The 75th edition of the NBA All-Star tipped off Friday inside the Los Angeles Clippers’ spaceship-like arena with the Rising Stars Challenge, where the league’s brightest young talents faced off in a mini–World Cup-style format designed to restore the magic to one of basketball’s most exciting showcases.
The Clippers’ home court hosted the exhibition event featuring rookies, sophomores, and G League standouts in a four-team mini-tournament. Team Vince ultimately claimed the title with a narrow 25–24 victory.
The squad, made up of VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers), Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls), Egor Dëmin (Brooklyn Nets), Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards), Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans), Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies), and Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies), edged out Team Melo in a tightly contested final that came down to the wire.
With Team Vince trailing late, two clutch free throws from VJ Edgecombe sealed the win and secured the trophy. The Bahamian guard was also named MVP of the event.
Both semifinals were played without a game clock, with the first team to reach 40 points advancing. In the final, the target score was set at 25.
The four squads were coached by former NBA stars Carmelo Anthony (Team Melo), Vince Carter (Team Vince), Tracy McGrady (Team T-Mac), and Austin Rivers (Team Rivers).
In the opening semifinal, San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper knocked down the game-winning basket to lift Team Melo to a 40–34 victory over Team Rivers.
The second semifinal was even tighter, ending 41–36 as Team Vince eliminated Team T-Mac behind a spectacular performance from Edgecombe, who poured in 17 points and spearheaded an unstoppable offensive push.
The tournament was overshadowed by the notable absence of Cooper Flagg, the event’s biggest media draw. The highly touted prospect was sidelined with a left midfoot sprain suffered earlier in the week, forcing him to miss the showcase he had been expected to headline for Team Melo.
An Outdated Format?
The tournament once again reinvented itself, embracing a forward-thinking structure aimed at restoring the shine to this legendary weekend that brings the biggest names in global basketball under one roof.
Fittingly, it unfolded inside one of the NBA’s most cutting-edge arenas (the Los Angeles Clippers’ home in Inglewood, California) a venue often described as a spaceship, engineered to amplify crowd noise through its imposing supporters’ section known as “The Wall.”
Even without Flagg, several players stood out on the court, including Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel and San Antonio Spurs point guard Stephon Castle, who was named the NBA’s 2024–25 Rookie of the Year.
The 18,000-seat arena also welcomed well-known sports figures in attendance, including former NFL running back Todd Gurley and NBA players Deni Avdija, Tyrese Maxey, Scottie Barnes, and De’Aaron Fox.