Zaccharie Risacher
Feburary 2026
Risacher replaces Mitchell on Team T-Mac for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars after Mitchell was ruled out with an abdominal strain. The league says Risacher is a second-year participant and is averaging 10.7 points and 3.5 rebounds this season. Team T-Mac is coached by McGrady, with other honorary coaches leading the remaining squads in the event at Intuit Dome.
Stephen Curry
February 2026
Curry will sit out the All-Star Game in Los Angeles due to ongoing right knee trouble described as patellofemoral pain syndrome. Kerr says the plan is rest now and aim to return after the break if day-to-day progress holds. Curry left a game on Jan. 30 with the sore knee and later had an MRI, then missed multiple games. The update also notes Golden State is without Butler after ACL surgery, compounding availability issues heading into the post-break schedule.
Nikola Topić
February 2026
Thunder prospect Topić made his G League debut, a major step after a serious knee ligament injury and subsequent testicular cancer diagnosis that required chemotherapy. He has barely played over the last two years. He logged 16 minutes with seven points and seven assists in an overtime win. Daigneault highlighted the mental and physical resilience required to return after rehab, then three rounds of chemo, and praised the milestone as a significant achievement.
Jayson Tatum
January 2026
Tatum was assigned to Boston’s G League affiliate to practice as part of his return plan from a torn right Achilles. He has missed the entire season so far, with the team still avoiding any firm return date. Reports say he has progressed into five-on-five work, but Boston continues to frame the process as threshold-based rather than schedule-based. Stevens has repeated there is no pressure to return, and he should only play once fully cleared and fully confident.
Jayson Tatum
January 2026
Jayson Tatum has progressed to five-on-five work with Celtics coaches as he continues recovery from a torn right Achilles, with no confirmed timetable for a return this season. Boston says he has cleared multiple rehab checkpoints but still has meaningful steps left. The team’s stated approach is no pressure to return, and any comeback would only happen after full medical clearance and when Tatum feels fully ready physically and mentally.
Austin Reaves
January 2026
Reaves returned off the bench after missing 19 games with a left calf strain, posting 15 points in 21 minutes in a 125-109 win over the Nets. Redick put him on restricted minutes and said the team has missed him across the board. The absence has limited how the Lakers can judge their ceiling, with LeBron calling him an “All-Star 2-guard” level piece.
Alperen Şengün
January 2026
Alperen Şengün was named as the replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Team World for the 75th NBA All-Star Game after Gilgeous-Alexander was ruled out with an abdominal strain. Şengün earned his second straight All-Star selection while averaging roughly 21 points, 9 rebounds and over 6 assists, helping Houston to a top-four West record. The event uses a three-team format with Team World facing two USA teams in a short round-robin tournament at Intuit Dome.
Jonathan Kuminga
January 2026
Newly acquired Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga will miss at least one week with a left knee bone bruise, with evaluation planned after the 2026 All-Star break. Atlanta says the injury occurred on Jan. 22 while he was with Golden State. Kuminga and Buddy Hield arrived in the deal that sent Kristaps Porziņģis to the Warriors. Onyeka Okongwu returned versus Charlotte wearing a protective mask after a dental fracture.
Mac McClung
January 2026
Mac McClung will replace injured David Jones Garcia on Team Austin in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars event at Intuit Dome, part of NBA All-Star weekend. Jones Garcia is out with a right ankle injury. The Bulls signed McClung to a two-way deal on Feb. 5, 2026; he is a three-time Slam Dunk Contest champion and had brief NBA minutes this season.
