Mavs’ Flagg headlines Rising Stars player pool

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft, headlines the rosters announced Monday for next month’s Rising Stars Challenge as part of All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

Flagg is one of 10 rookies, all of whom were taken in the lottery in June’s draft, asked to participate in the event. The others are San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (taken second overall), Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (third), Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (fourth), Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (sixth), New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears (seventh) and forward Derik Queen (13th), Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (eighth), Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (ninth) and Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (11th).

They will be joined by 11 sophomores, led by the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Wizards center Alex Sarr. He will be accompanied by Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (third), Spurs guard Stephon Castle (fourth), Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (seventh) and Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (11th).

Rounding out the sophomore selections are first-round picks Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware (15th), Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20th) and Wizards forward Kyshawn George (24th), plus second-round picks in Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell (38th) and Grizzlies guards Jaylen Wells (39th) and Cam Spencer (53rd).

Those 21 players, who were selected in voting by the NBA’s assistant coaches, will be joined by seven who participated in G League games this season: two first-round picks from June’s draft (Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen, the 16th pick, and LA Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser, the 30th pick); and four players on two-way contracts — David Jones Garcia (Spurs), Tristen Newton (Rockets), Alijah Martin (Raptors) and Ron Harper Jr. (Boston Celtics). The final player, Sean East II, plays for the G League’s Salt Lake City Stars.

2026 NBA Rising Stars rosters: pic.twitter.com/WXLjq3Ui2i

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 26, 2026

The 28 players will be divided into four teams. The 21 rookies and sophomores will be split into three seven-man rosters, while the players who were selected out of the G League will play on a fourth team. The four teams will play a mini-tournament on Feb. 13 in Los Angeles, with the winners of the first two games meeting in the title game.

The rookie and sophomore teams will be divided up Tuesday night on NBC, when they will be drafted by honorary coaches and broadcast analysts Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. NBC Sports analyst and longtime NBA player Austin Rivers will be the honorary coach the G League squad. Assistant coaches from the Detroit Pistons and whatever team earns the right to coach the Western Conference in the All-Star Game will be the head coaches of the four teams.