Mid-Season Check In with the NBA’s 2026 Rising Stars
3 Minute read
By Andrea Aruino
The 75th NBA-All Star Weekend just wrapped up in Los Angeles this past weekend and it featured some of this year’s standout rookies including Tre Johnson, Derik Queen, Dylan Harper, and second year Alex Sarr. Coach Packie Turner who is responsible for leading WME pre-draft workouts, was joined by Harper, Queen, and Johnson in May of 2025 before the NBA Draft. About eight months later, these players brought an exceptional presence to their team, making them athletes you won’t want to miss as they continue to grow and evolve at the highest level of the game.
Guard Tre Johnson and Center Alex Sarr are both starters for the Washington Wizards this season. Unfortunately, leading up to the All-Star weekend, Sarr suffered a right hamstring strain in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 11 where they fell short of a win before the break. Sarr is expected to be out for the next two weeks while in recovery. Before getting injured, Sarr was the leading center for the Wizards averaging 17.2 PPG, and leading the team in most rebounds and assists per game at 7.8 RPG and 2.8 APG.
Although his presence on the court will be missed, rookie Johnson is prepared to adjust by expanding Tristan Vukcevic’s role in the game plan, as he currently sits second in the lineup behind Sarr. Johnson has been paving a way for himself averaging 12.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 2.2 APG. Just this past January, he recorded a career high of 26 points with 6 assists against the Charlotte Hornets who ultimately took the win, 119-115. Despite the loss, Johnson’s growth and upside were on full display as he continued to expand his skills including his already explosive handles and quickness on and off the ball.
Aside from the teammates, Center Derik Queen has had an outstanding rookie season starting for the New Orleans Pelicans averaging 12.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 4.1 APG.Queen leads the 2025 NBA Draft Class in rebounds per game. He is also second in assists, seventh in rebounds, and to top it all off he holds the number one spot for most double-doubles in the regular season.Queen’s ability to pass and score at 6’9” is the reason why the Pelicans have him in their starting lineup. On November 19, 2025, in just his 15th game in the league, Queen dropped 30 points against the Denver Nuggets where they fell short 125-118. His unwavering agility has been hard to stop and easy to highlight as he develops into the leader he is set to be.
Lastly, Guard Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs has been putting on a show for his team averaging 10.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 3.7 APG. As the second overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, he has proven to be a crucial investment for the Spurs’ future success. Being surrounded by seasoned veterans like De'Aaron Fox and NBA Champion Harrison Barnes places him alongside players who have competed and won at the highest level for years. This gives him daily exposure to the standard it takes to succeed in the league. Aside from earning Rising Star honors, he also competed in the Shooting Stars event, teaming up with his father Ron Harper, a 15-year NBA veteran and five-time champion. The event became a true family affair, as his older brother Ron Harper Jr., who plays for the Boston Celtics, also joined in the competition.
All four of these players were named a Castrol Rising Star for their early success and impact on their teams. The Rising Stars Challenge hosted four teams including Team Melo (Carmelo Anthony), Team T-Mac (Tracy MGrady), Team Vince (Vince Carter), and Team Austin (Austin Reaves) to compete in a tournament style game where the two winners of each game competed for the championship. This fun-filled challenge allowed rookies and first-year athletes to demonstrate the growth and talent they’ve developed, reconnecting after playing against each other at the college level before playing at the highest level. Johnson played for Team T-Mac who had lost against Team Vince 36-40. In the Rising Star Championship, Queen scored four points taking it all home for Team Vince in a tight 25-24 win against Team Melo where Harper scored eight points.
This All-Star invitation serves as commemoration to the successes they have achieved in their first year playing at the highest level of basketball. This speaks to the way they will all continue to grow and mature as their game expands making them an irreplaceable asset to all of their teams.
