Jeremy Lin will play in the Rising Stars Challenge after all.

The Knicks point guard was added Thursday to the roster of players for the Feb. 24 game, just before Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley began drafting for their teams.

Lin's breakout came after the pool of 18 players was selected, and the NBA was pressured to add him after he scored 136 points in his first five starts, most by an NBA player since the merger with the ABA in 1976-77.

O'Neal took Lin with his third pick after starting with the Clippers' Blake Griffin. Barkley took Cleveland's Kyrie Irving atNo. 2.

Miami's Norris Cole also was added to make 20 eligible players.