ESPN’s Zach Kram released his midseason NBA rookie rankings on Thursday, Jan. 22, setting Hornets guard Kon Knueppel atop the list after 41 games of the 2025-26 schedule. The rankings gauge how first-year players are performing now, not their long-term potential.
Top 10 rookies at the halfway mark
10. Egor Demin, Brooklyn Nets
Unranked in November, the 6-foot-8 playmaker has lifted his three-point accuracy to 39.8%. When paired with Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn posts a plus-3.6 net rating.
9. Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors
Although listed at 6-7, the rookie logs 93% of his minutes at center. Toronto’s defensive rating drops to 106.6 when he shares the floor with Scottie Barnes, 10 points better than league average.
8. Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards
The 19-year-old hits 39% of 5.3 threes per game and has seen expanded minutes following Washington’s trade for Trae Young, which sent out CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
7. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets
Despite a recent elbow injury, the second-round center averages 1.6 blocks and converts 77% of his shots, trailing only Rudy Gobert among high-volume finishers.
6. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
The No. 2 pick attacks the rim and defends well, but shooting woes—24% from three and 74% at the line—drag his true shooting percentage to 196th of 200 qualified players.
5. Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
Once ranked first, Coward has cooled to 34% from deep and averages just 0.5 steals and 0.3 blocks, prompting questions about his defensive impact.
4. Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans
Queen’s 33-point triple-double in December ties for the best rookie game score this season, yet New Orleans records a minus-14.3 net rating when he shares the court with Zion Williamson.
3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Edgecombe contributes 15.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists while hitting 37% from three and averaging 1.5 steals for a playoff-caliber club.
2. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Flagg’s all-court game has surged: after averaging 13.9 points on 40% shooting in his first 10 outings, he is up to 20.4 points on 50% in the last two months. He also remains the class’s top defender.
1. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
The No. 4 pick leads all rookies with 3.4 made threes a night on 43.5% shooting and owns a 64.5% true shooting rate—highest ever for a rookie with 20% usage and 1,200-plus minutes. He is on pace for 273 three-pointers, well ahead of Keegan Murray’s rookie record of 206.
Knueppel’s efficiency outstrips seven of this season’s 10 All-Star starters and ranks third among all high-usage guards, positioning the 20-year-old as the midseason standout in a deep 2025-26 rookie class.
Source: ESPN
