NBA Announces 28 for 2026 Rising Stars Challenge

The NBA announced the 28 participants for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars Challenge on Monday, selecting 10 rookies, 11 sophomores and seven G League players to compete during All-Star Weekend on February 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

The event features a three-game tournament with four seven-player teams. The two semifinal matchups will play to a target score of 40 points each, followed by a championship game to 25 points. The 21 NBA players will be divided into three teams through a draft process, while the G League contingent forms the fourth team. Assistant coaches from around the league submitted ballots with four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players for both the rookie and sophomore classes. The league office selected the G League participants. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches for the NBA teams, conducting the draft on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock. Former NBA guard Austin Rivers will coach the G League squad. The tournament airs at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock, with streaming available on the NBA app and NBA.com.

The rookie class, drawn from the 2025 NBA Draft, highlights a strong...