NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg lead with Rising Stars selections

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NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg lead with Rising Stars selections

Brett Siegel, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Jan 27, 2026 ·

9 min read

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NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg lead with Rising Stars selections appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

In just over two weeks, almost all of the NBA rookies who find themselves featured in these rookie rankings will partake in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars during All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles . Among those participating are Dallas Mavericks ' Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets ' Kon Knueppel , the two rookies who find themselves leading the rest of the pack in the race for the Rookie of the Year award.

Flagg and Knueppel are very close and familiar with one another after making it all the way to the 2025 Final Four at Duke. These two former Blue Devils have simply added to the lineage of high-level talents to enter the NBA, and each has made a very compelling case for this season's Rookie of the Year award past the halfway point in the 2025-26 season.

As a result of Kyrie Irving rehabbing his ACL injury and Anthony Davis constantly dealing with injuries, Flagg has been the focal point of the Mavs' offense. Not only does the recent first-overall pick lead all rookies in scoring this season, but he's proven that he can be Dallas' leading scorer, looking ahead to the future of the franchise.

Although expectations weren't high for Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets , the team has been on a heater as of late due to the rookie's contributions. Unlike Flagg, who has a clear pathway to getting any shot attempts he wants as the top option for the Mavs, Knueppel is playing alongside LaMelo Ball , Brandon Miller , and Miles Bridges .

Originally, it was expected that Knueppel would be the fourth option on this team and gradually grow into a reliable offensive weapon. Well, Knueppel has arguably been Charlotte's best player this year , and he trails only Stephen Curry and Donovan Mitchell for the most made threes this season.

This is a very close race right now between Flagg and Knueppel. After leading Flagg in the previous NBA rookie rankings on ClutchPoints, Knueppel continues to hold a small lead over his former collegiate teammate, inching closer to the All-Star break.

1. Kon Knueppel – Charlotte Hornets

Previous Ranking: #1

Stats: 46 games, 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 48.2 FG%, 42.2 3P%

While many will tend to back Flagg as this season's Rookie of the Year, Knueppel certainly has a leg up on him right now in this race. Aside from essentially being tied in scoring with Flagg, Knueppel's 3-point shooting abilities and the Hornets' overall growth as a team are the two main reasons why he leads the Mavs' rookie right now in these rankings.

As far as his 3-point shooting goes, Knueppel has made 151 total threes through 46 games. Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray holds the rookie record with 206 made threes during the 2022-23 season, and Knueppel is certainly on pace to set a new mark. Should the Hornets' rookie accomplish this, he will certainly have yet another milestone to compare against Flagg in the race for the end-of-season award.

Knueppel has clearly impacted winning in Charlotte more than Flagg has in Dallas, which is why he finds himself holding onto the No. 1 spot in these rookie rankings.

2. Cooper Flagg – Dallas Mavericks

Previous Ranking: #2

Stats: 43 games, 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 47.3 FG%, 28.0 3P%

Although he is already viewed as the heavy favorite for Rookie of the Year, Flagg's namesake seems to be carrying a lot of the weight in his Rookie of the Year resume. There is no doubt that Flagg has lived up to the hype and certainly has All-Star potential, but what has he done to separate himself from Knueppel other than a 42-point performance on Dec. 15, a game the Mavs lost 140-133 in OT to the Utah Jazz ?

One could certainly argue that Flagg's defensive approach is superior to the rest of the rookie class, which could very well aid him in winning the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year award. However, the numbers don't lie, and Knueppel's are slightly better than the first-overall pick's right now.

After a stellar month of December, averaging over 20 points per game and shooting over 50 percent from the floor, Flagg has slowed down to begin 2026. Through 10 games in January, Flagg is averaging just 16.7 points per game and shooting 43.0 percent from the floor.

3. VJ Edgecombe – Philadelphia 76ers

Previous Ranking: #3

Stats: 41 games, 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 42.6 FG%, 36.4 3P%

A lot of the reason why VJ Edgecombe has emerged as a key weapon for the Philadelphia 76ers this season is because he's been thrust into a No. 2 role constantly next to Tyrese Maxey with Joel Embiid and Paul George injured. Edgecombe has made the most of his opportunities, and he's grown considerably on offense compared to where he was a year ago at Baylor.

The Sixers' rookie is tied with George for third on the team in scoring this season, and he trails only Maxey for the team lead in perimeter shots. As a result of his production, the 76ers find themselves as a top-six team in the Eastern Conference standings.

4. Derik Queen – New Orleans Pelicans

Previous Ranking: #5

Stats: 47 games, 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.0 steals, 48.7 FG%

It did not take long for Derik Queen to take over the starting center role for the New Orleans Pelicans, and he has proven to be an exceptional talent who can do a little bit of everything. Not only is Queen effective as a pick-and-roll big man, but he can also help facilitate an offense from the top of the arc.

Queen currently leads all rookies in double-doubles (10), and he is one of 18 players in the entire league averaging at least seven rebounds and four assists per game.

Although he is not in the same tier as Knueppel, Flagg, and Edgecombe regarding the rookie rankings, Queen has established himself as an All-Rookie First Team performer this season.

5. Cedric Coward – Memphis Grizzlies

Previous Ranking: #4

Stats: 41 games, 13.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 46.6 FG%, 34.4 3P%

Regardless of what happens with the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline, it will only help Cedric Coward. He is an emerging scorer for the Memphis Grizzlies who is comfortable playing with or without the ball in his hands. That is why Coward can be a special player in Memphis, much like Desmond Bane was.

As the season has progressed, Coward has looked a lot more confident shooting from the perimeter, and he has been one of the Grizzlies' most impactful rebounders on the wing this season. The advanced metrics and plus-minus back Coward being one of the top rookies in the NBA this year.

6. Tre Johnson – Washington Wizards

Previous Ranking: #9

Stats: 37 games, 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 44.4 FG%, 39.3 3P%

Since returning from his left hip flexor strain in December, Johnson has been rapidly proving to be a go-to scoring option for the Washington Wizards. He has scored at least 10 points in 17 of his last 19 games, including a career-high 26 points with six made threes on Jan. 24 in a 119-115 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Johnson is a proven 3-point scorer, and he figures to be a long-term offensive weapon for the Wizards alongside All-Star guard Trae Young .

7. Caleb Love – Portland Trail Blazers

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Stats: 39 games, 11.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 39.3 FG%, 32.8 3P%

One rookie nobody is talking about this year is Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love. With Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday sidelined with injuries, Love has been thrust into the rotation for Portland, and he has delivered despite going undrafted and being on a two-way contract.

Over his last 18 games, Love has averaged 15.7 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range. He is third behind only Flagg (18.9) and Knueppel (17.6) in scoring during this span.

Love is also sixth among all rookies this season in 20-point games with seven such performances, trailing Knueppel (20), Flagg (19), Edgecombe (11), Jeremiah Fears (9), and Queen (8).

8. Ryan Kalkbrenner – Charlotte Hornets

Previous Ranking: #7

Stats: 35 games, 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 77.6 FG%

Along with Knueppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner has also been a bright spot for Charlotte in his rookie season. His 77.6 percent shooting percentage is among the best in the league, and he could finish the year leading the league in field goal percentage should he play in enough games.

The Hornets' rookie has also proven to be an avid rim-protector, blocking an average of 1.5 shots per game.

9. Egor Demin – Brooklyn Nets

Previous Ranking: #10

Stats: 39 games, 10.2 points, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 39.9 FG%, 39.6 3P%

While Knueppel leads all rookies with 151 made threes, Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin is behind him in second with 95 made triples. Not bad for a prospect many experts claimed couldn't shoot and wasn't worth drafting in the lottery !

Demin has been exactly what the Nets had hoped he would be as a first-year player, and as he continues to gain experience, he will emerge as one of Brooklyn's best players down the road.

10. Collin Murray-Boyles – Toronto Raptors

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Stats: 37 games, 7.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 53.6 FG%, 34.9 3P%

As a result of Jakob Poeltl 's nagging back injury, Collin Murray-Boyles has started a lot of games at center for the Toronto Raptors. His defensive instincts and length make him a viable small-ball center option for the Raptors, who rank inside the top five in defensive rating this season.

Murray-Boyles has a lot to do with the Raptors' successful defensive approach, and that is one of the reasons why he was selected for the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars.

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