Cooper Flagg’s rookie season will carry him onto the NBA’s All-Star Weekend stage, as the Dallas Mavericks wing was selected to compete in the 2026 Rising Stars game.
The Rising Stars event will be played Friday, Feb. 13, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, as part of NBA All-Star 2026. The four-team, three-game mini-tournament features 10 rookies, 11 sophomores and a fourth team made up of NBA G League players.
Flagg becomes the 13th player in franchise history to earn a Rising Stars selection since the event’s inception in 1994. His inclusion also marks the third consecutive season a Maverick has been chosen, following Dereck Lively II’s appearances in both his rookie and sophomore seasons.
Cooper Flagg Earns Rising Stars Selection After Standout Rookie Season
Through 43 games, all starts, Flagg is averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field. His production has extended into late-game situations, where he has totaled 73 clutch points — ninth-most in the NBA — and he is the only player this season to rank top 10 leaguewide in clutch points, rebounds, and assists.
Among rookies, Flagg ranks second in total points, rebounds, and assists, while also placing third in total steals and blocks. He is the only first-year player to rank top three across all five major statistical categories.
Those performances secured Flagg a place in the Rising Stars field, which was selected by NBA assistant coaches. The players will be drafted onto three seven-player teams Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET, with the G League team serving as the fourth entry.
Cooper Flagg Leads NBA Rookie Player Pool
Flagg headlines a rookie group that includes Cedric Coward of the Memphis Grizzlies (14.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists), Egor Demin of the Brooklyn Nets (10.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists), VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers (15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists) and Jeremiah Fears of the New Orleans Pelicans (13.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists).
The rookie pool also features Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs, Tre Johnson of the Washington Wizards, Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, Collin Murray-Boyles of the Toronto Raptors, and Derik Queen, also of New Orleans.
Sophomore Class Adds Depth To 2026 Rising Stars Field
The sophomore group includes Alex Sarr of Washington (17.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists), Stephon Castle of San Antonio (16.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.1 assists), and Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls (14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists).
Also selected were Donovan Clingan of Portland, Reed Sheppard of Houston, Cam Spencer and Jaylen Wells of Memphis, Jaylon Tyson of Cleveland, Ajay Mitchell of Oklahoma City, and Kel’el Ware of Miami.
G League Players Round Out Castrol Rising Stars Tournament
The fourth team will be made up of NBA G League players, including Sean East II, Ron Harper Jr., David Jones-Garcia, Yanic Konan Niederhäuser, Alijah Martin, Tristen Newton, and Yang Hansen.
While Flagg was not selected as an NBA All-Star this season, his Rising Stars selection — combined with strong fan and player voting support — places him squarely on the All-Star Weekend stage and reinforces his trajectory as a foundational piece of the Mavericks’ future.
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