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Kings rookie Davion Mitchell out of NBA Rising Stars Challenge; injury replacement named

Xavier Mascareñas/xmascarenas@sacbee.com

Kings rookie Davion Mitchell will not participate in the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend due to a hand injury that caused him to miss Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls.

The NBA announced Thursday that Denver Nuggets rookie Bones Hyland has been selected as an injury replacement. Hyland will take Mitchell’s place on Team Payton, which is named after Gary Payton, one of four members of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team who will serve as Rising Stars honorary coaches.

The NBA said Mitchell will also be unable to participate in the Clutch Challenge, a team shooting competition that will be held during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland. Mitchell was expected to team up with Toronto Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes in the event. A replacement will be named soon, the league said.

Mitchell, 23, was held out of Wednesday’s 125-118 loss to the Bulls due to right hand soreness. Interim Kings coach Alvin Gentry said Mitchell was suffering from a minor contusion.

Mitchell, who came out of Baylor as the No. 9 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, is averaging 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Kings. He has been even better over the past 10 games, averaging 15.7 points and 4.4 assists while shooting 45.3% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range.

The Nuggets selected Hyland, 21, from Virginia Commonwealth with the 26th pick in the 2021 draft. Hyland is averaging 8.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists.

The Kings expected to have two players at All-Star Weekend after Tyrese Haliburton and Mitchell were selected for Rising Stars, but Haliburton was traded to the Indiana Pacers and Mitchell is hurt. The only person representing the Kings at All-Star Weekend now will be singer/song writer Anjali Ranadive, the daughter of owner Vivek Ranadive, who will participate in the All-Star Celebrity Game.