Andre Drummond was named MVP following last night's Rising Stars Challenge at the All-Star weekend.
The Detroit Pistons center scored 30 points as 25 rebounds as his team came away with a 142-136 win.
The 20-year-old told reporters: "Missing the game last year was tough for me. I hated watching every second of it. It was tough I couldn't be out there.
"It was my mindset to come out and play with energy like I had been all year. I had my mindset to win the MVP and win the game, and I went out and did it.
"I had the mindset this year of coming out here and playing with energy to show the league that I could play in Sunday's game. And that I'm able to hang with the big guys."
Drummond is averaging 13.1 points per game this season.
