NBA Rookie Rankings: Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel in neck-and-neck ROY race
Flagg remains the favorite, but the former Duke teammates are both having standout rookie years
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8 min read
We've reached the third month of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, which means it's time for another edition of rookie rankings. While everyone is forecasting next year's crop of guys to be one of the best rookie classes in NBA history, we shouldn't be so quick to look past this lot. There's a solid group of players from the 2025 NBA Draft who have, at one point or another, looked like future All-Stars in this league. Some have looked even better than that.
We've been spoiled with a truly fantastic rookie class, and it brings one of the most intriguing Rookie of the Year battles in recent memory.
Cooper Flagg was expected to run away with the award, and while he very well still can (he's a -650 favorite at Caesars as of Thursday), there weren't very many people who expected Kon Knueppel (+500 at Caesars) to be a serious challenger to his former Duke teammate for the title. It feels like each game they continue to outdo each other, and while the odds aren't that close, don't be fooled -- this feels far from over.
Let's get into the weeds and break down how the top five rookies have been playing as we inch closer to the halfway mark of the NBA season.
Redrafting the 2025 NBA Draft: Kon Knueppel goes No. 2, Derik Queen lands with Wizards
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5. Dylan Harper, Spurs
Harper isn't getting the heavy minutes that others on this list are, and he's the only one of this bunch who hasn't started a single game this season. That being said, Harper is one of just a few rookies this season whose impact is still felt despite not putting up massive numbers most nights. Harper's not in a typical situation most No. 2 overall picks find themselves in. He joined a Spurs team that already has its franchise centerpiece in Victor Wembanyama, they also have a loaded backcourt featuring the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle and a veteran star in De'Aaron Fox. Despite all of that stacked up against Harper, he's managed to carve out a significant role in the rotation on a San Antonio team that is a legitimate contender.
His counting stats don't jump out at you, but if you watch the Spurs you'll see how easy it is for him to get to the rim. Over 54% of his shots come within four feet of the basket, which ranks in the 98th percentile among guards in the league. In fact, only Tre Jones ranks higher than Harper in rim frequency for combo guards. Harper can get into the paint at will, and he's making those shots at a 56% clip, not a bad starting point for a rookie guard. Harper's offensive production right now isn't indicative of where it will be years from now, but you're already seeing what he's capable of doing as a shot creator. His defense, though, is proving to be a valuable asset for the Spurs.
He's a committed defender, makes the right reads and doesn't get lost in the shuffle when teams throw him into two or three actions. Between him and Castle, the Spurs have two lead guards who can be solid point-of-attack defenders as they continue to develop.
4. Derik Queen, Pelicans
Queen plays with such fluidity on offense that you forget he's a 6-foot-9 rookie center. The Pelicans obviously held Queen in high regard, otherwise they wouldn't have given up there now-very-valuable 2027 first-round pick for him. But I don't think even they knew he'd be this productive this early on. He's comfortable running the offense, and because of his size, he can make reads that some guards can't. He's throwing pinpoint accurate lobs 30 feet away from the basket, and while they don't always result in a basket, his efficiency in those passes will only improve as he and his teammates build more chemistry.
He's drawing comparisons to Nikola Jokić and Alperen Sengun, but he's more athletic than both of those guys. He moves more swiftly than both of them, and as he gets more comfortable throwing his weight around and builds more strength, he's going to be a difficult assignment regardless of who you put on him.
3. VJ Edgecombe, 76ers
Edgecombe's rookie season has been a roller coaster, filled with the highest highs (a 34-point NBA debut) and some typical rookie lows (a month where he shot 36% from the field and 31% from deep). That type of see-saw production is expected out of first-year guys, and while Edgecombe is no stranger to it, the good has far outweighed the bad. He fills whatever role the Sixers need. You want him to be a playmaker and look for his own shot? No problem.
You want him to space the floor and be a marksman from deep? Sure, he can do that too.
He plays with such high energy that you can tell the Sixers get an extra boost when he's on the floor. He's like a power bank Philadelphia can use when the offense gets a little stagnant. His athleticism shines in so many ways that one single play from him can bring the spark back to Philly's offense. Whether that's elevating over towering defenders, using a burst of speed to fly by guys on the perimeter, or leaving his defender in the dust while cutting to the basket. On defense, all those skills are on display too. Against the Nuggets on Jan. 5, Edgecombe put together a defensive performance that far outweighs his rookie status.
On one possession at the end of the fourth quarter, with the Nuggets up two points, Edgecombe frustrated Jalen Pickett just enough to come away with a crucial steal.
In overtime, he and Joel Embiid were the only two players to score for the Sixers, and he had a two important defensive stops that kept the Nuggets from getting easy buckets. The Sixers ultimately lost to an undermanned Nuggets side, but Edgecombe still stood out.
2. Kon Knueppel, Hornets
To be quite honest, if you want to put Knueppel at the top of this list I would have no problem with that. The gap between him and Flagg in the Rookie of the Year race is a lot closer than some would have you believe, but I'll explain why I have Flagg ahead of him ever so slightly in the next section. Focusing on Knueppel... he hasn't had a game where he's scored below single digits since the night before Thanksgiving. He became the fastest player in NBA history to make 100 3-pointers, doing it in just 29 games. That's 12 games faster than the previous record holder of Lauri Markkanen who did it during the 2017-18 season.
Knueppel is without a doubt the best shooting prospect we've had in a long time. He's already drawing comparison to that of a Klay Thompson, and some former NBA players think he could break Stephen Curry's 3-point record. Those are lofty aspirations for the 20-year-old, but we're seeing this kid pull up from 3-point range in transition with all the confidence in the world like he is Curry or Thompson.
He's well on his way to shatter Keegan Murray's record for most 3s made by a rookie in NBA history. Murray made 206, Knueppel's already at 127 and is on pace to finish the season with 293. But that's not the only history he's making. By season's end, Knueppel could become the first rookie in NBA history to average 19 points while shooting over 40% from deep. Larry Bird did it during his rookie season, but nowhere near the same volume of 3s Knueppel is putting up. Bird totaled 58 3s in 1979-80 -- the year the NBA adopted the 3-point line -- and Knueppel has already more than doubled that.
1. Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was asked about Flagg possibly hitting the "rookie wall" recently, to which he said he wants his teenage superstar to embrace it. However, if you go look at his numbers, Flagg's "slump" literally lasted three games where he averaged 12.3 points on an egregious 29.8% from the floor. That's incredibly uncharacteristic from what we've seen from Flagg going back to early November, where he's been averaging 20.9 points on 50% from the field.
His most recent outing, a 20-point, 8-rebound, 6-assist performance in a clutch win against the Kings, was a return to form for the rookie star. Flagg's been far more comfortable since the Mavericks placed capable guards alongside him, allowing him to play off ball. He gets the ball on the move and can do significant damage around the rim or from mid-range.
His 3-point efficiency is a work in progress, but what he lacks in that regard he makes up for in every area of his game. He makes those short mid-range shots at a 51% clip, which ranks in the 83rd percentile, per Cleaning the Glass.
Where Flagg's been most impressive is how he's performed in the clutch. Through 36 games, Flagg has racked up 72 clutch points, which is tied for fifth-most in the league. He's on track to break Brandon Jennings' record for most clutch points by a rookie in NBA history, and given how many clutch games the Mavericks have already played, it's likely to happen. The same level of calmness and patience Flagg plays with for most of a single game, he replicates it in clutch situations. He's never rushing or forcing a shot up. He's also just making incredibly difficult shots with the game on the line. Like this tough take against the Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo looming underneath the basket.
Flagg's scoring is important, but so is his passing. He always makes the right read, swinging the ball with intention to find an open shot. Or dumping the ball off to a streaking Anthony Davis, whose chemistry continues to build with each minute they play together.
Flagg's been scoring with ease since the first few weeks of the season, and he's been incredibly efficient in doing so, too. His defense is also already levels above where a typical rookie is at when they enter the league. He's already projecting to be an All-Defense type of player, capable of providing rim protection, containing opposing teams' best wing players, or sliding down to guard bigger players. He reads passes so well that causes steals or deflections, and he's always connected to what's going on defensively to see where he can make an impact.
Flagg leads the Mavericks in points, rebounds, assists and steals, which if sustained over the season would make him the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead a team in all four categories. He's asked to do the most of any other rookie offensively, and has been doing it efficiently. Flagg's doing all of that, while being not just a passable defender, but someone whom the Mavericks have relied upon all season.
