NBA All-Star Weekend will kick off Friday night with the 2026 Castrol NBA Rising Stars.
Three teams of the best NBA rookies and sophomores and a fourth team of G League players will compete in a three-game tournament.
In a draft from the 21-player pool, rookies Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe were the first-round picks.
The Dallas Mavericks announced Wednesday night that Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 draft and leading Rookie of the Year contender, will miss the Rising Stars because of a left midfoot sprain. Flagg is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break.
The NBA announced Thursday morning that Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey will replace Flagg.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest as part of the NBA’s All-Star Saturday on NBC and Peacock.
NBC and Peacock will have coverage of the State Farm 3-Point Contest, the Kia Shooting Stars and the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday and the Stripes vs. World All-Star Game on Sunday.
The event has been a staple of All-Star Weekend since 1986.
More information below on the Castol NBA Rising Stars, including how to watch:
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How to watch the 2026 Castrol NBA Rising Stars, date, start time When: Saturday, Feb. 13Where: Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CaliforniaTime: 9 p.m. ET; championship at 10:35 p.m. ETTV/Streaming: PeacockWhat is the 2026 NBA Rising Stars?
The four-team mini-tournament is an annual showcase of the NBA’s best young talent during All-Star Weekend.
NBA Rising Stars format explained
NBA assistant coaches determined the pool of 21 NBA players, with each team submitting one ballot with rankings of rookies and sophomores.
The top 10 rookies and top 10 sophomores earned spots, according to the point totals. The final spot was awarded to the higher-scoring player among the 11th-ranked finishers in each class (there is one more sophomore than rookie based on total points).
Hall of Fame players Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady each drafted a team of seven players. The fourth team, which is coached by current NBC Sports analyst Austin Rivers, will be comprised of G League Rising Stars.
An assistant coach from one of the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will be named head coach for each of the four Rising Stars teams, working alongside the honorary coaches.
In the tournament, Team Melo will face Team Austin at 9 p.m. ET, followed by Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac at 9:55 p.m. ET. The winners will meet in the championship.
In each semifinal game, the winner is the first team to reach or surpass 40 points. The championship game will be won by the first team to reach or surpass 25 points.
Teams, players in NBA Rising StarsTeam MeloCooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)*
* Out with left midfoot sprainReed 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)Ace Bailey (Utah Jazz)*
* Replaces Cooper FlaggTeam T-MacKon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
* Out with hamstring strainAjay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder, out with an injury)Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)*
* Replaces Ajay MitchellBub Carrington (Washington Wizards)*
* Replaces Alex SarrTeam VinceVJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)Egor DÑ‘min (Brooklyn Nets)Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)Team Austin
(G League Rising Stars)
Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs) [injured, will not play*]Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers)Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)Mac McClung (Chicago Bulls)NBA Rising Stars history
Formerly known as the Rising Stars Challenge, the event has been around since 1994, starting with solely rookies. Second-year players were added in 2000, and G League players joined in 2022.
The NBA Rising Stars has been through multiple formats before its current mini-tournament.
What other NBA events are on NBC and Peacock for All-Star Weekend?FridaySaturdaySundayHow to watch the NBA on NBC and Peacock:
Peacock NBA Monday will stream up to three Monday night games each week throughout the regular season. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday presents doubleheaders on Tuesday nights throughout the regular season on NBC and Peacock. On most Tuesdays, an 8 p.m. ET game will be on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones, and an 8 p.m. PT game on NBC stations in the Pacific and often Mountain time zones.
Check local listings each week. Both games will stream live nationwide on Peacock. NBC Sports will launch Sunday Night Basketball across NBC and Peacock on Feb. 1, 2026. For a full schedule of the NBA on NBC and Peacock, click here.
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