2026 NBA Rising Stars Challenge - Team Vince Wins Championship

The 2026 NBA Rising Stars Challenge took place on February 13, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, as part of NBA All-Star Weekend in the Los Angeles area. The event continued the four-team tournament format introduced in 2022, bringing together leading NBA rookies, second-year players and NBA G League representatives.

Team Vince, coached by former NBA superstar Vince Carter, captured the championship with a dramatic 25-24 victory over Team Melo. Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe earned Most Valuable Player honors after scoring a combined 23 points across Team Vince's two games, including 17 points in the semifinal and six in the championship.

The championship came down to the final possessions. Team Melo held a 24-23 lead after San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle tipped in a missed shot by New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears. With Team Vince needing two points to win, Edgecombe attacked the basket and drew a foul. He converted both free throws, giving Team Vince a 25-24 victory and ending the tournament.

Edgecombe's championship performance followed an even more impressive semifinal against Team T-Mac. Team Vince trailed early as Team T-Mac built a 15-7 advantage. The team coached by Tracy McGrady continued to hold the lead through much of the game before Team Vince began its comeback.

Edgecombe took over late in the semifinal, scoring Team Vince's final 10 points. He finished with 17 points on six-for-eight shooting and ended the contest with a step-back jumper over Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer. Team Vince advanced with a 41-36 victory.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson led Team T-Mac with 10 points and five rebounds. Washington Wizards rookie Tre Johnson added eight points, while Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware contributed seven. Team T-Mac had opportunities to protect its lead, but Team Vince's late offensive surge proved decisive.

The opening semifinal featured Team Melo, coached by Carmelo Anthony, against Team Austin, the NBA G League representatives coached by Austin Rivers. Team Melo won 40-34, but the victory required a comeback after Team Austin took a 32-28 lead.

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard made consecutive three-pointers to spark Team Melo's closing run. Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan and Sheppard each scored nine points, while Castle added six points and five assists.

San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper provided one of the tournament's most memorable moments. With Team Melo approaching the 40-point target, Harper isolated against his older brother, Ron Harper Jr., and made a step-back jumper from just inside the right elbow to end the game. Their father, former NBA guard Ron Harper, watched from courtside.

Team Austin received strong contributions from its frontcourt. Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 11 points, while Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen added 10. The pair combined for 21 of Team Austin's 34 points.

The 2026 event also featured several notable absences. Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who had been selected first overall in the Rising Stars draft by Carmelo Anthony, was unable to participate because of injury. Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey replaced him on Team Melo.

Team T-Mac also required roster changes, with Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell unable to play. Bub Carrington and Zaccharie Risacher were added as replacements. Team Vince added Carter Bryant after Memphis Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward withdrew.

For Team Vince, the championship represented two close victories over talented opponents. The semifinal required a comeback from an early deficit, and the final was decided by a single point. Edgecombe was the central figure in both victories, producing timely scoring and the winning free throws in the championship.

The event reinforced the appeal of the target-score format, in which games continue until one team reaches or exceeds a designated point total rather than ending when a clock expires. Both semifinals were played to 40 points, while the championship used a 25-point target.

Date: February 13, 2026
Arena: Intuit Dome
Location: Inglewood, California
NBA All-Star Host Area: Los Angeles
Format: Four-team, three-game tournament
Semifinal Target Score: 40 points
Championship Target Score: 25 points
Champion: Team Vince
Runner-Up: Team Melo
Championship Score: Team Vince 25, Team Melo 24
Most Valuable Player: VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
MVP Tournament Points: 23
Team Vince Honorary Coach: Vince Carter
Team Melo Honorary Coach: Carmelo Anthony
Team T-Mac Honorary Coach: Tracy McGrady
Team Austin Honorary Coach: Austin Rivers

Team Melo rallied from a 32-28 deficit, finishing on a 12-2 run. Reed Sheppard made consecutive three-pointers, and Dylan Harper scored the winning basket against his older brother, Ron Harper Jr.

Official Game Record: Team Melo vs. Team Austin - NBA Box Score

Individual shooting and additional statistics are available in the official box score. Unverified figures are not estimated.

Team Vince recovered from an early deficit to defeat Team T-Mac 41-36. VJ Edgecombe scored 17 points on six-for-eight shooting, including Team Vince's final 10 points and the game-winning jumper.

Official Game Record: Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac - NBA Box Score

The championship was decided by a single point. Team Melo took a 24-23 lead when Stephon Castle tipped in a missed shot, but VJ Edgecombe drew a foul and made both free throws to secure Team Vince's 25-24 victory.

Official Championship Box Score: Team Vince vs. Team Melo - NBA Box Score

The complete shooting, rebounding, assists, steals, blocks and turnovers for each championship participant are available in the official NBA box score. Only independently verified individual scoring figures are included above.

Several players were unable to participate because of injuries, resulting in roster changes before the tournament.

VJ Edgecombe Wins Rising Stars MVP

Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points in two games and earned the MVP award. He scored 17 points in the semifinal against Team T-Mac and six points in the championship against Team Melo.

Championship Decided by One Point

Team Vince defeated Team Melo 25-24, making the 2026 championship one of the closest finishes in the tournament-format era of Rising Stars.

Edgecombe Wins Championship at the Free-Throw Line

With Team Vince trailing 24-23, Edgecombe drew a foul and made two free throws to end the championship. The target-score format meant that both shots were necessary to secure the victory.

Dylan Harper Defeats His Older Brother

San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper made the winning jumper against his older brother, Ron Harper Jr., in Team Melo's 40-34 semifinal victory over Team Austin. Their father, former NBA player Ron Harper, watched the matchup from courtside.

Reed Sheppard Sparks Team Melo's Comeback

Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard made consecutive three-pointers during Team Melo's late rally against Team Austin. Team Melo finished the game on a 12-2 run.

Cooper Flagg Misses Rising Stars Because of Injury

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg was the first overall selection in the Rising Stars draft but could not participate. Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey replaced him on Team Melo.

Donovan Clingan Scores Nine in the Semifinal

Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan tied Reed Sheppard for Team Melo's scoring lead with nine points in the victory over Team Austin.

Jaylon Tyson Leads Team T-Mac

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Jaylon Tyson scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in Team T-Mac's 41-36 semifinal loss to Team Vince.

G League Frontcourt Stands Out

Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Yang Hansen combined for 21 points in Team Austin's semifinal loss. Niederhauser scored 11 points, while Hansen added 10.

2026 NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles

The 2026 Rising Stars tournament took place at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The venue was also the site of the NBA All-Star Game festivities, marking the return of All-Star Weekend to the Los Angeles area.

Who won the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Challenge?

Team Vince, coached by Vince Carter, won the tournament by defeating Team Melo 25-24 in the championship.

Who was the 2026 Rising Stars MVP?

VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers won MVP after scoring 23 points across two games.

Where was the 2026 Rising Stars Challenge played?

The tournament was held February 13, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

What were the semifinal scores?

Team Melo defeated Team Austin 40-34, and Team Vince defeated Team T-Mac 41-36.

Who scored the winning points in the championship?

VJ Edgecombe made two free throws to give Team Vince a 25-24 victory.

Why did Cooper Flagg not play?

Cooper Flagg was unable to participate because of an injury. Ace Bailey of the Utah Jazz replaced him on Team Melo.

Who coached the four teams?

Vince Carter coached Team Vince, Carmelo Anthony coached Team Melo, Tracy McGrady coached Team T-Mac, and Austin Rivers coached Team Austin as honorary coaches.

What was the format?

Four teams competed in two semifinals and a championship. The semifinals used a 40-point target, while the championship used a 25-point target.

The NBA published separate game records for each of the three tournament contests.

Semifinal 1 - Team Melo vs. Team Austin
Semifinal 2 - Team Vince vs. Team T-Mac
Championship - Team Vince vs. Team Melo

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