Kon Knuppel, Cooper Flag lead with the Rising Star selections

In a little more than two weeks, nearly all NBA rookies on these rookie rankings will participate in the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles. Among the participants are Dallas Mavericks‘ Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets‘ Knuppel couldtwo rookies 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 each other 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 talent entering the NBA, and each has made a very compelling case for this season’s Rookie of the Year award halfway through the 2025-26 season.

As a result of Kyrie Irving rehabbing his ACL injury and Anthony Davis constantly dealing with injuries, Flagg was the focal point Mavs offense. Not only does the recent No. 1 overall pick lead all rookies in scoring this season, but he’s proven he can be Dallas’ leading scorer, looking ahead to the future of the franchise.

While expectations weren’t high for Knuepel and the Charlotte Hornets, the team has been under fire lately for rookie contributions. Unlike Flagg, who has a clear path to the shot attempts he wants as the Mavs’ top option, Knueppel plays alongside LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges.

Knuepel was originally expected to be the fourth option on this team and gradually develop into a reliable offensive weapon. Well, Knuppel has probably Charlotte’s best player this yearand trails only Stephen Curry and Donovan Mitchell for the most three-pointers this season.

It’s a very tight race right now between Flagg and Knuepel. After leading Flagg in ClutchPoint’s previous NBA rookie rankings, Knuepel continues to hold a slim lead over his former teammate heading into the All-Star break.

1. Kon Knuepel – Charlotte Hornets

Previous rank: #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 Rookie of the Year this season, Knuepel certainly has the edge in this race. Aside from essentially being tied for scoring with Flagg, Knueppel’s 3-point shooting abilities and the Hornets’ overall growth as a team are the two main reasons why he currently leads the rookie Mavs in these rankings.

As for his 3-point shooting, Knueppel has made a total of 151 3-pointers in 46 games. Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray holds rookie record with 206 three-pointers made during the 2022-23 season, and Knuppel is certainly on pace to set a new mark. If the Hornets rookie pulls this off, he’ll certainly have another milestone to compare to Flagg in the race for the end-of-season award.

Knueppel clearly had more of an impact on the win at Charlotte than Flagg Dallas, which is why he’s at the top of these rookie rankings.

2. Cooper Flag – Dallas Mavericks

Previous rank: #2

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

Although already considered a heavy favorite for Rookie of the Year, Flagg’s namesake appears to carry a lot of weight on his Rookie of the Year resume. There’s no question that Flagg lived up to the hype and certainly has All-Star potential, but what did he do to separate himself from Knuepel other than score 42 points on Dec. 15 in the Mavs’ 140-133 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz?

It could certainly be argued that Flegg’s defensive approach is superior to the rest of the rookie class, which could help him win the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year award. However, the numbers don’t lie, and the Knuppels are currently slightly better than the first overall pick.

After a stellar December, averaging over 20 points per game and shooting over 50 percent from the floor, Flagg has slowed down to start 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 rank: #3

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

Many reasons why VJ Edgecombe has emerged as a key weapon for the Philadelphia 76ers this season is because he was constantly pushed into the No. 2 role next to Tyrese Maxey with Joel Embiid and Paul George injured. Edgecombe has made the most of his opportunities, and has grown significantly 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 trails only Maxey for the team lead in perimeter shooting. As a result of his production, the 76ers found themselves as a top-6 team in the Eastern Conference standings.

4. Derrick Quinn – New Orleans Pelicans

Previous rank: #5

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

It didn’t take long for Derrick Quinn to take over as the starting center for the New Orleans Pelicans, and he’s proven to be an exceptional talent who can do a little bit of everything. Not only is Quinn effective as a pick-and-roll big man, but he can also help facilitate the offense from the top of the arc.

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

While not in the same league as Knuepel, Flagg and Edgecomb in terms of rookie rankings, Quinn has established himself as a first-team all-rookie player this season.

5. Cedric Coward – Memphis Grizzlies

Previous rank: #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’s why Coward can be a special player in Memphis, like Desmond Bain was.

As the season progressed, Coward looked much more confident shooting from the perimeter, and was one of the Grizzlies’ most impressive rebounders on the wing this season. Advanced metrics and plus-minus back Coward is one of the best rookies in the NBA this year.

6. Tre Johnson – Washington Wizards

Previous rank: #9

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

Since returning from a left hip flexor strain in December, Johnson has quickly established himself as a scoring option for the Washington Wizards. He has scored at least 10 points in 17 of his last 19 games, including a game-high 26 points on six 3-pointers on Jan. 24 in a 119-115 loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Johnson is a proven 3-point shooter and figures to be the Wizards’ long-term offensive weapon 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 no one is talking about this year is Portland Trail Blazers guard Caleb Love. With Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday sidelined with injuries, Love was thrust into the rotation for Portland, and he thrived despite going undrafted and on a two-way contract.

Over the last 18 games, Love is averaging 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 Knuppel (17.6) in terms of points during this period.

Love is also sixth among all rookies this season 20 point games with seven such appearances, behind Knuepel (20), Flagg (19), Edgecomb (11), Jeremiah Fears (9) and Quinn (8).

8. Ryan Kalkbrenner – Charlotte Hornets

Previous rank: #7

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

Along with Knuppel, Ryan Kalkbrenner was also 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 if he plays in enough games.

The Hornets rookie also proved to be an avid rim protector, blocking an average of 1.5 shots per game.

9. Egor Demin – Brooklyn Nets

Previous rank: #10

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

While Knuepel leads all rookies with 151 3-pointers made, Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin is second behind him with 95 3-pointers. Not bad for the odds many pundits claimed he couldn’t shoot and wasn’t worth the lottery draw!

Demin has been exactly what the Nets expected him to be as a first-year player, and as he continues to gain experience, he will emerge as one of Brooklyn’s best players in the future.

10. Colin 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 severe back injury, Colin Murray-Boyles has started many 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 in the top five in defensive rating this season.

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