All-Star weekend, Feb. 16-18, in Los Angeles. Rising Stars are nominated by the NBA’s assistant coaches.

But the Cats will have two All-Star starters in New Orleans Pelicans teammates Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins and two All-Star reserves in John Wall and Karl-Anthony Towns. That’s tied for the most NBA All-Stars from one school with UCLA, which also had four in 1983.

Murray, the seventh overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, is averaging 16.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season. He’s scored 30 or more points in five games this season.

Last season, Murray led four former UK players in the Challenge game with 36 points and 11 assists to win MVP honors. Also playing were Trey Lyles, Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns.

John Wall won MVP honors in the 2011 game thanks to 22 assists, but the honor could have also easily gone to former UK teammate DeMarcus Cousins who scored 33 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Wall’s assists total is the record for the event. Eric Bledsoe also played.

Since the Challenge’s inception in 1994, former UK players have been part of the game 26 times, beginning with Jamal Mashburn’s appearance in the inaugural game.

This story was originally published January 25, 2018 at 5:59 PM with the headline "UK has been represented 26 times in NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge. See who’s on the list.."