Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg and Washington Wizards second-year player Alex Sarr were slated to participate in the 2026 Rising Stars event during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, but both will miss the occasion due to injuries. Flagg is sidelined with a left midfoot sprain, while Sarr faces a hamstring strain that will keep him out for roughly two weeks.
Replacements Announced for Flagg and Sarr in All-Star Weekend
With Flagg and Sarr unable to compete, the NBA has named their substitutes for the Rising Stars game scheduled on February 13 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey is stepping in for Flagg, while Wizards guard Bub Carrington will take Sarr’s spot on the roster alongside his teammate.
Strong Performances Propel Bailey and Carrington into All-Star Roles
Although Bailey’s rookie season in Salt Lake City started modestly, he has emerged as an important player for coach Will Hardy’s squad. Since January, Bailey has averaged 13.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting a solid 46.4 percent from the field and ranking fifth in scoring among rookies during this period. He has also logged four outings with 20 or more points and has reached double digits in 14 of the past 16 games.
Meanwhile, Carrington’s role with the Wizards has expanded following the departure of CJ McCollum and Trae Young’s yet-to-occur debut after a major trade. Carrington has started in 24 of the 53 games he has played this season, contributing averages of 10.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per contest. He is one of 16 second-year players putting up double-digit scoring averages and ranks third among NBA sophomores in three-pointers made this year, shooting nearly 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Upcoming Rising Stars Event to Showcase NBA’s Top Young Talent
The 2026 Rising Stars game will take place on Friday, February 13, at the LA Clippers’ new Intuit Dome in Inglewood, providing a platform for the league’s most promising young players to demonstrate their skills. Bailey and Carrington’s selections as replacements underscore their growing impact in the league as notable contributors alongside established players like Alex Sarr and Cooper Flagg.
Jazz forward Ace Bailey will replace fellow rookie Cooper Flagg of the Mavericks on Team Melo in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars (2/13, 9 PM ET, Peacock).
Flagg is out with a foot sprain.
Rising Stars: Friday, Feb. 13 | 9 PM ET | Peacock pic.twitter.com/785ptn5UMb
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 12, 2026
Wizards guard Bub Carrington will replace fellow sophomore and teammate Alex Sarr on Team T-Mac in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars.
Sarr is out with a hamstring strain.
Rising Stars: Friday, Feb. 13 | 9 PM ET | Peacock pic.twitter.com/VlbD2NrShD
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 12, 2026
