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Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe was named the unanimous MVP of the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Game on Friday after winning the championship in Inglewood, California.
Edgecombe totaled six points in the final, including the game-winning free throws to lead Team Vince to the target score of 25 against Team Melo. He converted a putback layup for the penultimate basket to clinch the win at the free-throw line.
The third overall pick scored a team-high 17 points for Team Vince in their opening victory over Team T-Mac, including the last 10 points for the group. He finished as the leading scorer on the night across their two games in the annual showcase.
To set up their matchup in the final, Team Melo knocked off Team Austin to open the festivities at the Intuit Dome. They were led by Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard, with nine points apiece, while Dylan Harper hit the game-winning step-back shot over his brother, Ron Harper Jr.
From the opening tip, Edgecombe looked to set the tone for his group with his energy, effort and scoring. That tenacity appeared to trickle down to the rest of the team as they vastly outplayed their two opponents on the hardwood.
The pool of players for the annual showcase consisted of 10 rookies, 11 second-year players and seven players from the G League. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady drafted their teams, while Austin Rivers led the group from the G League.
Here is how the teams performed in the event:
The stat sheet for Team Vince on Friday:
Team Melo faced Team Vince in a back-and-forth affair in the final, with the two squads swapping the lead 11 times until the target score of 25. In the end, it was Team Vince that hoisted up the trophy with VJ Edgecombe leading the way as the top player.
Team T-Mac jumped out to a 19-11 lead and looked to be on their way to the championship round. But the group went cold from the field while allowing Team Vince back into the game, resulting in a 26-10 run. From there, VJ Edgecombe led Team Vince to the 41-36 win with 17 points, including 10 straight to close out the semifinal matchup.
Sophomore Jaylon Tyson led Team T-Mac with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists, Tre Johnson tallied eight points and two rebounds and Kel'el Ware added seven points, three rebounds and one blocked shot. Cam Spencer had five points, three rebounds and two assists, while Kon Knueppel had four points and Bub Carrington chipped in two points and three assists.
Team Austin trailed by as many as eight points early in the first game of the evening, but went on a run to take a 32-28 lead and pull within sight of the target score of 40. However, Team Melo locked in behind the experience of second-year players Stephon Castle and Reed Sheppard, finishing the game on a 12-2 run to advance to the championship round.
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser produced a game-high 11 points to lead Team Austin, while Yang Hansen scored 10 points and Alijah Martin added six points. The group also received contributions from Jahmir Young (three points), Tristen Newton (two points, four assists and one rebound), Sean East II (two points) and Ron Harper Jr. (seven rebounds and one assist).
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 2026 NBA Rising Stars: 76ers' VJ Edgecombe named MVP of showcase game
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Edgecombe totaled six points in the final, including the game-winning free throws to lead Team Vince to the target score of 25 against Team Melo. He converted a putback layup for the penultimate basket to clinch the win at the free-throw line.
The third overall pick scored a team-high 17 points for Team Vince in their opening victory over Team T-Mac, including the last 10 points for the group. He finished as the leading scorer on the night across their two games in the annual showcase.
To set up their matchup in the final, Team Melo knocked off Team Austin to open the festivities at the Intuit Dome. They were led by Donovan Clingan and Reed Sheppard, with nine points apiece, while Dylan Harper hit the game-winning step-back shot over his brother, Ron Harper Jr.
From the opening tip, Edgecombe looked to set the tone for his group with his energy, effort and scoring. That tenacity appeared to trickle down to the rest of the team as they vastly outplayed their two opponents on the hardwood.
The pool of players for the annual showcase consisted of 10 rookies, 11 second-year players and seven players from the G League. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady drafted their teams, while Austin Rivers led the group from the G League.
Here is how the teams performed in the event:
Team Vince
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The stat sheet for Team Vince on Friday:
| Player | Semifinal | Final |
| VJ Edgecombe | 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist | 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal |
| Jaylen Wells | 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist | 4 points, 1 rebound |
| Matas Buzelis | 6 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound | 4 points, 1 rebound |
| Kyshawn George | 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist | 2 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds |
| Carter Bryant | 4 points, 1 rebound | 5 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal |
| Egor Dëmin | 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists | 2 points, 2 assists, 1 block |
| Derik Queen | 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists | 2 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists |
Team Melo
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Team Melo faced Team Vince in a back-and-forth affair in the final, with the two squads swapping the lead 11 times until the target score of 25. In the end, it was Team Vince that hoisted up the trophy with VJ Edgecombe leading the way as the top player.
| Player | Semifinal | Final |
| Donovan Clingan | 9 points, 2 rebounds | 6 points, 1 rebound |
| Reed Sheppard | 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal | 3 points, 1 assist |
| Jeremiah Fears | 7 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist | 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist |
| Stephon Castle | 6 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound | 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist |
| Ace Bailey | 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists | 3 minutes, 40 seconds |
| Dylan Harper | 4 points, 1 assist, 1 steal | 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist |
| Collin Murray-Boyles | 1 minute, 14 seconds | DNP - Coach's Decision |
Team T-Mac
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Team T-Mac jumped out to a 19-11 lead and looked to be on their way to the championship round. But the group went cold from the field while allowing Team Vince back into the game, resulting in a 26-10 run. From there, VJ Edgecombe led Team Vince to the 41-36 win with 17 points, including 10 straight to close out the semifinal matchup.
Sophomore Jaylon Tyson led Team T-Mac with 10 points, five rebounds and two assists, Tre Johnson tallied eight points and two rebounds and Kel'el Ware added seven points, three rebounds and one blocked shot. Cam Spencer had five points, three rebounds and two assists, while Kon Knueppel had four points and Bub Carrington chipped in two points and three assists.
Team Austin (G League)
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Team Austin trailed by as many as eight points early in the first game of the evening, but went on a run to take a 32-28 lead and pull within sight of the target score of 40. However, Team Melo locked in behind the experience of second-year players Stephon Castle and Reed Sheppard, finishing the game on a 12-2 run to advance to the championship round.
Yanic Konan Niederhäuser produced a game-high 11 points to lead Team Austin, while Yang Hansen scored 10 points and Alijah Martin added six points. The group also received contributions from Jahmir Young (three points), Tristen Newton (two points, four assists and one rebound), Sean East II (two points) and Ron Harper Jr. (seven rebounds and one assist).
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: 2026 NBA Rising Stars: 76ers' VJ Edgecombe named MVP of showcase game
Continue reading...
