VJ Edgecombe wins Rising Stars MVP at NBA All-Star 2026, sends Rookie of the Year message

The NBA All-Star 2026 weekend is officially underway, and the league’s next wave of stars wasted no time making noise.

Inside the futuristic Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the new home of the Los Angeles Clippers, the NBA’s top rookies, second-year players and select G League standouts squared off in the annual Rising Stars Challenge. The revamped format featured four teams in a Final Four style bracket, with Team Vince Carter emerging victorious after a dramatic 25-24 win over Team Carmelo Anthony.

At the center of it all was VJ Edgecombe.

The Philadelphia 76ers rookie delivered in the biggest moments, earning MVP honors after shining in both the semifinals and the championship game.

Clutch free throws seal the title

The final was played to 25 points, and it came down to the final possession.

With the score tied late, Edgecombe stepped to the line after drawing a foul from Donovan Clingan. He calmly knocked down two free throws to secure the one-point victory for Team Carter.

Earlier in the night, the semifinals were played to 40 points. Edgecombe took over down the stretch in his team’s 41-36 win over Team Tracy McGrady, scoring the final 10 points himself, including two 3-pointers, to close it out in emphatic fashion.

“I hope this is the first trophy I win… this year,” Edgecombe said with a smile afterward.

He is widely viewed as one of the only realistic challengers, along with Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, for Rookie of the Year honors. The favorite for that award, No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, was the event’s most notable absence.

Flagg’s late scratch changes the night

Flagg, who was originally slated to play for Team Carmelo, was expected to be Friday night’s main attraction. However, a late injury forced him to withdraw from the event.

He was not alone. Alex Sarr of the Washington Wizards and Cedric Coward of the Memphis Grizzlies also missed the showcase due to injury.

Even without Flagg, Team Carmelo looked sharp in the semifinals. They defeated Team Austin Rivers, 40-34, behind a standout performance from San Antonio Spurs rookie Dylan Harper.

In the championship game, Harper’s Spurs teammate Stephon Castle, last season’s Rookie of the Year, nearly delivered the title. Castle threw down a dunk to give his team a one-point lead and put them within a basket of victory.

But on the very next possession, Edgecombe attacked, drew contact from Clingan and stepped to the line with the game on the line. He did not miss.

On a night built to showcase the NBA’s future, Edgecombe made sure everyone remembered his name.

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