Flagg vs Knueppel: 2026 Rising Stars Showdown

The 2026 Rising Stars rosters are set across Team Melo, Team Vince, Team T-Mac and Team Austin, mixing high lottery picks, rookie standouts and hungry G League stars. "They got next. Or maybe they got now." The list includes Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Tre Johnson and others, but notable omissions remain, most glaringly Ace Bailey, the No. 5 pick who is averaging 11.6 points and was the lone top-10 2025 draftee left off the rosters. Merlin sees the narrative folding into a likely Team Melo versus Team T-Mac finale, a fresh duel between Duke-linked rivals Flagg and Knueppel. The G League entries could make noise with effort and toughness, but Knueppel’s shooting and Tre Johnson’s help give Team T-Mac the edge. Watch for defense to decide the game more than flare.