Memphis, Tenn. – The NBA today announced that Memphis Grizzlies wings Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells and guard Cam Spencer have been named to the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars.
The annual showcase of premier young talent, featuring a mini-tournament and three games spotlighting the league’s top rookies and second-year standouts, will tip-off on Friday, Feb. 13, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., as part of NBA All-Star 2026. The event will air live at 8 p.m. CT on Peacock.
Coward (6-5 ¼, 213) has competed in 40 games (27 starts) and has averaged 14.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 26.6 minutes while shooting 47.3 percent from the field, 34.8 percent from 3-point range and 85.0 percent from the free throw line since he was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Washington State. The 22-year-old Fresno, Calif., native is one of two players (Cooper Flagg) to rank in the top 5 among rookies in scoring average, rebounding average, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
Wells (6-6 ½, 206) has started all 43 appearances and has averaged 11.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27.0 minutes while shooting 40.5 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from 3-point range and 77.7 percent from the free throw line in his second NBA season. The 22-year-old Sacramento, Calif., native, who was selected 39th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft out of Washington State and was named to the Rising Stars last year as a rookie, is one of only two rookies or second-year players (Matas Buzelis) to play and start every game for his team this season.
Spencer (6-3, 201) has played 42 games (11 starts) and has averaged 12.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 23.8 minutes while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 46.4 percent from 3-point range and 91.9 percent from the free throw line in his second NBA season. The 25-year-old native of Davidsonville, Md., who was selected 53rd overall in the 2024 NBA Draft after guiding UConn to the 2024 NCAA championship, ranks fourth in the NBA in 3-point percentage and free throw percentage, sixth in true shooting percentage (.669) and 10th in offensive rating (132.4).
Coward, Wells, Spencer and other selected Rising Stars will be drafted onto three teams at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Jan. 27, on Peacock, with a fourth team comprised of NBA G League players. Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady will serve as honorary coaches for the Castrol Rising Stars mini-tournament. Austin Rivers will coach the NBA G League Rising Stars team.