NBA Rising Stars 2026 Top Contenders, Predictions for MVP Award

NBA All-Star Weekend is all about—you guessed it—basketball's biggest and brightest stars.

And that includes a batch of up-and-comers who haven't quite crested the hoops world's constellation yet but have potential to one day reach it.

Formally, this group of hoopers is participating in the Rising Stars, a four-team, three-game mini-tournament to close out Friday night. Three teams, honorarily coached by Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, is comprised of hand-selected rookies and sophomores. A fourth, overseen by Austin Rivers, features some of the G League's top performers.

Given the name power possessed by this year's rookie class, this has the chance to be an all-timer. Let's dive deeper into what's ahead, then, before closing with an MVP prediction.

Rising Stars Rosters

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Team Melo

Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers

Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks (out with foot injury)

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs

Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets

Team Vince

Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

Egor Dёmin, Brooklyn Nets

VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers

Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards

Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

Team T-Mac

Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards

Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets

Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder (injured, will not play)

Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks

Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards

Cam Spencer, Memphis Grizzlies

Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kel'el Ware, Miami Heat

Team Austin

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

MVP Contenders

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Team Vince: VJ Edgecombe

Look, we aren't purposely living at the top of the 2025 draft class, but there's a reason hoop heads were so excited about its high-end potential. And Edgecombe has arguably helped raise that bar, since his offensive output appears ahead of schedule.

All-Star Weekend generally features a well-spaced, up-and-down, often defensively indifferent environment, and the Sixers' rising star is absolutely equipped to thrive within it. Dunks and threes figure to be a heavy part of this event's shot diet, and this gravity-defying youngster supplies both in bunches.

Team T-Mac: Kon Knueppel

If T-Mac can lure opponents into shooting duels, they just might have enough to win the whole thing. And while there are other sharpshooters on this roster (Tre Johnson waves a big hello), Knueppel is in a class of his own.

Honestly, that's almost true for Buzz City's newest buzz-supplier in relation to the entire league. The level of three-point volume and efficiency he's reeling off is quickly approaching Stephen Curry territory.

Team Austin: Mac McClung

While this decorated dunker is skipping this year's dunk contest, his aerial antics could still be on full display a night before it. And that's far from the only thing he'll bring.

When McClung isn't displaying some above-the-rim magic, he might piloting this team's playmaking or perhaps embarking on a hot streak from the perimeter. The G Leaguers always face an uphill climb in this event, but you'd figure a player with moon-boots bounce would never be intimated by elevation.

MVP Prediction

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If fans are hoping to see another epic duel between former Duke teammates (and current Rookie of the Year favorites) Flagg and Knueppel, then they'll need Team Melo and Team T-Mac to reach the final round.

All due respect to the other participants, but that feels entirely possible.

If our hunch is correct, and it is Flagg vs. Knueppel err...Melo vs. T-Mac in the championship, then this could be the perfect setup for Knueppel to shine. Flagg has more scoring help around him, while Knueppel might have a buffet-style serving of all the shots he can handle.

And given the way he's handled those long-range looks so far, he just might swish and splash his way to both a win and an MVP honor.

Prediction: Kon Knueppel wins Rising Stars MVP.