The NBA released the list of participants for the Castrol Rising Stars for the 2026 All-Star Weekend. A list intended to celebrate the league’s future stars turned into disrespect for Golden State Warriors fans. With multiple teams getting more than one selection on both rookie and sophomore teams, Dub Nation found not even one of theirs on the list.

Two years ago, Brandin Podziemski was the sole selection for the Warriors. Last year, their representation increased to two players. This year, the Warriors were among the 15 teams without representation on the sophomore and rookie lists. The Dub Nation is one of the proudest fan bases, and giving them no representation invited voices calling out the league. “Not one Warrior smh,” a fan wrote, expressing discontent with the selection.

Let’s not forget, they were the most dominant team of the last decade, and produced stars like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. So, being denied entry into the list would surely warrant outrage from the fanbase. They were particularly upset with their rookie, Will Richard, getting no recognition.

In the past, several notable names haven’t made the Rising Star selection. Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason and Andrew Nembhard, who are gradually making their mark in the league, all missed the selection in 2024.

Isaiah Collier, one of the best bench players in the league, was one of the missing names last year. These past snubs have also attracted similar outrage from fans on social media. 

Fans call out the league over missing players from NBA Rising Stars

The Warriors fans’ discontent extended beyond representation. They boldly called out the league, with a fan demanding respect for one of their rookies. “Respect Will Richard.” The sentiment is certainly not baseless. The No. 56 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has vastly outperformed expectations. He made his debut with a 13-point performance.

Richard has emerged as a consistent contributor from the bench. Steve Kerr has shown trust in him, and he won over fans in his first game. He plays on both ends, and his defensive mindset has earned him Rookie of the Year praise from fans on social media. “Will Richard snubbed,” a Warriors fan bluntly called out the selection.

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However, it’s not only Warriors fans who had an issue with the lack of representation. Remember Hugo Gonzalez, Joe Mazzulla’s instinctive weapon? “Hugo Gonzalez snubbed,” a Celtics fan was clearly upset with his name not being selected. Gonzalez became an instant favorite among the Celtics fans after he made the game-tying 3-pointer to send the game against the Brooklyn Nets into double overtime.

The Toronto Raptors had one selection. Collin Murray-Boyles, the rookie from Gamecocks, had slowly gotten himself into the starter’s role in the absence of Jakob Pöltl. However, a Raptors fan took issue with one player’s absence from the sophomore roster.

“Where is Jamal Shead?” one fan pointed out. Shead has emerged as the primary backup point guard for the Raptors this season. He is only behind Isaiah Collier for the most bench assists this season. Raptors fans’ issue with him being snubbed was perhaps warranted.

Ace Bailey was one of the biggest snubs in the selection. He is the only player from the top 9 rookie selections from 2025 who didn’t make the cut. With Utah having no players on either team, some felt he should have made it.

However, with just 21 slots available, deserving players missing out is perhaps unavoidable. However, does it seal a player’s fate? Absolutely not.