To most people not named Jaxson Hayes, the Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend is an afterthought at best. If I asked you to name more than three players on any roster ever, almost everyone would struggle.
But it does matter to some, Austin Reaves amongst them. Anyone who watched “Last Dance” will know that even the smallest slights can motivate athletes to have that mental edge.
For Michael Jordan, it could be a completely fabricated story. For Reaves, it was the Rising Stars Game snub.
This past February, Reaves was noticeably absent from the Rising Stars Game despite having more than proven himself in his first two seasons.