SAN ANTONIO — Joining the field of 2026 NBA Rising Stars will be a trio of San Antonio Spurs guards who have taken the league by storm.
Announced by the NBA Monday afternoon, both Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle will join 26 other rookies, sophomores and select G League talent in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars in Inglewood, Calif. during the league’s annual All-Star Weekend.
David Jones Garcia will represent the Austin Spurs as one of seven selected G League players. He currently leads the G League in scoring at 26.2 points per game.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson has been impressed with their collective output this season.
“Those guys have … had the willingness and enthusiasm to play with each other,” he said in Houston. “I’ve felt zero negative. To learn how to play with each other when there’s dynamic talent, you have to figure out how to play to strengths. I think they’ve done that.”
Th Spurs are the only team in the NBA to have had multiple Rising Stars selections in the last three seasons, dating back to Victor Wembanyama’s rookie year, when Jeremy Sochan was selected as a second-year standout.
Harper is averaging 10.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 44 percent shooting from the field in 36 games played, while Castle — the league’s reigning Rookie of the Year — is enjoying a second-year jump, averaging 16.6 points, five rebounds and seven assists.
Castle’s selection marks the second of his career; the former UConn Husky participated in both the Rising Stars Challenge and the Dunk Contest a season ago.
“I’ve had my experience,” he said, deciding to forgo the latter attraction in February.
Harper, meanwhile, has proven formidable as part of the Spurs’ guard trio also including De’Aaron Fox. Whether by getting downhill or creating space for shooters around him, he’s been a big piece of the Spurs’ top-10 ranked offense behind Victor Wembanyama.
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“You’ve got to pick your poison,” the rookie said. “You’re either going to let us play one-on-one at the rim, or you’re going to help and let us kick out and get 3s.”
Harper knows the variety of weaponry he, Castle and Fox bring to the table. Fox backed it up, speaking on behalf of both of his “Slash Brothers.”
“They’re easy guys to play off,” Fox said, “because they’re so unselfish and they have the ability to create for themselves and create for others … it makes it easier because when we are all on the court, we command attention.”
All 30 NBA head coaches voted on the Rising Stars field following the announcement of the All-Star starters on Jan. 19. Their full selections are as follows:
Rookies:
- Cedric Coward (MEM)
- Egor Dëmin (BKN)
- V.J. Edgecombe (PHI)
- Jeremiah Fears (NOP)
- Cooper Flagg (DAL)
- Dylan Harper (SAS)
- Tre Johnson (WAS)
- Kon Knueppel (CHA)
- Collin Murray-Boyles (TOR)
- Derik Queen (NOP)
Sophomores:
- Matas Buzelis (CHI)
- Stephon Castle (SAS)
- Donovan Clingan (POR)
- Kyshawn George (WAS)
- Ajay Mitchell (OKC)
- Alex Sarr (WAS)
- Reed Sheppard (HOU)
- Cam Spencer (MEM)
- Jaylon Tyson (CLE)
- Kel’el Ware (MIA)
- Jaylen Wells (MEM)
G League *(NBA Affiliate):
- Sean East II (SLC) *(UTA)
- Ron Harper Jr. (MNE) *(BOS)
- David Jones Garcia (AUS) *(SAS)
- Yanic Konan Niederhäuser (SDC) *(LAC)
- Alijah Martin (RAP) *(TOR)
- Tristen Newton (RGV) *(HOU)
- Yang Hansen (RCR) *(POR)
Harper, Castle and the other 19 selected NBA players will be drafted onto three different teams Tuesday evening, while the fourth team will be comprised of the seven G Leaguers, including two-way Spurs standout Jones Garcia.
“He’s competitive,” Johnson said of the Dominican guard. “He is obviously dynamic with the basketball and has the ability to put the ball in the hole.”
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Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches for the mini tourney; Austin Rivers will coach the G League Rising Stars team.
As far as the Spurs are concerned, they’ll be well-represented. For Castle and Harper, it’ll be another chance to play either with, or against, each other.
“We’re going to be playing with each other for a long time,” Castle said.
2026 NBA All-Star Weekend is set to run from February 13-15 at the LA Clippers’ Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The 2026 Castrol Rising Stars is set for 8 p.m. Central Feb. 13.
