Cleveland Cavaliers rookie guard Collin Sexton’s name was not among the various rookies called up to showcase their talents at the Rising Stars Game as part of All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. However, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft used the snub as motivation to show the rest of the league why he should have been a part of it.
Teammate Kevin Love, still sidelined throughout that time, empathized with the rookie point guard, sharing a bit of his own experience to serve as a piece of advice.
“I had a conversation with him after they announced the teams for Rising Stars, I said, ‘Listen, I didn’t make the game and I still ended up on the All-Rookie Team,’” Love said, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “It’s all about how you respond. How he responded to me has been very positive.”
Sexton was disappointed in the snub, but now has the chance to take part in an even higher honor, making the All-NBA Rookie Team.
“That was one of my goals,” Sexton admitted in a sit-down interview. “Would mean a lot. A tremendous accomplishment because there’s only five. It just shows all the hard work you’ve put in the entire season.”
The Alabama rookie wasn’t disappointed for long, as he hit the ground running after the All-Star break, finding his 3-point stroke and taking a more aggressive approach to the game.
In March alone, Sexton put up 22.4 points on 51 percent shooting, 44.7 percent from deep and a clean 83.9 percent from the foul line.
While the rest of his game has yet to develop, the talent he possesses is evident, and he could soon find himself rubbing elbows with Trae Young and Luka Doncic as part of the All-NBA Rookie Team once the season comes to a close.