The 2026 NBA Rising Stars Challenge kicks off All-Star Weekend on Friday with a four-team tournament featuring rookies, sophomores and G League players. Coached by Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, plus Austin Rivers for the G League squad, the event highlights a talented rookie class despite some injuries. The games will be played to target scores at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
The annual NBA Rising Stars Challenge takes place on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. This marks the fifth consecutive year of the four-team tournament format, with semifinals played to 40 points and the championship to 25 points. The event showcases top NBA rookies and sophomores alongside G League players, streamed exclusively on Peacock.
Team Melo, coached by Carmelo Anthony, features reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs, along with Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers, Reed Sheppard of the Houston Rockets, Ace Bailey of the Utah Jazz, Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs, Jeremiah Fears of the New Orleans Pelicans, and Collin Murray-Boyles of the Toronto Raptors. This roster includes injury replacement for Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg, who is sidelined by a foot injury after recording the first back-to-back 30-point double-doubles by a teenager in NBA history and a 49-point game against the Hornets.
Team T-Mac, led by Tracy McGrady, includes Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, who has made 183 three-pointers this season and is on pace to break the rookie record of 206 set by Keegan Murray in 2022-23. Other members are Kel'el Ware (Miami Heat), Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards), Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers), Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks), Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies), and Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards), with replacements for injured players Ajay Mitchell and Alex Sarr.
Team Vince, coached by Vince Carter, is headlined by Philadelphia 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick who ranks third among rookies in scoring at 14.9 points per game. The team also features Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans), Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards), Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls), Egor Demin (Brooklyn Nets), Carter Bryant (San Antonio Spurs) as replacement for Cedric Coward, and Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies).
Team Austin, coached by Austin Rivers, represents the G League with players like Jahmir Young (Sioux Falls Skyforce), Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix), Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars), Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego Clippers), Alijah Martin (Raptors 905), and Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers), including replacements for David Jones García and Mac McClung.
The first semifinal pits Team Melo (-5.5, O/U 73.5) against Team Austin, followed by Team T-Mac (-2.5, O/U 74.5) versus Team Vince. Overall odds list Team Melo as +140 favorites to win the tournament, with Team T-Mac at +175, Team Vince at +320, and Team Austin at +900. Expert Mike Barner predicts a talent gap favoring Team Melo and Team T-Mac over Team Vince due to stronger draft pedigrees and experience.
