FEU-Diliman, UST to Represent PH in NBA Rising Stars Invitational

Two Philippine school teams will carry the country’s colors at the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Invitational, with Far Eastern University-Diliman High School joining the boys’ division and the University of Santo Tomas competing in the girls’ division at OCBC Arena in Singapore.

The tournament, scheduled from June 23 to 28 at The Kallang, will bring together 12 boys’ teams and 12 girls’ teams from across Asia-Pacific. The field will compete in round-robin play before moving into the single-elimination semifinals and finals.

This year’s event will also feature a strong lineup of NBA and WNBA personalities. Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and NBA champion Mitch Richmond have been added as headliners, joining previously announced guests Jeremy Lin and Lauren Jackson.

Hachimura, Richmond, Lin, and Jackson are expected to interact with participating players and fans throughout the week. Their appearances will include meet-and-greet sessions, a coaches clinic on June 24, and community programs presented by the Karim Family Foundation.

Among the community activities are a Her Time to Play clinic and leadership panel, plus Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA clinics from June 26 to 28.

For Filipino fans, the presence of FEU-Diliman and UST gives the event a clear storyline. FEU-Diliman, the reigning UAAP high school champions, will test itself against boys’ teams from countries and territories including Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, and Chinese Taipei. UST, meanwhile, will compete in the girls’ field against teams from the same wider Asia-Pacific pool.

Hachimura’s participation adds another layer to the event’s regional focus. The Lakers forward was a high-school standout in Japan before becoming the first Japanese-born player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. He was picked ninth overall by the Washington Wizards in 2019 and later joined the Lakers in 2023.

Richmond brings a Hall of Fame resume to Singapore. The former shooting guard was a six-time NBA All-Star, won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 2002, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Lin and Jackson also bring major international credentials. Lin is an NBA champion, while Jackson is one of the most accomplished figures in women’s basketball and a WNBA champion.

Aside from the tournament games, the event will feature performances from the Houston Rockets Hype Squad “Anti-Gravity” and Orlando Magic mascot Stuff.

The NBA will also hold free fan zones in Singapore ahead of and during the event. The first will be at Bugis Junction from June 10 to 14, followed by another at Kallang Wave Mall from June 16 to 28. The Kallang Wave Mall fan zone will include official NBA Rising Stars Invitational merchandise and apparel.