Former FAU star Alijah Martin was named an NBA Rising Star on Monday, making him the first FAU alumnus in school history to accomplish this achievement. Martin played four seasons with the Owls from 2021 to 2024 and, in 2023, helped them reach their first Final Four in program history.
Apart from their Final Four run, Martin averaged 16.5 points per game that season and earned many accolades with the Owls during his tenure, including the 2022-23 All-Conference USA First Team, the 2023 NCAA All-Tournament Team, and the 2023-24 AAC Second Team All-Conference.
After transferring to the University of Florida in 2024, Martin joined head coach Todd Golden and the Gators, and the team won the national championship in April 2025. On that team were top NBA prospects Walter Clayton Jr and Will Richard. Martin joined them, forming a “big 3” in Florida. In 2025, Martin averaged 14.4 points per game.
He was then drafted 39th overall by the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Draft on June 26, 2025, becoming the first-ever FAU alumnus to be drafted into the NBA. Martin was later assigned to their G League affiliate, the Raptors 905, which serves as a minor league team for player development and training. Martin is averaging 18.6 points per game for the 905 so far this season.
G League players in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game are selected by the NBA league office based on their performance and make up one of the four teams. The Rising Stars game showcases the NBA’s top rookies, second-year players, and other G League talents.
The tournament features three games: The first two semifinals play to a target score of 40 points, and the championship game plays to 25 points. This is a good opportunity for Martin to showcase his talents against top players in their respective draft classes.
The 2026 NBA Rising Stars mini-tournament will be held at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Don’t forget to catch Martin and others on Feb. 13 at 9:00 p.m. on Peacock.
Anthony Ortiz is the Reporter for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email Ortiz at [email protected].
