Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin won the 2024 NBA Rising Stars MVP award after scoring 18 points and hitting the game-winning shot in the semifinal appearance against Team Tamika and adding four points in a 26-13 win over Team Detlef in the final.
Despite the highly anticipated matchup between rookie stars Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, the Pacers guard became the hometown hero during Friday night’s NBA Rising Stars game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
According to multiple NBA betting sites, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo is the odds-on favorite to win the 2024 NBA All-Star Game MVP award. Sportsbooks are still showing great odds for Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic.
⭐️ Led all players in points
⭐️️Risings Stars champ
⭐️️MVPBennedict Mathurin was the star of the show 🤩 pic.twitter.com/5Q38b4QErt
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) February 17, 2024
Winning MVP was a personal goal for Mathurin. “I told my team I’m trying to win, especially in Indy,” he said Friday morning. “I didn’t tell them I’m trying to get MVP, [but] yeah, I’m trying to get it.”
The new NBA Rising Stars format began in 2023. Rookies, sophomores, and select G League players are divided into four teams. Teams play semifinal games against one another to a target score of 40.
The final goes to 25 points. Former NBA and WNBA stars Pau Gasol, Tamika Catchings, Jalen Rose, and Detlef Schrempf were the coaches for each team.
Indiana Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin wins 2024 NBA Rising Stars MVP with 22 points for Team Jalen
This was Mathurin’s second Rising Stars victory. The University of Arizona product won last year’s event with Team Pau. The 21-year-old was serenaded with “MVP” chants by fans this time around.
“It was fun. It was fun to see, to receive those chants,” Mathurin said. “The Rising Stars Game, I feel like I haven’t really gotten that feeling in the NBA. One day I want to be MVP, so it was great to have that feeling pretty early in my career.”
In the final against Team Detlef, the Pacers guard recorded four points, two assists, and a steal. New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams helped carry Team Jalen to victory with back-to-back 3-pointers.
Rising Stars MVP Bennedict Mathurin says it was huge to have his #Pacers teammates in the house on Friday night: “I was pretty pumped just to see them.”
And he was motivated to put on a show for the hometown crowd: “I had to make sure I bring it home.” #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/mdrKileqSj
— Bally Sports Indiana (@BallySportsIN) February 17, 2024
Although Mathurin is an 82.5% free-thrower shooter, he missed a pair of foul shots with a chance to win the semifinal in the first game. As a result, he lost a $25,000 bet with Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero.
Though, at least he redeemed himself by knocking down a turnaround jumper for the win.
“I saw a couple shots going in and I was like, it’s a wrap,” Mathurin said about his performance in the first game. “If I’m being totally honest, it’s also my city. I had to make sure I brought it home. So that was the main thing for me.”
Wembanyama finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks for Team Pau against Team Detlef in the semifinal. But Wemby’s group fell short against Team Detlef after G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis hit a jumper to secure the victory. Buzelis is eligible for the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft.
Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, and Mathurin team up for the Skills Challenge on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET. Haliburton is also participating in the Starry 3-Point Contest.
Both events are taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium as part of the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend.
