Robert Covington To Replace Michael Carter-Williams In Rising Stars Challenge
By Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Michael Carter-Williams was selected to take part in the NBA's Rising Stars Challenge for the second straight season, but will have to sit out Friday night's game due to injury.
The NBA announced on Thursday, that Sixers sophomore Robert Covington would be taking part in the game in place of Carter-Williams
Covington will be playing for Team USA in the game alongside fellow Sixer, Nerlens Noel.
Carter-Williams has missed the last three Sixers games with a strained right big toe. The injury also means that Carter-Williams will sit out for the NBA's Skills Challenge on Saturday night.
Playing in this game is a sign of the meteoric rise that Covington has made this season. The Sixers signed him as a free agent on November 15th. He was signed out of the NBA's D-League and has since become one of the Sixers top offensive threats.
Through 43 games (31 starts), Covington is averaging 13 points and five rebounds. He ranks seventh in the league in three-pointers made per game with 2.4.
According to Bovada, Noel is listed as having 12/1 odds to take home the award as the MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge. Covington is listed with 20/1 odds to win the MVP award.
The best odds to take home the MVP trophy belong to Andrew Wiggins (13/4) who will be competing for Team World.
