Standout rookies Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were the top two picks in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars draft.
• NBA All-Star 2026: Complete coverage
• Castrol Rising Stars: Rosters
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars were drafted to three teams Tuesday with Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel and Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe selected in the first round by honorary coaches Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter.
The three teams of top NBA rookies and sophomores will compete against a G League squad in a mini-tournament Friday, Feb. 13 (9 ET, Peacock) at the LA Clippers’ Intuit Dome as part of NBA All-Star 2026.
Team Melo
- Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
- Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
- Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
- Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
- Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
- Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Team T-Mac
- Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
- Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
- Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
- Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
- Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Team Vince
- VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
- Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)
- Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
- Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
- Egor Dёmin (Brooklyn Nets)
- Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)
Full draft results
- Cooper Flagg (Team Melo)
- Kon Knueppel (Team T-Mac)
- VJ Edgecombe (Team Vince)
- Derik Queen (Team Vince)
- Kel’el Ware (Team T-Mac)
- Reed Sheppard (Team Melo)
- Stephon Castle (Team Melo)
- Tre Johnson (Team T-Mac)
- Kyshawn George (Team Vince)
- Matas Buzelis (Team Vince)
- Alex Sarr (Team T-Mac)
- Dylan Harper (Team Melo)
- Jeremiah Fears (Team Melo)
- Ajay Mitchell (Team T-Mac)
- Egor Dёmin (Team Vince)
- Cedric Coward (Team Vince)
- Jaylon Tyson (Team T-Mac)
- Donovan Clingan (Team Melo)
- Collin Murray-Boyles (Team Melo)
- Cam Spencer (Team T-Mac)
- Jaylen Wells (Team Vince)
Former NBA player and current NBC/Peacock analyst Austin Rivers will coach the G League Rising Stars team.
Team Austin
- 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)
- Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
In the Castrol Rising Stars mini-tournament, Team A will face Team B in the first semifinal (Game 1), and Team C will play Team D in the second semifinal (Game 2). The winner of Game 1 will meet the winner of Game 2 in the championship (Game 3).
For each semifinal game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points. For the championship game, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 25 points.
NBA assistant coaches determined the pool of 21 NBA players, with each team submitting one ballot. Voters ranked 10 rookies and 10 sophomores, with more points assigned to higher placements. The top 10 rookies and top 10 sophomores by point total earned spots. The final spot was awarded to the higher-scoring player among the 11th-ranked finishers in each class. The pool includes one more sophomore than rookie based on total points received.
An assistant coach from one of the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will be named head coach of each of the four Castrol Rising Stars teams, working alongside the honorary coaches.
