Anybody questioning who’d find yourself on the Rookies workforce for the 2026 Rising Stars Sport at NBA All-Star Weekend might merely have a look at the primary picks of final yr’s draft.
Eight of the primary 9 alternatives in June’s draft had been chosen to symbolize the rookie class, together with the No. 11 and No. 13 picks. It is a signal that this heralded group of first-year gamers has constantly delivered in a method that the majority draft courses have not.
Two Duke stars are main the rookie class
The Rookies workforce, which is able to face a workforce of Sophomores and G-Leaguers, is headlined by two gamers who had been teammates in school. No. 1 decide Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks averages 18.8 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists, whereas No. 4 decide Kon Knueppel is placing up 18.7 factors and taking pictures 42.2 % from three-point vary for the Charlotte Hornets.
However they are not the one high picks delivering on their immense promise. No. 2 decide Dylan Harper has been a stellar defender for the 31-15 San Antonio Spurs. No. 3 decide VJ Edgecombe averages 15.4 factors, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals for the Philadelphia 76ers. No. 6 decide Tre Johnson and No. decide 8 Egor Demin are each taking pictures almost 40 % on threes and making 2.2 and a couple of.4 per sport, respectively.
It has been a remarkably bust-free draft up to now. Even Ace Bailey, the No. 5 decide left off the Rookies workforce, is averaging 10.9 factors on 45 % taking pictures — not unhealthy in any respect for a 19-year-old rookie enjoying 24.6 minutes per sport. The one top-13 picks not on the workforce are No. 10 decide Khaman Maluach, a 19-year-old who was at all times thought of a long-term prospect at heart, and No. 12 decide Noa Essengue, who suffered a season-ending shoulder harm after enjoying solely two video games.
Earlier rookie courses have not been this dependable
Final yr’s Rookies workforce wasn’t almost as top-heavy. Whereas high picks Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr had been chosen, spots went to No. 39 decide Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies, No. 21 decide Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans and 4 gamers chosen between No. 14 and No. 18.
Even this yr’s Sophomores workforce options three second-round picks in Wells, Ajay Mitchell and Cam Spencer, together with No. 15 decide Kel’el Ware, No. 20 decide Jaylon Tyson and No. 24 decide Kyshawn George. In one other instance of the unpredictability of the Class of 2024, there are solely three holdovers from the 2025 Rookies workforce enjoying for the 2026 Sophomores squad.
In 2024, half of the lottery picks had been left off the Rookies workforce, with as many gamers picked 11-20 on the workforce as there have been from picks 1-10.
It is surprising {that a} draft class with so many younger gamers would meet expectations. The Rookies have 5 youngsters, and solely Derik Queen (21) and Cedric Coward (22) are older than 20. That signifies that, nearly as good because the 2025-26 rookies have been up to now, their upside might be even larger.
