EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Burges High School graduate Tristen Newton has been selected to play in the 2026 NBA Castrol Rising Stars Game on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.
Newton is currently on a two-way deal with the Houston Rockets, and he’s playing well this season. In 17 games, he’s averaging 26.8 points per game on 52.1% shooting from the floor.
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The three teams made up of the NBA’s top rookies and sophomores will compete against a G League squad in a mini tournament during All-Star Weekend.
Newton will play on Austin Rivers’ team, which is composed of seven G League players.
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)
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).
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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.
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