Cooper Flagg leads the roster of Rising Stars participants for the Mavericks.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, the top selection in June’s NBA draft, is a key figure in the rosters revealed on Monday for the upcoming Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.
Flagg is among 10 rookies—each of whom was chosen in the lottery during June’s draft—invited to take part in the event. The other participants include San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (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), and Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles (ninth).
Additionally, 11 sophomores will join them, headed by the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NBA draft, Wizards center Alex Sarr. He will be joined 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).
The sophomore roster also includes first-round selections Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware (15th), Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20th), and Wizards forward Kyshawn George (24th), along with second-round picks Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, and Memphis Grizzlies guards Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer.
The 21 players, chosen through voting by the NBA’s assistant coaches, will be complemented by seven who have 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 participant, 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 organized into four teams. The 21 rookies and sophomores will be divided into three seven-player rosters, while the G League selections will form a fourth team. These four teams will compete in a mini-tournament on February 13 in Los Angeles, with the winners of the initial two games advancing to the championship match.
The rookie and sophomore teams will be drafted on Tuesday night on NBC, where they will be selected by honorary coaches and broadcast analysts Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, and Vince Carter. NBC Sports analyst and former NBA player Austin Rivers will serve as the honorary coach for the G League team. Assistant coaches from the Detroit Pistons and the team that secures the coaching position for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game will lead the four teams.
