LOS ANGELES – Hours before tipoff of the Kia Rising Stars game, the buzz inside Intuit Dome felt familiar. The NBA All-Star Weekend always delivers star power. But this year, the spotlight stretched far beyond American borders.
While household names like Stephen Curry and LeBron James dominated All-Star headlines, Friday’s Rising Stars game offered a glimpse of the league’s future – one that was increasingly international.
Players such as V.J. Edgecombe of Bimini, Bahamas; Alex Sarr of Bordeaux, France; Egor Dëmin of Moscow; and Yang Hansen of Zibo, China, represented the NBA’s new global wave. They were not simply prospects. They were the product of a league that spans continents.
The numbers tell the story. According to Google research engines, the NBA opened the season with 45 international players from 29 countries. By 2026, that number had grown to 135 players representing 43 countries. The steady rise reflected more than expanded scouting – it signaled a structural shift in the league’s identity.
The Rising Stars game served as a snapshot of that evolution. Sarr, a second-year forward, emerged as a bright spot for the Washington Wizards. He averages 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game this season, demonstrating the versatility and skill development common among players trained in European systems.
These athletes arrived with polished fundamentals, advanced basketball IQ and skill sets shaped in competitive international academies. Many were taught to handle the ball, pass and defend multiple positions regardless of their opponent’s size – traits increasingly valued in today’s NBA.
The global pipeline transformed the league’s style of play. Spacing, ball movement and tactical awareness were no longer American specialties. They were expectations.
The Rising Stars game was not just an exhibition. It was evidence of how thoroughly international talent had reshaped professional basketball. What was once a league dominated almost exclusively by American-born players had become a truly global competition.
Edgecombe made the night his own. He led Team Vince with 17 points, helped secure the Rising Stars championship and earned MVP honors.
During his trophy acceptance, Edgecombe praised his teammates.
“They are all my dogs,” he said.
In a postgame interview, Edgecombe reflected on the experience.
“I get to play basketball and be in the NBA and make money – that’s a great feeling,” he said.
As the next generation took the floor in Los Angeles, the moment represented more than individual success. It marked the continuation of a 26-year global surge that reshaped the league’s foundation. The scoreboard showed a Rising Stars champion, but the bigger victory belonged to the game itself – one no longer defined by borders, but by the world.
Copy edited by Professor Ron Thomas.
