PHILADELPHIA — Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony made Dallas Mavericks rookie forward Cooper Flagg the top selection in Tuesday night’s Rising Stars Challenge draft, which filled three teams of first- and second-year players for next month’s All-Star Weekend mini-tournament.
The opening four picks all came from the 2025 draft class. After Anthony chose Flagg, fellow captains Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter followed by selecting Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe and New Orleans Pelicans forward Derik Queen, respectively.
Team Rosters
Team Melo (Carmelo Anthony): Cooper Flagg; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard; San Antonio Spurs guards Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper; Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan; Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
Team T-Mac (Tracy McGrady): Kon Knueppel; Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware; Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson and center Alex Sarr; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson; Memphis Grizzlies guard Cam Spencer.
Team Vince (Vince Carter): VJ Edgecombe; Derik Queen; Wizards forward Kyshawn George; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis; Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin; Grizzlies forwards Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells.
G League Team: Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen (#16 pick, 2025); LA Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser (#30 pick, 2025); two-way contract players David Jones Garcia (Spurs), Tristan Newton (Rockets), Alijah Martin (Raptors) and Ron Harper Jr. (Celtics); plus Sean East II of the Salt Lake City Stars.
The draft aired on NBC’s pregame show on Peacock ahead of the 76ers-Bucks matchup at Wells Fargo Center. All four teams will meet on Friday, Feb. 13, at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, playing a three-game format in which the winners of the first two contests advance to a championship final.
Source: ESPN
