Top 10 NBA Rookies to Watch in 2026

Dylan Harper, son of former NBA player Ron Harper, arrived at Rutgers after skipping the IMG Academy circuit and went straight to dominating Big Ten competition. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 22.4 PPG and 6.2 APG as a freshman, shooting 39.5% from three while creating for others at a point guard level. His size advantage over guards and handle advantage over wings created constant mismatches. Selected in the top five of the 2025 NBA Draft, Harper is the rare rookie who looks physically and mentally ready for the pro game from day one, with the scoring creation to become an All-Star within three seasons.

Ace Bailey at Rutgers alongside Dylan Harper gave the Scarlet Knights their most exciting backcourt-frontcourt combination in program history. Bailey, a 6-foot-9 small forward, averaged 18.5 PPG as a freshman with a shooting form and midrange game that scouts compared to a young Kevin Durant. His movement off the ball, catch-and-shoot efficiency, and defensive engagement made him a consensus top-five pick. At age 18, he already has the scoring toolkit of a professional wing — and the physical profile to guard multiple positions — that most NBA players spend years developing.

VJ Edgecombe of Baylor is the most explosive athlete in the 2025 draft class — a 6-foot-5 guard from the Bahamas with a 44-inch vertical, elite first step, and enough playmaking improvement to complement his finishing ability. He averaged 15.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.1 steals per game as a freshman, displaying the defensive intensity and pace-changing athleticism that translates immediately at the NBA level. His off-the-dribble finishing through contact is already NBA-ready, and his upside as a defensive stopper draws comparisons to a young Kawhi Leonard in terms of physical tools.

Noa Essengue is the international wild card of the 2025 draft class — a 6-foot-9 French forward who spent the 2024-25 season dominating Germany's Bundesliga at age 17, averaging 14.2 PPG and 5.9 RPG in professional European competition before most American players his age are playing college ball. Born in 2007, he is the youngest player in the class, with a shooting touch, footwork, and defensive versatility that European scouts compare to a young Nicolas Batum. His ceiling is enormous, and the franchise that drafts him in the lottery is betting on a multi-year development project with All-Star upside.

Jeremiah Fears of Oklahoma emerged as one of college basketball's most surprising freshman stars in 2024-25, averaging 17.8 PPG and 5.1 APG with an elite shot-creation toolkit that made him nearly impossible to guard in pick-and-roll situations. The 6-foot-4 guard is one of the few players in the class who can create his own shot off the dribble at NBA game speed, and his finishing through contact at the rim improved dramatically across his freshman season. His pull-up mid-range efficiency drew comparisons to Devin Booker entering the draft.

Kon Knueppel was the sneaky elite shooter of Duke's 2024-25 freshman class alongside Cooper Flagg, averaging 14.5 PPG on 42.3% from three in his first college season. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard from Milwaukee has the rare combination of size, shooting, and defensive awareness that NBA teams prioritize in 3-and-D wings. While Flagg receives the headlines, Knueppel may be the faster NBA contributor — a ready-made spot-up shooter who can guard multiple positions and won't need the ball in his hands to be effective on a winning team.

Egor Demin of BYU is the vision-passer of the 2025 class — a 6-foot-9 Russian point guard who averaged 9.2 PPG and 7.1 APG as a freshman while displaying a passing creativity and court-reading ability that scouts compare to a young Luka Doncic. His scoring volume was modest but his playmaking efficiency was elite, and his size at the point guard position creates natural advantages at every level. Teams drafting in the 8-15 range covet him as a long-term point-of-attack playmaker, and his ceiling is enormous if his shooting continues to develop.

Khaman Maluach of Duke is the most physically imposing player in the 2025 class — a 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center with a 7-foot-6 wingspan who averaged 9.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG at Duke while displaying rim protection, lob-catching, and roll-finishing ability that translates directly to the NBA. His offensive game is raw, but his physical tools — including elite athleticism for his size — give him a defensive ceiling comparable to Rudy Gobert with more mobility. Teams selecting late lottery see him as the next great defensive anchor.

Kasparas Jakucionis of Illinois is the savviest guard in the 2025 class — a Lithuanian playmaker who averaged 16.4 PPG and 5.7 APG while shooting 38% from three as a freshman in the Big Ten. His ability to play both guard positions, read defenses ahead of the play, and make winning basketball decisions at game speed drew attention throughout the conference season. His 1.9 steals per game demonstrated active defensive hands, and his late-season improvement arc suggests a player who accelerates rapidly. NBA teams see a versatile backup point guard with starter upside.

Dylan Harper, son of former NBA player Ron Harper, arrived at Rutgers after skipping the IMG Academy circuit and went straight to dominating Big Ten competition. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 22.4 PPG and 6.2 APG as a freshman, shooting 39.5% from three while creating for others at a point guard level. His size advantage over guards and handle advantage over wings created constant mismatches. Selected in the top five of the 2025 NBA Draft, Harper is the rare rookie who looks physically and mentally ready for the pro game from day one, with the scoring creation to become an All-Star within three seasons.

Ace Bailey at Rutgers alongside Dylan Harper gave the Scarlet Knights their most exciting backcourt-frontcourt combination in program history. Bailey, a 6-foot-9 small forward, averaged 18.5 PPG as a freshman with a shooting form and midrange game that scouts compared to a young Kevin Durant. His movement off the ball, catch-and-shoot efficiency, and defensive engagement made him a consensus top-five pick. At age 18, he already has the scoring toolkit of a professional wing — and the physical profile to guard multiple positions — that most NBA players spend years developing.

VJ Edgecombe of Baylor is the most explosive athlete in the 2025 draft class — a 6-foot-5 guard from the Bahamas with a 44-inch vertical, elite first step, and enough playmaking improvement to complement his finishing ability. He averaged 15.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 2.1 steals per game as a freshman, displaying the defensive intensity and pace-changing athleticism that translates immediately at the NBA level. His off-the-dribble finishing through contact is already NBA-ready, and his upside as a defensive stopper draws comparisons to a young Kawhi Leonard in terms of physical tools.

Noa Essengue is the international wild card of the 2025 draft class — a 6-foot-9 French forward who spent the 2024-25 season dominating Germany's Bundesliga at age 17, averaging 14.2 PPG and 5.9 RPG in professional European competition before most American players his age are playing college ball. Born in 2007, he is the youngest player in the class, with a shooting touch, footwork, and defensive versatility that European scouts compare to a young Nicolas Batum. His ceiling is enormous, and the franchise that drafts him in the lottery is betting on a multi-year development project with All-Star upside.

Jeremiah Fears of Oklahoma emerged as one of college basketball's most surprising freshman stars in 2024-25, averaging 17.8 PPG and 5.1 APG with an elite shot-creation toolkit that made him nearly impossible to guard in pick-and-roll situations. The 6-foot-4 guard is one of the few players in the class who can create his own shot off the dribble at NBA game speed, and his finishing through contact at the rim improved dramatically across his freshman season. His pull-up mid-range efficiency drew comparisons to Devin Booker entering the draft.

Kon Knueppel was the sneaky elite shooter of Duke's 2024-25 freshman class alongside Cooper Flagg, averaging 14.5 PPG on 42.3% from three in his first college season. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard from Milwaukee has the rare combination of size, shooting, and defensive awareness that NBA teams prioritize in 3-and-D wings. While Flagg receives the headlines, Knueppel may be the faster NBA contributor — a ready-made spot-up shooter who can guard multiple positions and won't need the ball in his hands to be effective on a winning team.

Egor Demin of BYU is the vision-passer of the 2025 class — a 6-foot-9 Russian point guard who averaged 9.2 PPG and 7.1 APG as a freshman while displaying a passing creativity and court-reading ability that scouts compare to a young Luka Doncic. His scoring volume was modest but his playmaking efficiency was elite, and his size at the point guard position creates natural advantages at every level. Teams drafting in the 8-15 range covet him as a long-term point-of-attack playmaker, and his ceiling is enormous if his shooting continues to develop.

Khaman Maluach of Duke is the most physically imposing player in the 2025 class — a 7-foot-2 South Sudanese center with a 7-foot-6 wingspan who averaged 9.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG at Duke while displaying rim protection, lob-catching, and roll-finishing ability that translates directly to the NBA. His offensive game is raw, but his physical tools — including elite athleticism for his size — give him a defensive ceiling comparable to Rudy Gobert with more mobility. Teams selecting late lottery see him as the next great defensive anchor.

Kasparas Jakucionis of Illinois is the savviest guard in the 2025 class — a Lithuanian playmaker who averaged 16.4 PPG and 5.7 APG while shooting 38% from three as a freshman in the Big Ten. His ability to play both guard positions, read defenses ahead of the play, and make winning basketball decisions at game speed drew attention throughout the conference season. His 1.9 steals per game demonstrated active defensive hands, and his late-season improvement arc suggests a player who accelerates rapidly. NBA teams see a versatile backup point guard with starter upside.