When you’ve got a three-time NBA All-Star, a WNBA legend, and a Hall of Famer standing courtside, it’s safe to say this isn’t your typical high school basketball tournament.
Domantas Sabonis, Lauren Jackson, and Yao Ming are set to headline a stacked guest list for the upcoming NBA Rising Stars Invitational taking place later this month in Singapore.
Joining them are Phoenix Suns rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, along with Japanese B.LEAGUE standout Keisei Tominaga of the Levanga Hokkaido in making special appearances in the NBA’s first regional tournament for boys’ and girls’ high school teams from across Asia-Pacific.
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This came on the heels of the Philippine qualifiers event in which San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan graced the tournament last month.
[ALSO READ: Hitting that barrier? San Antonio Spurs' Jeremy Sochan shares advice when going gets tough]
The star-studded group is expected to interact with youth players on and off the court throughout the weeklong event, which runs from June 25 to 29 at the Kallang Tennis Hub.
Representing the Philippines in the five-day spectacle is National University Nazareth School (NUNS), which swept the local qualifiers to earn its spot.
[ALSO READ: NU-Nazareth School rule NBA Rising Stars Invitational qualifiers, to banner Philippines in Singapore tiff]
Sabonis just wrapped up his 10th NBA season and continues to solidify his reputation as one of the league’s top do-it-all big men.
The 29-year-old averaged 19.1 points, a league-best 13.9 rebounds, and six assists over 70 games. Though the Kings missed the playoffs for a second straight year, Sabonis led the NBA in double-doubles for the third consecutive season (61) and recorded 10 triple-doubles—tied with LeBron James for third-most behind Nikola Jokic (34) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (11).
Jackson, widely considered one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft.
She won two WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm (2004, 2010), earned three MVPs, and was named to the All-WNBA Team eight times.
The 44-year-old also dominated in the WNBL, where she won seven championships and was a four-time MVP in both the regular season and Grand Finals.
Internationally, Jackson led Australia to three Olympic silver medals and two bronzes—most recently at the 2024 Paris Games—cementing her legacy as a global icon in the sport.
Rounding out the trio is Ming, the towering 7-foot-6 center who changed the face of Asian basketball.
An eight-time NBA All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, he will be on hand for special appearances, including in the opening ceremony.
With basketball icons in attendance and NUNS carrying the Philippine flag in the global stage, the tournament promises a unique platform for the region’s best young talents to grow, compete, and be inspired.
