The 2026 rookie class is off to a roaring start, as we could be looking at six (or more) future All-Stars.
Sure, we expected top picks like AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and others to shine, but we've seen some players outside of the top 10 (Yaxel Lendeborg, Meleek Thomas, etc.) get off to hot starts to their careers as well.
It's time to take a spin around the league and hand out grades for every NBA team's rookie class thus far.
Note: The Portland Trail Blazers were the only team not to make a draft selection or play a rookie so far this season.
Atlanta Hawks: A-
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Kingston Flemings stepping into a starting role after being the No. 8 overall pick wasn't surprising. The fact that the Atlanta Hawks made the move just nine games into the season was, however, especially surprising, since it meant moving veteran CJ McCollum to the bench.
Still, Flemings has played well as a starter, averaging 10.8 points and 3.8 assists in 24.8 minutes while shooting 58.1 percent overall and 50.0 percent from three. The 6'4" point guard has good defensive instincts and could form a good long-term backcourt with Dyson Daniels.
Zuby Ejiofor, the No. 23 overall pick, has recently entered the rotation. He's a skilled big man who can shoot from the outside (44.4 percent) and racked up five assists in just 14 minutes in a No. 6 win over the Washington Wizards, showing off his passing chops.
Boston Celtics: C-
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The Boston Celtics have chosen to go the veteran route in their 9-2 start to the season, with neither Chris Cenac Jr. nor Dillon Mitchell seeing any regular playing time.
Cenac, the No. 27 overall pick, has played just nine total minutes across three games, registering eight points and three rebounds while going 3-for-4 from the field to start his career. The 6'11" big man has a lot of veteran talent in front of him, especially with the addition of Mitchell Robinson.
Mitchell, the 40th overall pick, made his NBA debut in a Nov. 2 loss to the Houston Rockets, going scoreless in his two-and-a-half minutes of play.
Brooklyn Nets: B
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Mikel Brown Jr. is already showing why he went No. 6 overall to the Brooklyn Nets, despite the team already having plenty of playmakers.
Even with a small sample size, Brown clearly has the highest upside of anyone on this Nets roster. He's now scored in double figures off the bench in five straight games, mixing in clutch shots with impressive no-look and cross-court passes. Brown's talent pops off the screen, as he'll soon become a full-time starter in Brooklyn.
Joshua Jefferson, the 28th overall pick, has yet to make an impact. He went 0-for-4 in his NBA debut and has logged just three and a half minutes of court time thus far.
Charlotte Hornets: C-
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Opportunity has been there for Christian Anderson, as the No. 18 overall pick has received a healthy dose of playing time, while the Charlotte Hornets have dealt with injuries at guard.
Averages of just 3.4 points and 1.7 assists in 12.4 minutes while shooting 31.8 percent overall and 19.2 percent from three have been disappointing, especially a 0-of-7 shooting night from deep against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 6. For a guard with size concerns already, Anderson has struggled.
Hannes Steinbach, the 14th overall pick, ranks in the top-10 among rookies in rebounding (4.2) and blocks (0.6) despite playing just 12.6 minutes per game. He's recently played more and grabbed 11 boards while blocking three shots against Boston.
Chicago Bulls: A
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Caleb Wilson is in the running for Rookie of the Year, as he's been one of the few bright spots for a lousy Chicago Bulls team this season.
Among all first-year players, Wilson ranks third in scoring (19.3 points), third in rebounds (6.3), first in steals (1.9) and second in blocks (1.0), while registering a swing rating of plus-15.8 for the Bulls (86th percentile, via Cleaning the Glass).
The 6'10" forward has been a starter from Day 1 and is a future star in this league.
Dailyn Swain, despite being the 15th overall pick, has made little impact, while Jaylin Sellers is off to a great start in the G League and could switch from a two-way to a standard NBA contract at some point this year.
Cleveland Cavaliers: A
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Meleek Thomas looks like the steal of the draft right now, as the No. 34 overall pick is following up a monster summer league performance with a terrific start to his career.
The 20-year-old guard ranks seventh among all rookies in scoring (13.0 points), second in made threes per game (2.8) and fourth in steals (1.1) and is first in three-point accuracy (47.8 percent, min. six attempts). His mark from the outside is also good for 13th-highest in the NBA.
Thomas plays fearless basketball, as he looks right at home playing alongside future Hall of Famers like Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Thomas has flat out been better than Harden so far this season, as wild as that is to say about a second-round pick just eight games into his professional career.
Dallas Mavericks: B-
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There's been a lot of positives from the Dallas Mavericks rookie class, starting with No. 9 overall pick Morez Johnson Jr.
Johnson has all the tools to be an elite defender in the NBA. He doesn't have the imposing size of fellow rookie Aday Mara, although Johnson has shown both rim-protection ability and good hands on defense. The 20-year-old is averaging 7.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, shooting 51.8 percent overall in 17.0 minutes off the bench and has picked up a steal in four of his past five games.
Sergio de Larrea has shot the ball surprisingly well so far (50.0 percent overall, 60.0 percent from three) following a poor showing at summer league. We know the passing chops are there, even if the assist numbers don't show it yet (3.9 assists per 36 minutes). No. 48 overall pick, Tobi Lawal, has played sparingly so far.
Denver Nuggets: B+
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Trevon Brazile has been one of the most impactful rookies this season, especially on the defensive end. His mobile 6'10" frame helps challenge shooters from all areas of the floor, giving the Denver Nuggets a steal with the 35th overall pick.
Brazile ranks sixth among rookies in rebounding (5.7) and 10th in blocks (0.4) despite being a second-round pick.
Bryce Hopkins, the 49th overall selection, has already started a pair of games for the Nuggets and is shooting an uber-efficient 70.6 percent of his twos and 40.0 percent of his threes through seven games.
Detroit Pistons: C
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At 7-3 overall to begin the year, the Detroit Pistons haven't needed much from rookie point guard Ebuka Okorie just yet. Despite being the No. 17 overall pick, Okorie has yet to crack the rotation, not seeing more than six minutes in any of his first five games.
Still, we've already seen some highlight-level plays from the 19-year-old. Despite his limited 6'2", 185-pound stature, Okorie gets to the basket and can finish in unique and creative ways, given his athleticism.
Totals of 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal in his first 20 minutes of play are encouraging. We just haven't seen enough of Okorie yet to make any real conclusions.
Golden State Warriors: A
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Yaxel Lendeborg could win Rookie of the Year despite being the 11th overall pick. His play as the second-leading scorer on a Golden State Warriors team that has won eight straight games has been a huge surprise this season.
Lendeborg ranks second among rookies in scoring (21.4 points), second in rebounding (7.2), fourth in assists (4.0), tied for fifth in steals (1.0) and fifth in blocks (0.7). He's also shot the ball extremely well, with marks of 52.3 percent overall and 44.3 percent from deep.
Yes, Lendeborg is 24 and far more advanced than the typical rookie, but he's still putting up numbers better than most seasoned veterans while helping the Warriors stay in the playoff race in a tough Western Conference. His play is exactly what the Warriors needed, with Jimmy Butler still recovering from a torn ACL and Draymond Green averaging a career-low 2.8 points per game.
Houston Rockets: C
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A loaded guard position featuring players like Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, Marcus Smart and others has limited the impact rookie Bruce Thornton has made thus far.
The former Ohio State star has logged just 20 total minutes across five games, scoring 12 points on 55.6 percent shooting overall.
A depth piece who should be able to step in and play quality minutes if needed at age 23, Thornton just hasn't been called on much to begin his rookie season.
Indiana Pacers: C+
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Tyrese Haliburton's hamstring injury has led to a bigger role for rookie point guard Braden Smith.
The 23-year-old former Purdue star has started each of the last four games for the Indiana Pacers, including a 42-minute performance against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov 2nd, where he put up 19 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block.
Smith's ideal role is a backup point guard in the NBA. His 19 total assists against eight turnovers have been a good start, even as he's struggled with his outside shot (28.6 percent).
Los Angeles Clippers: B-
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The Los Angeles Clippers were blessed with the No. 5 overall pick from the Ivica Zubac trade, which landed them Keaton Wagler.
Wagler, 19, is being used as a sixth man in LA right now as the team has needed his scoring and playmaking while awaiting Brandon Ingram's return from a partially torn Achilles.
Wagler is averaging 12.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.8 steals overall while shooting 35.4 percent from three. Unfortunately, he's been one of the NBA's worst finishers from inside the arc, making just 29.7 percent of his twos.
A positive swing rating combined with his 6'6" size is a good foundation to build off of, even if Wagler has struggled with his shot thus far.
Los Angeles Lakers: C
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Cameron Carr fell into the ideal situation as a three-point shooting wing alongside Luka Donฤiฤ and Austin Reaves. Unfortunately for him, the Los Angeles Lakers added a handful of veterans at his position during free agency, keeping Carr mostly glued to the bench for now.
The 21-year-old recently scored his first NBA points on Nov. 9 in a win over the Atlanta Hawks while also grabbing three rebounds in seven minutes of play.
If Reaves, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes or another wing misses time, Carr would be in line for more minutes. For now, the 10-2 Los Angeles Lakers haven't needed his services.
Memphis Grizzlies: A-
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Karim Lรณpez has played limited minutes for the surprisingly good Memphis Grizzlies thus far. Richie Saunders is still recovering from a torn ACL. Cameron Boozer, meanwhile, is playing a major role for a 7-3 Grizzlies team.
Boozer, despite being the youngest player in the NBA, is fifth among all rookies in scoring (16.2 points), first in rebounding (9.7), second in assists (5.5) and seventh in blocks (0.7). The only other player in the league to match or exceed these numbers is three-time MVP Nikola Jokiฤ.
The former Duke star is only being held back by his poor shooting performance. His 42.3 percent shooting from two and 29.0 percent from three are pretty dreadful, although Boozer has provided enough rebounding and playmaking to justify his heavy usage so far.
Miami Heat: C
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Ryan Conwell's role has increased as of late, as the 37th overall pick has logged 23.3 minutes over his last three contests.
During this time, the 21-year-old shooting guard is averaging 8.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals and is shooting 35.3 percent from three.
Having wings who can shoot next to Giannis Antetokounmpo is always important, especially when veterans like Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. are struggling. Conwell is showing signs of being a reliable rotation piece, though we'll need more proof.
Milwaukee Bucks: B
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Brayden Burries and Nate Ament are big parts of the Milwaukee Bucks' future, as both have shown flashes thus far in their rookie seasons.
Burries was promoted to a starter in his seventh game, demonstrating his all-around game with 21 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and a block against the Toronto Raptors. Overall, he's shooting just 22.5 percent from three this season and 17.4 percent as a starter. Not having a true point guard on the roster hasn't helped.
Ament has shot the ball well (40.0 percent from three), but still looks pretty raw overall. He needs to become more of a ball-mover, as just four total assists in nine games isn't acceptable for anyone.
Minnesota Timberwolves: D
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The Minnesota Timberwolves may be kicking themselves for selecting Isaiah Evans over Meleek Thomas, who went one spot later to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their two careers have begun very differently.
Evans is out of the Wolves' rotation, even with Anthony Edwards currently sidelined following knee surgery. The 20-year-old shooting guard has appeared in just five games, logging a combined 12 minutes. He's yet to score his first NBA points, going 0-for-3 overall thus far.
Obviously, Minnesota would love to see Evans look NBA-ready now while Edwards recovers. They clearly feel like he's not, despite him being one of the first picks in the second round.
New Orleans Pelicans: C
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The New Orleans Pelicans didn't own a draft pick until No. 58 overall, when they selected Jaron Pierre Jr. out of SMU.
Currently on a two-way contract, it's unlikely we'll see Pierre play many NBA minutes this season. He's yet to make his debut in the association, although he did score 25 points in his first G League game for the Laketown Squadron.
Expectations should be low for a player who nearly went undrafted, so we won't penalize New Orleans with a bad grade here.
New York Knicks: C
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The New York Knicks have leaned heavily on their veterans this season, with rookie Tyler Nickel yet to make his NBA debut.
A sweet-shooting wing who made 41.3 percent of his threes in summer league in Las Vegas, Nickel is currently playing for the Westchester Knicks in the G League.
At age 23, Nickel is one of the older rookies in the league and should be ready to step into a limited role should New York need him.
Oklahoma City Thunder: A
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The Oklahoma City Thunder have been forced to use their rookies more than they likely would have preferred this early in the season, given the vast amount of injuries this team has suffered.
Aday Mara has helped anchor a sixth-ranked defense, as the 7'2" center leads all rookies with 1.8 blocks while ranking fourth in rebounds (6.3). Bennett Stirtz is making 46.2 percent of his three-pointers. Even undrafted rookie Josh Dix has been part of the rotation for stretches.
The Thunder are getting quality minutes from three rookies despite not owning a top-10 pick in the 2026 draft. That's extremely good value, even if all three might be stretched a little thin right now.
Orlando Magic: Incomplete
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Izaiyah Nelson was the 51st overall pick by the Orlando Magic during the 2026 draft. He suffered a fracture in his left ankle during summer league in Las Vegas and has yet to take part in any NBA or G League games to this point.
Currently on a two-way contract, we'll save any grades for Nelson for when he can return to the court.
Philadelphia 76ers: C-
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As gifted a scorer as Labaron Philon Jr. is, shots (and playing time) are going to be hard to come by on this Philadelphia 76ers roster.
Philly is in full championship-or-bust mode this season. The role of "offensive spark off the bench" is already being filled by Anfernee Simons. Philon hasn't shot the ball well (35.3 percent overall, 25.0 percent from three) to begin his career.
Logging a total of 45 minutes across seven games, Philon hasn't shown he belongs in a veteran-heavy rotation just yet.
Phoenix Suns: C+
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The final pick of the first round, Koa Peat is still waiting to find a full-time spot in the Phoenix Suns' rotation.
The 19-year-old forward has made the most of his limited minutes, scoring 15 points and grabbing four rebounds in 27 minutes, shooting 60.0 percent overall.
With veterans Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges ahead of him on the depth chart, Peat simply needs to stay productive in his opportunities.
Sacramento Kings: A+
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Darius Acuff Jr. should be the leader for Rookie of the Year honors right now, as the 19-year-old point guard already looks like one of the best pure scorers in the league.
His 26.2 points per game not only lead all rookies but also rank 9th overall in the NBA. His 7.3 assists are also No. 1 among all first-year players, placing him at 12th overall in the league.
Acuff plays at his own pace, knowing when to attack an opponent and when to pull back and survey the defense for a better opportunity. His poor early shooting has already improved, as Acuff is up to 41.4 percent from three over his last six games.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets should already be questioning their selections at Nos. 5 and 6 overall, as Acuff somehow made it all the way to Sacramento at seven. Emanuel Sharp, the 45th overall pick, is making 40.6 percent of his threes as well.
San Antonio Spurs: C-
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There's no Victor Wembanyama or Dylan Harper-esque future superstar in this San Antonio Spurs rookie class, as only one of the four draft picks has made much of an impact so far.
No. 20 overall pick Jayden Quaintance is still recovering from a torn ACL and has no timetable for his return. Fellow big man Maliq Brown has played just a single minute this season, while Ja'Kobi Gillespie has logged four.
Tarris Reed Jr., the No. 26 overall pick, is the only Spurs rookie to register any real playing time. The 6'11" center is averaging 2.3 points and 3.1 rebounds in 5.9 minutes over seven games, making seven of his first 11 field goal attempts (63.6 percent).
Now a championship contender, the Spurs don't have much room for rookies in their rotation anymore. At least, none were picked in the late first round or later.
Toronto Raptors: D+
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It's been a disappointing start for Allen Graves, the No. 19 overall pick of the 2026. Known partially for his three-point shooting and defense, the 6'9" forward has only connected on 22.2 percent of his outside shots and has a defensive swing rating of plus-3.8.
The Toronto Raptors will need more from their 20-year-old, especially if Kawhi Leonard continues to miss time.
Jaden Bradley, the 50th overall pick, has played sparingly and isn't a staple in the rotation thus far.
Utah Jazz: A-
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It's been a miserable start to the season for an injury-plagued Utah Jazz team, although the play of No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson has helped ease the pain.
The 6'6" guard ranks sixth among rookies in scoring (15.7 points) and assists (3.8) while his 1.2 steals are second only to Caleb Wilson.ย
Peterson seems to get more comfortable as the game progresses, with 24.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals over his last three contests while shooting 45.8 percent from three.
Washington Wizards: A-
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AJ Dybantsa has shown a lot of the flashes that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the draft by the Washington Wizards.
At 6'9", he's a big wing who's a natural scorer at all levels and a strong rebounder. Dybantsa ranks fourth among rookies in scoring (16.7 points), fifth in rebounding (6.1), 10th in assists (2.1) and third in steals (1.1).ย
He doesn't have the green light as a player like Darius Acuff Jr., playing alongside Anthony Davis and Trae Young, although Dybantsa has a positive swing rating and possesses all the physical tools to be a good defender moving forward.
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