The 2025 NBA Draft class is considered one of the strongest in recent years and is loaded with several future superstars.
It’s always exciting to see how rookies perform, but there are a lot of interesting storylines this season.
From Cooper Flagg to Ace Bailey, multiple NBA fan bases may soon be celebrating the arrival of the new face of the franchise.
NBA analysis ranks the five most likely to win the 2026 Rookie of the Year award from last to first.
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VJ Edgecomb is being drafted into one of the best situations in the NBA as he is surrounded by top talent.
Along with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, Edgecomb should contribute to a winning record in his debut season.
However, while he is expected to start for Nick Nurse’s team, he probably doesn’t have the stats to win the ROTY award as he is the Philadelphia 76ers’ fourth or fifth option.
Dylan Harper is an exciting prospect who could help the San Antonio Spurs reach the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.
He looked solid in the preseason and was able to quickly prove himself as a quality NBA guard during his rookie season.
Harper’s only problem in the ROTY race is backing up the Spurs’ starting backcourt of De’Aaron Fox and last year’s winner Stephon Castle.
Tre Johnson will likely start the season leading the Washington Wizards’ second unit, but could replace CJ McCollum at the trade deadline or sooner.
The Wizards will likely build around him and 2024 first-round pick Bab Carrington as the season progresses.
Johnson was inconsistent with his shooting in the preseason, but was a prolific scorer at Texas and should average double-digit points.
Ace Bailey had a great preseason performance, scoring 20 points against the San Antonio Spurs and 25 points against the Houston Rockets.
He has broken into the Utah Jazz’s starting lineup and is already a potential second scoring option behind Lauri Markkanen.
The only reason Bailey isn’t ranked number one on this list is because the players before him are considered generational talents.
Cooper Flagg is clearly the favorite to win Rookie of the Year in the 2025-26 season.
The No. 1 pick has the perfect blend of a strong supporting cast and an opportunity to shine, especially until Kyrie Irving returns from injury.
Flagg could average 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists in his debut season with the Dallas Mavericks, which would put him on track for superstardom.