Biggest NBA surprises
These are the NBA teams we’ve been most surprised by almost a month into the season.
Cooper Flagg is still the favorite to be the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, but the first month of the 2025-26 season demonstrated the path to that title should offer more intrigue than some experts anticipated. After VJ Edgecombe exploded out of the gate and Flagg started slowly, Flagg has rebounded and one of his former Duke teammates emerged as perhaps the best rookie to date as Thanksgiving approaches.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking the league’s best rookies throughout the regular season and ranking them based on how they’re doing on the court. The 2025 NBA Draft appears to have produced a deep crop of contributors and half of the players to qualify for this edition of the rookie rankings were chosen outside of the top 10. No. 2 pick Dylan Harper is listed as “on the bubble” because he is currently injured.
Here’s a breakdown of how all the rookies stack up after the first month of the NBA schedule:
NBA rookie rankings
Stats as of games played on Nov. 18; NBA Rookie of the Year odds as of 12 p.m. ET on Nov. 17, courtesy of BetMGM.
On the bubble: Dylan Harper, Collin Murray-Boyles, Egor Demin, Ace Bailey, Walter Clayton Jr.
Last ranked: 8Stats: 11.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assistsNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +15,000
Johnson tied a season-high with four 3-pointers last week and finished in double figures in scoring in back-to-back games for the Wizards. His efficiency has waned since a fast start and he hasn’t helped Washington’s struggles defensively. But only two rookies have hit more shots from beyond the arc than Johnson this season.
Last ranked: Not rankedStats: 7.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 9.1 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +50,000
The second-round pick has emerged as a 3-and-D option and early starter in Charlotte shooting 44.4% from beyond the arc and gives the Hornets a third rookie on these rankings. James has cooled off in recent games, but still ranks in the top five in NET rating among rookies this season.
8. Will Richard, Golden State WarriorsLast ranked: Not rankedStats: 9.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 17.6 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +10,000
Richard, one of the last five picks in the second round of the 2025 draft, exploded for 30 points when Golden State coach Steve Kerr inserted him into the starting lineup on Nov. 5. The former Florida star was reinserted as a starter in recent games and has the best NET rating among NBA rookies this year.
7. Derik Queen, New Orleans PelicansLast ranked: 10Stats: 10.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 14.8 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +3000
The No. 13 pick from Maryland has emerged as a bright spot for the Pelicans in the absence of injured Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Queen earned his first career start last Sunday against Golden State and he is filling up the stat sheet of late with at least seven rebounds and three assists in four consecutive games. He also had a season-best 26-point performance on Nov. 12 against Portland.
Last ranked: 6Stats: 9.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 18.7 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +15,000
This second-round pick continues to be a pleasant surprise for Charlotte and leads all rookies in rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage, offensive rating, and player efficiency rating. The 7-footer out of Creighton had 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks while going a perfect 8 for 8 from the floor against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks last week.
Last ranked: 7Stats: 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 13.9 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +10,000
Fears has been an offensive force as a rookie, with teams unable to keep the quick-twitch guard out of the paint thus far. The No. 7 pick in the 2025 draft has been held below double figures in scoring just once this season entering Wednesday’s games, and he had a season-high 24 points in a Nov. 17 loss to the Warriors.
Last ranked: 1Stats: 15.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 11.7 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +425
The No. 3 pick has slowed from the torrid pace he set during the first couple weeks of his rookie season, but Edgecombe nonetheless remains a vital piece in the 76ers backcourt alongside Tyrese Maxey. He leads all rookies in assists and minutes per game and produced six field goals in back-to-back games for the first time in almost three weeks in his most recent outings.
Last ranked: 5Stats: 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 12.7 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: -115
The rookie of the year favorite is starting to find a groove contributing all over the floor even as the Mavericks struggle without Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Flagg leads all rookies in defensive rating and ranks top-three among rookies in minutes, points, rebounds, steals, blocks and total field goals. Though his shooting numbers are still subpar for the season, Flagg averaged nearly 19 points on 55% shooting in the five games leading into Wednesday’s NBA schedule.
Last ranked: 2Stats: 14.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 18.0 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +900
The No. 11 pick holds steady in the rankings after finally being elevated into the Memphis starting lineup over the past two games. Coward has finished in double figures in scoring in six-straight games, including a 19-point, 11-rebound performance in a loss to the Spurs on Nov. 18. The late-blooming prospect should continue to have a big role with Ja Morant out due to injury again.
Last ranked: 3Stats: 17.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 14.1 PERNBA Rookie of the Year odds: +200
Knueppel didn’t get nearly the same attention as his Duke teammate, Flagg, ahead of this season, but he’s immediately made a mark on the NBA with his feel for the game and outside shooting. Knueppel leads all rookies in scoring and 3-pointers made, all while playing some point guard for the Hornets with LaMelo Ball injured. He’s also the only rookie with two 30-point performances thus far after going for a season-high 32 points on Nov. 14 against Milwaukee.
That came four days after Knueppel nearly had a triple-double against the Lakers (19 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) and three days before he had 24 points in a loss to the Raptors. He also had time to host the Hornets at his family home for dinner.
🎙️ Kon Knueppel on having his teammates over for dinner at his family home in Milwaukee last night:
“Taking the bus down my street, going home, that was weird. And a bunch of NBA players in my house. It was a lot of big people, but my family enjoyed it.”@Kon2Knueppel Pregame: pic.twitter.com/No38dqPm7P
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) November 15, 2025
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