Point Made Rookie Ladder 2.0
Who's moving up and down the rookie ladder? Find out with Joshua Medina of Point Made Basketball
Important Note: The Rookie Ladder is a reflection of this year and this year only. It is not a projection of their future success.
All statistics updated as of 11/24/2025
Tier 1: The Frontrunner
1. Kon Knueppel (Previous Rank: 3)
19.4 points (49/44/90- 65.4% TS), 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.2 blocks in 33.6MPG (17 GP)
Last time, I mentioned how Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball are a match made in heaven, with playstyles and skillsets tailormade for one another; however, Kon Knueppel has shown over the last two weeks that he can shine with or without LaMelo alongside him. He carried a heavier offensive load without missing a beat. When LaMelo returned, Kon, once again, looked unaffected. He has the feel, skillset, and playstyle to shine regardless of who is around him, and that boils down to his shot making and penchant for making the correct plays.
He’s deadly regardless of how he’s utilized. For example, as the roll man in Pick-and-Roll sets, his effectiveness ranks in the 95th percentile. He’s great at reading the floor, finding openings within the defense, and capitalizing on those openings. As it stands, he’s also set to break numerous rookie records with his 3PT shooting. And, in doing so, has climbed to the top of the rookie ladder, where he has a firm lead over the rest of the pack.
Tier 2: ROTY Candidates
2. Cooper Flagg (Previous Rank: 8)
16.1 points (46/29/79- 53.4% TS), 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.7 blocks in 33.6 MPG (17GP)
I said in my first Rookie Ladder article that keeping Cooper Flagg from climbing up the rookie ladder would be a difficult task. Now that he’s settled in and moved back to his natural position, he’s quickly proven that to be a reality. For all his struggles, Flagg is still a betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year because people understand how impactful his skillset and talent can be once it clicks.
And we are seeing him click more quickly and more often now than in his first few weeks. Because of the microscope he is playing under, his struggles will always be more prominent, but he’s given his critics less and less to pick at. His defense has popped. His decision-making has settled down and he is making good reads without forcing bad passes or taking bad shots.
3. VJ Edgecombe (Previous Rank: 1)
15.6 points (41/37/74 - 50.3% TS), 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.5 blocks in 37.3 MPG (15 GP)
VJ Edgecombe’s shooting has come down to earth, unsurprisingly. It was clearly unsustainable, but the fun was ride while it lasted. But, even with his shot having gone cold, the rookie has still managed to play impactful hoops for a Philadelphia team poised for a playoff berth.
His role on this team looks secure, even with Paul George back and Jared McCain being reintegrated into the offense. His explosive playstyle complements Tyrese Maxey extremely well, with him being the Knuckles to Maxey’s sonic. I anticipate Edgecombe to break out of this shooting slump eventually and remain a Rookie of the Year contender throughout the season. Additionally, Edgecombe is just one of two rookies in the top-15 of Rookie PPG with a positive +/- (Coward, who is up next, is the other).
4. Cedric Coward (Previous Rank: 2)
14.3 points (47/39/88 - 61.5% TS), 6.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks in 26.4 MPG (17 GP)
Cedric Coward is good. There’s a misconception that “older” prospects (i.e. upperclassman) don’t carry upside or have lower ceilings. Don’t get it twisted. Cedric Coward has upside in spades.
Even as his shooting has come down to earth, Coward has been impactful with his minutes. He has the length and wing-span to be a suffocating perimeter defender, but it’s his off-the-dribble shot creation that really has me intrigued. He still has room to climb back up the ladder, too, as he is playing less noticeably minutes than the three players ranked above him.
5. Derik Queen (Previous Rank: 11)
12.6 points (49/13/79- 55.4% TS), 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks in 24.2 MPG (17GP)
The outlook in New Orleans has been bleak, but Derik Queen (and his fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears) continue to be bright spots. Queen has injected energy, and, to an extent, hope into a Pelicans season marred by criticism and disappointment. And, when you watch him play, it’s easy to see why.
Queen will be judged more harshly for his performance because of the price the Pelicans paid to draft him. But his combination of feel, fluidity, and playmaking for a big man has made that pill a lot easier to swallow, especially with how he’s played recently. Over his last five games, he’s averaging 17.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 2.8 stocks on 57.4% TS. If he can maintain that level of play going forward, he'll easily crack the Top-3.
Tier 2: On Their Heels
6. Jeremiah Fears (Previous Rank: 5)
15.4 points (46/35/78 - 53.6% TS), 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.2 blocks in 26.9 MPG (17 GP)
I’ll be honest: Jeremiah Fears’ transition to the NBA has gone a lot smoother than I anticipated. With his size, I thought getting into the paint and finishing would involve a steep learning curve for the rook. But he’s blended both burst & quickness with pace & physicality extremely well, allowing him to get downhill even against skilled defenders. His first step is nasty, but so is his ability to accelerate once he turns the corner. Plus, he’s much better at absorbing and finishing through contact than you’d expect, especially once he has a defender on his hip.
7. Ryan Kalkbrenner (Previous Rank: 9)
9.4 points (80/0/79 - 81.4% TS), 6.9 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.9 blocks in 25.5 MPG (15 GP)
You could tell me that Ryan Kalkbrenner, while not as flashy as other members of his draft class, is playing like a Top-5 Rookie and I wouldn’t argue. I already struggled with not ranking him higher than this.
Kalk has essentially come in from day one and served as a high-level starting center that excels at play-finishing and creating lanes with his screens offensively. His defense has shone even brighter, with him being able to switch onto the perimeter while also protecting the rim. I think he’s a little underrated and not talked about enough, but he will be one of the top rookies in terms of performance and impact this year.
8. Dylan Harper (Previous Rank: 4)
14.0 points (50/36/83 - 58.4% TS), 4.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.0 blocks in 23.3 MPG (6 GP)
An injury has robbed us from the bright spot that Dylan Harper has been when healthy. Harper was poised to break into the top-3 and contend for the Rookie of the Year spot, but, on the bright side, he’s set to return in a month or so. After healing up, we can expect Harper to pick up exactly where he left off and demonstrate his ability to operate alongside De’Aaron Fox without missing a beat. Him "falling” down this iteration of the rankings is not a reflection on Harper at all, but moreso reflective of how well other players have performed while Harper has been recovering. I anticipate him climbing up quickly once he returns.
Tier 3: The Rest of the Pack
9. Tre Johnson (Previous Rank: 6)
11.5 points (45/40/81- 56.5% TS), 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.4 steals, 0.5 blocks in 24.3 MPG (15 GP)
Last time, I mentioned that it would be difficult to keep Tre Johnson out of the Top-5 of the rookie ladder; however, since then, he’s fallen from sixth to ninth. Why? It’s partly because of how he’s being utilized within the Wizards offense. They aren’t running a ton of sets for him. He’s still acclimating to hoops at the NBA level and Washington hasn’t been using him as the first option, especially with Kyshawn and Alex thriving in Year-2.
Additionally, reports have come out stating that Tre has been dealing with a lingering injury that has hampered him since college. Like with what happened with the 2024 rookies, expect to see Tre Johnson’s role climb as the season progresses, especially once he fully recovers from his injury.
10. Ace Bailey (Previous Rank: Watch List)
9.2 points (44/33/82- 53.5% TS), 3.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.1 blocks in 21.1 MPG (16 GP)
Making his first appearance onto my rookie ladder, Ace Bailey has picked up steam, especially since being inserted into the starting lineup. As a starter, Ace is averaging 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals on 52/39/71 shooting splits (63.4% TS). It also helps that Ace looks to be fully healed from his case of the flu and the knee issues he experienced in pre-season. Outside of his shotmaking, his motor has been a bright spot, with him averaging more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds thus far into his career.
Will Hardy has done an amazing job integrating him into the offense and putting him in positions where he can get cleans look. This has helped ease the transition from college into the NBA. He’s also making great reads and playing unselfish ball, something many critics felt he couldn’t do after his lone season at Rutgers.
11. Collin Murray-Boyles (Previous Rank: 7)
7.9 points (51/50/76- 60.7% TS), 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.4 blocks in 20.0 MPG (12 GP)
Collin Murray-Boyles has had a quiet, but consistent role on a surprisingly good Raptors team. Because of the Raptors’ success, CMB’s upside is capped at the moment, but, even with the team fully healthy, CMB has carved out minutes because of his positional versatility and defensive motor. It’s not his performance, but his lack of minutes that has contributed to his minor fall down the ladder.
For the year, while he isn’t taking a ton of threes (1.5 3PA/g), he’s shot very well thus far, hitting 50% of his 3PAs and 76.2% of his FTAs. Those numbers are both improvements over the 23% and 70% he shot from those areas, respectively, during his collegiate career. With that, he’s easing concerns that people (including myself) had about his fit on this Raptors team.
12. Egor Dëmin (Previous Rank: Watch List)
7.5 points (37/37/89- 51.9% TS), 3.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.2 blocks in 21.8 MPG (15 GP)
Egor Dëmin, another playing making their debut on my rookie ladder, is settling in over the last two weeks, where he’s averaged 9.7 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.3 rebounds over a 6-game span. The efficiency still isn’t the prettiest, but it’s been held afloat by great 3PT (37.0%) and FT (88.9%) shooting. His scoring, especially in the interior, has plenty of room to improve, but at least he’s gotten downhill more frequently.
Although he’s gotten downhill more often, he’s still convering just 41.7% of his FGAs from within 0-3 feet of the rim. He has the self-awareness to recognize that weakness in his game, though, and is actively working to address it.
13. Sion James (Previous Rank: 10)
6.9 points (44/42/81 - 59.5% TS), 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks in 26.5 MPG (17 GP)
Sion remains one of the most underrated rookies among this draft class. And while he’s been overshadowed by Kalk and Kon, Sion needs some love for stepping up after being placed into the starting lineup and performing as a more than serviceable starter for the Hornets.
He’s been very reliable from beyond the arc and has demonstrated an ability to attack closeouts and put the ball onto the court as well. His activity and motor on the defensive end is crucial to this Charlotte team, too.