INGLEWOOD, CA – The rosters are set for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game, a showcase of the NBA’s brightest young talent that will take place on at the Intuit Dome as part of NBA All-Star 2026. The annual event will feature a mini-tournament format, with three teams of NBA rookies and sophomores competing against a G League squad.
Hall of Fame players Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady served as honorary coaches, drafting their teams from a pool of 21 rookies and sophomores live on Peacock. Former NBA player Austin Rivers will coach the G League team.
Team Melo Takes Shape
Carmelo Anthony’s Team Melo boasts a roster headlined by Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, widely considered a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. Flagg is currently averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Joining Flagg will be Reed Sheppard of the Houston Rockets, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs, Jeremiah Fears of the New Orleans Pelicans, Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Collin Murray-Boyles of the Toronto Raptors.
Team T-Mac’s Rising Stars
Tracy McGrady selected Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets with his first pick. Knueppel is averaging 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 42.2 percent from three-point range. Rounding out Team T-Mac are Kel’el Ware of the Miami Heat, Tre Johnson and Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards, Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jaylon Tyson of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Cam Spencer of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Team Vince’s Young Core
Vince Carter’s Team Vince will feature VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers, Derik Queen of the New Orleans Pelicans, Kyshawn George of the Washington Wizards, Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls, Egor Dёmin of the Brooklyn Nets, Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies. Edgecombe, already a starter for a potential playoff contender, is averaging 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
G League Squad Ready to Compete
Austin Rivers will lead the NBA G League team, comprised of Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars), Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics), David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs), Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), and Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix).
Tournament Format Explained
The Castrol Rising Stars tournament will begin with two semifinal games. Team A will face Team B in Game 1, and Team C will play Team D in Game 2. The winners of each semifinal will then advance to the championship game. The semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the championship game will be played to a target score of 25 points.
Player Selection Process
The pool of 21 NBA players was determined by NBA assistant coaches, each submitting a ballot ranking 10 rookies and 10 sophomores. Points were assigned based on ranking, and the top 10 players in each class earned spots. The final spot was awarded to the higher-ranked player among the 11th-ranked finishers in each class. The pool includes one more sophomore than rookie based on total points received.
The event promises to be a thrilling display of the NBA’s emerging talent, offering fans a glimpse into the future of the league. The Rising Stars game will be televised on Peacock on .
