One of New Orleans’ rookies is already so well-known that in a TV commercial promoting Sunday’s ABC national broadcast of Pelicans-Rockets, Zion Williamson is the only player mentioned for either team, despite the fact that New Orleans and Houston have a combined three All-Stars (Brandon Ingram, James Harden, Russell Westbrook).

While the much-discussed Williamson is off to a stellar start to his NBA career through four games played, the 19-year-old isn’t the only Pelicans rookie making waves in 2019-20. In fact, there are three other first-year pros who’ve helped New Orleans rank sixth in the NBA in total minutes logged by rookies (403), as well as sixth in points (874), third in rebounds (407) and first in blocks (66).

Partly as a result, Williamson and Pelicans rookie guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker were named to the 2020 Rising Stars game Friday. They will be opponents in the Valentine’s Day contest, with No. 1 pick Williamson suiting up for the Americans and No. 17 choice Alexander-Walker on the World squad. Alexander-Walker is a native of Canada.

“I’m excited,” Alexander-Walker said this morning, minutes after finding out he was selected. “It’s been a dream of mine my entire life, when you think about being in the rookie-sophomore challenge. It’s a milestone.”

The 21-year-old Alexander-Walker will get the unique experience of facing a Pelicans teammate on Feb. 14, but he’ll also have the rare chance to play with a first cousin. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the LA Clippers is one of four Canadians picked for the World roster.

Although New Orleans rookies Jaxson Hayes (No. 8 overall draft pick) and Nicolo Melli (veteran free-agent signee from Italy) were not picked, they likely were given serious consideration for Rising Stars roster spots. Among rookies who’ve appeared in at least 35 games, Hayes ranks No. 1 in blocks per game (1.1), while Melli has drained 35 three-pointers in his 36 games played, in an average of just 14.9 minutes.