The 2025-26 NBA season is officially underway, with 6-8 games in the books for teams around the league across the first two weeks of action on the hardwood.
The early results have created plenty of surprises as some projected front-runners in each conference have struggled, while others have started as expected. Incredibly, there have already been four 50-point performances, and plenty of other noteworthy individual efforts.
No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and the rest of the incoming draft class have also hit the court for the first time. Players have had some productive outings in the early going, while the group has also exhibited some inconsistent performances.
To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes, but to illustrate the best players week to week.
Stats:Â 8 points, 5.3 rebounds | Shooting: 48.8/0/76.2
Derik Queen sparked the Pelicans to their first win of the season on Tuesday, recording 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals against the Charlotte Hornets. He recorded all 12 points in the fourth period, along with seven rebounds, to become the third player to reach those numbers in any quarter of a game this season. Queen has had an inconsistent role to begin the season, though the 13th pick likely earned himself additional minutes moving forward with the effort.
Stats: 12.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists | Shooting: 41.6/35.7/100
Tre Johnson has finished in double figures in six out of his first seven games with the Wizards. The sixth pick has showcased his dynamic scoring ability on offense in the early going, while pushing the pace to generate paint touches. He has played a key role for coach Brian Keefe off the bench and should be in store for a productive rookie campaign.
8. Will Richard, Golden State Warriors
Stats: 5.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals | Shooting: 63.2/41.7/83.3
Will Richard has found himself in the rotation to begin the season after a solid showing in training camp. Warriors coach Steve Kerr even said he “looks like he is in his seventh year,” while Stephen Curry said he is “fearless” after recently coming up with some clutch plays for the team. His stat line, in 13.7 minutes per game, doesn’t jump off the page like others on this list, but it is evident that the 56th pick in the draft is playing valuable minutes for a team aiming to make a deep playoff run.
7. Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans
Stats: 13.3 points, 3.3 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals | Shooting: 45.7/33.3/78.6
Jeremiah Fears has moved into a starting role for the Pelicans with Zion Williamson sidelined with a hamstring injury. Except for a two-point outing on Oct. 27, in which he shot 1-of-11 from the field, Fears has been productive at point guard. The team has been confident in his abilities to begin the season and believes he brings a different dynamic to the lineup with his aggressive playing style.
Stats: 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists | Shooting: 38.8/30.8/100
Cooper Flagg has begun as the starting point guard for the Mavericks, with Kyrie Irving sidelined (knee). He is sixth among all rookies in scoring and is one of six first-year players to score at least 20 points in a game this season. The early results of Flagg at point guard have been uneven, though coach Jason Kidd believes that experience will be helpful for him throughout the season. Flagg, himself, has been critical of his start, but the No. 1 pick has showcased in a small sample size why he was so highly touted out of Duke.
5. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte Hornets
Stats: 9.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 1.3 steals | Shooting: 82.9/0/71.4
Ryan Kalkbrenner has emerged as the starting center for the Hornets (3-5), providing the team with strong production in that role, thanks to his post scoring and rebounding ability. The team is particularly pleased with his effort early on and the experience he is gaining nightly.
The 7-footer currently leads the NBA in field-goal percentage (82.9) and is fourth among all players in blocked shots (19), trailing only Victor Wembanyama. He has the highest field-goal percentage by any player through the first eight games of a career, according to Stathead.
4. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
Stats: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3.8 assists | Shooting: 50/35.7/83.3
Dylan Harper has stepped in for the Spurs nicely and looks to be yet another player the organization can build around. He has provided scoring and the ability to impact games off the bench on the defensive end of the court, putting together several key stops in the early going.
Unfortunately, Harper is expected to miss “multiple weeks” after sustaining a left calf strain on Sunday in a loss to the Phoenix Suns. However, the injury isn’t considered serious, and he could return before that initial reported timetable.
3. Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
Stats: 15.3 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 1 steal | Shooting: 58.3/41/92.3
While the Grizzlies have had their fair share of drama to begin the season, Cedric Coward is emerging as a key player off the bench. He is third on the team in scoring and has finished in double figures in seven out of their first eight games.
The 11th pick has started the season off on a tear, shooting the ball. He ranks 14th in the league in true-shooting percentage (73.1) and on Oct. 25 became the first rookie in franchise history to make at least six 3s in a game without a miss. In other words: He has impressed early.
2. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Stats: 14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists | Shooting: 45.7/41/81.8
Kon Knueppel is off to a tremendous start for the Hornets, flourishing as either a starter or a reserve. He is third in rookie scoring and has the most 20-point games among all first-year players (3), including in each of his last two outings.
The fourth pick has given coach Charles Lee and the Hornets a nice scoring punch, while also providing defensive versatility. Perhaps most impressive: Knueppel has the most 3-pointers by any player through the first eight games of a career in history (25).
1. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Stats: 19.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals | Shooting: 47.6/43.9/84.2
VJ Edgecombe takes the top spot in our initial rankings to begin the season after registering several notable performances for the Sixers. He started with a bang, setting a rookie franchise record after debuting with 34 points on Oct. 23.
The No. 3 pick leads all rookie players in scoring and is one of two first-year players with multiple 20-point outings (2). He has emerged as a crucial player in the early going and has formed a lethal backcourt pairing next to Tyrese Maxey, helping the Sixers start 5-2.