NBA Rookie Rankings: Top 10 Performers as Regular Season Winds Down
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With the 2025-26 regular season in its final days, ESPN analyst Zach Kram released his third and final ranking of this year’s rookie class, highlighting the players who have made the biggest impact before the playoffs begin. The list, previously updated in November and January, again places Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel at No. 1.
1. Kon Knueppel — Charlotte Hornets
The No. 1 overall pick leads the league in total three-pointers and ranks 11th in ESPN’s offensive net points metric at plus-153. His shooting efficiency and role in Charlotte’s unexpected winning season keep him atop the rookie field.
2. Cooper Flagg — Dallas Mavericks
Flagg is averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists, numbers matched by only seven other rookies in NBA history. Although his production is elite, he remains a step behind his former Duke teammate in the Rookie of the Year race.
3. VJ Edgecombe — Philadelphia 76ers
Edgecombe logs 35 minutes a night, the highest rookie workload in a decade. Solid shooting, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game point to a promising backcourt partnership with Tyrese Maxey.
4. Dylan Harper — San Antonio Spurs
Harper rebounded from a midseason slump and recently earned his first start for the West’s No. 2 seed. His three-point rate has climbed to 31.4%, easing concerns about long-range shooting.
5. Cedric Coward — Memphis Grizzlies
At 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 26 minutes, Coward projects as a prototypical 3-and-D wing. He shoots 85% from the free-throw line, suggesting his 33.6% mark from deep should rise.
6. Collin Murray-Boyles — Toronto Raptors
Returning from a thumb injury, the No. 9 pick provides size and defensive versatility. Limited range—17 made threes all season—caps his ceiling, but his floor as a rotation piece appears secure.
7. Derik Queen — New Orleans Pelicans
Queen hit the rookie wall after the All-Star break, dropping to 8.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 20 minutes. Despite fit questions alongside Zion Williamson, his playmaking keeps him on pace for an All-Rookie spot.
8. Hugo Gonzalez — Boston Celtics
Gonzalez averages just 4.0 points, yet Boston posts a plus-12.6 net rating when he plays—the best figure on a title contender. Energy and defense outweigh modest box-score totals.
9. Ryan Kalkbrenner — Charlotte Hornets
The second-round center’s early block surge cooled (2.6 per game in his first nine outings, 1.3 since), but his 75% true shooting would lead the league if he qualified. Charlotte performs better defensively when Moussa Diabate starts, limiting Kalkbrenner’s minutes.
10. Egor Demin — Brooklyn Nets
Demin’s rookie year ended on Feb. 27 with plantar fasciitis. Before the injury, he hit 38.5% of 6.2 three-point attempts, joining an eight-player rookie list that includes Keegan Murray and Tyrese Haliburton. Passing vision and 6-foot-8 size hint at a bright future once he improves his 39.9% two-point accuracy.
This ranking reflects only 2025-26 performance, not long-term projections, and closes the regular-season evaluations of the current rookie class.
Source: ESPN
