The NBA has unveiled the player pool for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars, setting the table for All-Star Weekend’s annual showcase of the league’s best young talent, and guaranteeing a few new household names will get a prime-time stage in Los Angeles.
This year’s field features 28 players split across 10 rookies, 11 sophomores, and seven NBA G League selections. The rookies list is topped by Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, joined by fellow first-year standouts including Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Egor Dëmin, Jeremiah Fears, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel, Collin Murray-Boyles, Derik Queen, and Cedric Coward.
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars NBA Rookies ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/RkN1Kmnzor
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 26, 2026
The sophomore group brings its own weight, led by Spurs guard Stephon Castle and a class that includes Alex Sarr, Donovan Clingan, Matas Buzelis, Reed Sheppard, Jaylen Wells, Kel’el Ware, Kyshawn George, Ajay Mitchell, Cam Spencer, and Jaylon Tyson.
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars NBA Sophomores ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/l2ltJY6ugw
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 26, 2026
The G League contingent, often a sneaky source of chaos in this format, features Sean East II, Ron Harper Jr., David Jones Garcia, Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, Alijah Martin, Tristen Newton, and Yang Hansen.
The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars representing the NBA G League ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/7qwSudcry3
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 26, 2026
The event will be played Friday, February 13 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, streaming on Peacock. Before that, the 21 NBA rookies and sophomores will be drafted into three teams by honorary coaches Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady, with Austin Rivers set to coach the G League team. The mini-tournament format returns: two semifinals to 40 points, then a title game to 25.
For the league, Rising Stars has become more than a warm-up act, it’s a first real national spotlight for the next wave. For Flagg, Castle and the rest of a stacked field, it’s a chance to turn “promising” into “must-see,” in a building and on a weekend built for moments.
