Victor Wembanyama Headlines 2025 NBA Rising Stars Roster in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The NBA unveiled the player pool for the 2025 Rising Stars Challenge on Tuesday, featuring reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama and a star-studded lineup of young talent. The event, part of NBA All-Star Weekend, will take place on Feb. 14 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

The Rising Stars Challenge will showcase 28 players, including 10 NBA rookies, 11 sophomores, and seven standout performers from the NBA G League. The players will be divided into four teams, with three squads composed of NBA players and one team made up of G League stars. The tournament will feature two semifinal games and a championship matchup, with the winning team earning a spot in the All-Star Game mini-tournament on Feb. 16.

Wembanyama, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, headlines the roster alongside other top young players, including Scoot Henderson and Chet Holmgren. The French phenom, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs, is also expected to be named an All-Star reserve, potentially creating a unique scenario where he could choose between competing for the Rising Stars or the All-Star team on Sunday.

“If a player is selected to play in the All-Star Game and Rising Stars, he will only compete for one of the three teams of NBA All-Stars on Sunday, Feb. 16,” the league stated. This rule could set the stage for a dramatic decision by Wembanyama, adding intrigue to the weekend’s festivities.

The Rising Stars Draft will take place on Feb. 4, with honorary head coaches selecting the teams. The semifinal games will be played to 40 points, while the championship game will be a race to 25 points. The winning team will face off against one of the three All-Star squads on Sunday night, with TNT analyst and three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker serving as honorary general manager for the Rising Stars champions, dubbed “Team Candace.”

Other notable players in the Rising Stars pool include Amen Thompson, Ausar Thompson, and Bilal Coulibaly, along with G League standouts like Dink Pate and Osceola Magic‘s Mac McClung. The event promises to highlight the league’s future stars while adding a competitive twist to All-Star Weekend.