These Houston Rockets should be considered for NBA All-Star events

Isaiah Hartenstein (Team USA)

As we have discussed recently, Isaiah Hartenstein is in the best stretch of his young NBA career. Given Clint Capela‘s injury history, it’s becoming more important for Hartenstein to establish himself as more than just a big body in the paint, and he’s been doing just that.

The 7-foot lefty from Oregon has athleticism that would shine in the Rising Stars Challenge and give the Chicago crowds plenty to cheer for. Currently, Isaiah is averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds per 36 minutes for the Rockets.

Chris Clemons (Team USA)

Another North Carolina native, Chris Clemons was built for a game like the Rising Stars Challenge. The 5-9 guard is in the same situation as Clark in that he deserves more minutes but has too many veterans ahead of him in the rotation.

Clemons is averaging just 9.1 minutes per game but is lighting up the scoreboard when he’s on the court, putting up 20.6 points per 36 minutes of action. Chris is knocking down threes at a clip of 39 percent and is just about the least gun-shy shooter in the league. In a game like this, I could see him putting up 40-plus points from jump shots alone if given the green light.

Next: 3-Point Contest, Skills Challenge