Top 10 NBA Rookies to Watch in 2026

VJ Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete in the 2025 draft class, posting a 44-inch vertical and 2.1 steals per game at Baylor. His defensive intensity and pace-changing athleticism translate immediately, though his 32% three-point shooting needs refinement. With elite first-step quickness and improved playmaking, he projects as a high-impact two-way contributor.

Noa Essengue is the international wild card of the 2025 draft class — a 6-foot-9 French forward who dominated Germany's Bundesliga at age 17, averaging 14.2 PPG and 5.9 RPG in professional European competition. Born in 2007, he is the youngest player in the class, with a shooting touch, footwork, and defensive versatility that European scouts compare to an emerging 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 college basketball's most surprising freshman star in 2024-25, averaging 17.8 PPG and 5.1 APG with an elite shot-creation toolkit. 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 speed, and his finishing through contact improved dramatically, hitting 56% at the rim in conference play. 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 class alongside Cooper Flagg, averaging 14.5 PPG on 42.3% from three. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard from Milwaukee combines 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 guards multiple positions. Knueppel's catch-and-shoot efficiency (1.18 points per possession) ranks him among the best in his class, making him a plug-and-play asset for any lineup.

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, displaying passing creativity scouts compare to a young Luka Doncic. His scoring volume was modest, but his playmaking efficiency was elite, and his size at point guard creates natural advantages. Teams drafting in the 8-15 range covet him as a long-term point-of-attack player, and his ceiling is enormous if his shooting continues to develop.

Khaman Maluach 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 remains raw, but his elite athleticism for his size gives 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 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 decisions at game speed drew attention throughout the conference season, supported by 1.9 steals per game and a late-season improvement arc suggesting rapid acceleration. NBA teams see a versatile backup point guard with starter upside.