On Wednesday, the NBA named the 18 participants (nine rookies and nine sophomores) for the Rising Stars Challenge, to be played on Friday night at All-Star Weekend in Orlando.

And Marshon Brooks is among the nine rookies selected by the league's assistant coaches.

The new format for the game will have Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal draft teams from the 18-player pool on Thursday, Feb. 16.

Earlier on Wednesday, according to Nets PR, Brooks "increased court activity, without contact." His broken toe will keep him out until at least Sunday. The Nets play Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and then not again until next Wednesday.

• Griffin, Irving, Rubio headline Rising Stars roster pool - NBA.com
• Nets' MarShon Brooks selected to play in rookie-sophomore game - Colin Stephenson - Star-Ledger
• Brooks named to Rookie-Sophomore game - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
  
• Shelden Williams only New Jersey Nets player in every game - Fred Kerber - New York Post