Anybody questioning who’d find yourself on the Rookies group for the 2026 Rising Stars Recreation at NBA All-Star Weekend might merely have a look at the primary picks of final yr’s draft.
Eight of the primary 9 picks in June’s draft have 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 approach that the majority draft courses have not.
Two Duke stars are main the rookie class
The Rookies group, which can face a group of Sophomores and G-Leaguers, is headlined by two gamers who have been teammates in faculty. No. 1 choose Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks averages 18.8 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists, whereas No. 4 choose Kon Knueppel is placing up 18.7 factors and taking pictures 42.2 p.c from three-point vary for the Charlotte Hornets.
However they are not the one high picks delivering on their immense promise. No. 2 choose Dylan Harper has been a stellar defender for the 31-15 San Antonio Spurs. No. 3 choose VJ Edgecombe averages 15.4 factors, 4.1 assists and 1.5 steals for the Philadelphia 76ers. No. 6 choose Tre Johnson and No. choose 8 Egor Demin are each taking pictures almost 40 p.c 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 choose left off the Rookies group, is averaging 10.9 factors on 45 p.c taking pictures — not dangerous in any respect for a 19-year-old rookie enjoying 24.6 minutes per sport. The one top-13 picks not on the group are No. 10 choose Khaman Maluach, a 19-year-old who was at all times thought of a long-term prospect at heart, and No. 12 choose Noa Essengue, who suffered a season-ending shoulder damage after enjoying solely two video games.
Earlier rookie courses have not been this dependable
Final yr’s Rookies group wasn’t almost as top-heavy. Whereas high picks Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr have been chosen, spots went to No. 39 choose Jaylen Wells of the Memphis Grizzlies, No. 21 choose Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans and 4 gamers chosen between No. 14 and No. 18.
Even this yr’s Sophomores group options three second-round picks in Wells, Ajay Mitchell and Cam Spencer, together with No. 15 choose Kel’el Ware, No. 20 choose Jaylon Tyson and No. 24 choose Kyshawn George. In one other instance of the unpredictability of the Class of 2024, there are solely three holdovers from the 2025 Rookies group enjoying for the 2026 Sophomores squad.
In 2024, half of the lottery picks have been left off the Rookies group, with as many gamers picked 11-20 on the group 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 may very well be even greater.
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