NBA Rising Stars winners and losers: 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe wins MVP honors

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Opening night of the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend is in the books. Team Vince, coached by Vince Carter, defeated Team Melo, coached by Carmelo Anthony, in the NBA Rising Star Challenge title game thanks to a stellar performance from VJ Edgecombe. The 76ers star guard was named MVP of the event.

This was the fifth year in a row that the G League’s top rookies, sophomores and players were split into different teams in the four-team event. The first team to 40 points in the semifinals advanced to the title game, while the first to 25 points won the championship.

Edgecombe scored the winning free throw to give Team Vince bragging rights. Team Melo advanced to the title game after Dylan Harper, the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, knocked down a mid-range jumper against his older brother, Ron Harper Jr.

Edgecombe scored the most points of any player in the semi-final. He finished with 17 points and six rebounds in Team Vince’s win over Team T-Mac, coached by Tracy McGrady. Egdecombe, the third overall pick in last year’s draft, has been one of the biggest stars among all first-year players.

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Here are the biggest winners and losers from opening night of NBA All-Star weekend.

Winner: Edgecombe steals the show

Edgecombe may not participate in tomorrow’s dunk contest – even though he should and would have a good chance of winning the event. Edgecombe took part in the Rising Stars Challenge. The 76ers star scored 17 points in the semifinals and six in the title game. Edgecombe’s style of play as a top-flight player made him an ideal candidate to put in an outstanding performance. It was fitting that he got the final shot to send his team to the championship game.

Loser: Fans Can’t Watch Flagg

Less than 24 hours before the Rising Stars Challenge, Flagg was ruled out with a midfoot sprain. Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has posted video game-like numbers recently. He became the first teenager in NBA history to record a consecutive 30-point double-double last month. He also scored 49 points against the Hornets, which was the most points by a teenager in NBA history. It shouldn’t be long before fans can watch Flagg play on the final day of the event – ​​the true All-Star Game. It wouldn’t be surprising if this happened as early as next season.

Winner: Yang Hansen shines in opening match

One of the biggest stars of the first semi-final of the night was Yang Hansen. The No. 16 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft came off the bench and scored 10 points for the Austin team coached by Austin Rivers. Considering Hansen only averaged 7.5 minutes per game in his rookie season with Portland, that’s the kind of performance he could build on for the rest of the season.

Loser: Ron Harper Jr. cedes the winner to his younger brother

One of the highlights of the first match of the evening between Team Melo and Team Austin was the battle between the Harper brothers. Ron Harper Jr. of the Maine Celtics had to guard his little brother, Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs, on what would be the final possession of the game. The younger brother will have bragging rights in his house, as Dylan knocked down a jumper to send Team Melo to the title game.

Winner: The format works

The four-team Rising Stars format should remain a staple of All-Star weekend. Sure, many NBA All-Star games need an overhaul, but all three games Friday night were competitive, fun and had star power. This is exactly what you need in an event like this. Edgecombe said it best when he was interviewed by a reporter in the arena. He said he wanted to win the event. Clearly, Edgecombe and others were proud of this match. It was refreshing to watch.

Loser: Title match ends in not-so-dramatic fashion

Even though the Rising Stars title match was full of fun, the ending wasn’t that dramatic. On the final offensive possession, Edgecombe fouled while trying to score at the rim. Edgecombe was able to knock down both free throws to give his team a 25-24 victory. You hate to see a game as competitive as that without someone scoring a basket.