The NBA just dropped a BOMB. Cooper Flagg—THE generational talent—is officially the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars draft. Carmelo Anthony snatched him first, and the internet is already on fire. But that’s just the beginning of the chaos…
The Draft That Had Everyone Screaming
Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, and Vince Carter—three legends—sat down to draft the future of the league. Flagg to Team Melo. Kon Knueppel to T-Mac. VJ Edgecombe to Vince. Three picks in, and we already have rivalries that could define the next decade.
These aren’t just rookies. These are the kids who were supposed to change everything—and now they’re about to throw down in a brutal mini-tournament where the target score decides everything.
The Stacked Rosters Ready for War
Team Melo (Coached by Carmelo Anthony)
- Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
- Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
- Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
- Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
- Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
- Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)
Team T-Mac (Coached by Tracy McGrady)
- Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
- Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
- Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
- Alex Sarr (Washington Wizards)
- Ajay Mitchell (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Team Vince (Coached by Vince Carter)
- VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
- Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)
- Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
- Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
- Egor DŃ‘min (Brooklyn Nets)
- Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)
Team Austin (G League Squad)
- Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)
- Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)
- David Jones Garcia (Austin Spurs)
- Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (San Diego Clippers)
- Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
- Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
- Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
One Night. Target Scores. No Mercy.
February 13 at Intuit Dome. Semifinals to 40, championship to 25. The G League kids are coming in hungry, ready to embarrass the big names. Flagg vs. Knueppel vs. Edgecombe—future All-Stars fighting for bragging rights before they even hit their prime.
This isn’t just a game. This is the first chapter of the next era. And it’s going to be absolute mayhem.
