The 2025 NBA draft class produced an epic Rookie of the 12 months race and several other big-time playoff performers final season, and now they’re again for extra.
What do Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel have in retailer for 12 months 2? Which different members of this promising class are eyeing expanded roles for playoff groups? And are there any former lottery picks already approaching a profession crossroads?
Let’s deal with these questions and extra by evaluating the ten most fascinating sophomores to trace through the upcoming 2026-27 season:
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 14
Rookie season recap: The newborn-faced Bryant performed spot minutes as a defensive specialist and hinted at a 3-and-D future, albeit on a low quantity of makes an attempt. Regardless of modest regular-season averages of 4.2 factors and a pair of.5 rebounds per sport, he continued to see the ground in small doses all through San Antonio’s run to the Finals.
What’s subsequent: Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs are loaded with younger expertise, and so they’ll be cooking with gasoline if Bryant can become extra of an offensive risk as a sophomore. When San Antonio expanded Bryant’s function in summer time league, he struggled with turnovers and could not scale his exterior capturing. He flashed a pleasant pull-up jumper from the midrange, nonetheless.
The 20-year-old ahead boasts a powerful body, and he has the requisite size and quickness to shadow elite perimeter playmakers of all sizes. Whereas the Spurs even have Tobias Harris, Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes of their frontcourt rotation, their best-case state of affairs entails Bryant displaying sufficient progress to claw extra minutes away from the veterans. Bryant has “indispensable function participant on a title workforce” written throughout him.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 8
Rookie season recap: The Russian guard averaged 10.3 factors and three.3 assists in 52 video games for the rebuilding Nets, and he usually appeared overmatched and overwhelmed. Demin compensated by gravitating to his consolation zone exterior the arc; 72% of his shot makes an attempt had been 3-pointers, the best mark amongst 2025 first-round picks.
What’s subsequent: The participant out of BYU appeared far more snug and assertive in his second run by way of summer time league, elevating the likelihood that he may emerge as an influence participant for Brooklyn. The 6-foot-8 Demin entered the NBA with good measurement for a lead ball handler, however he has added sufficient power to change into a respectable downhill risk.
Demin has persistently topped 20 factors in his California Traditional and Las Vegas exhibitions, because of a mixture of proficient exterior capturing and rim strain. The Nets have added veteran forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle in offseason trades over the previous yr, however their long-term plan is centered on their latest draft picks. At current, the 20-year-old Demin appears to be like like the most effective of a questionable bunch.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 13
Rookie season recap: Queen bubbled up as a darling of League Cross die-hards because of his unconventional physique kind and spectacular passing potential for a giant. He posted strong averages of 11.7 factors, 7.1 rebounds and three.7 assists whereas splitting time as a starter and reserve.
What’s subsequent: The Pelicans is perhaps the NBA’s most confounding workforce: Their lack of significant exercise after a 26-win season suggests they anticipate to enhance by way of inner growth below new coach Jamahl Mosley. Nevertheless, Queen and fellow 2025 lottery choose Jeremiah Fears discover themselves in direct competitors with veteran alternate options.
Queen makes this checklist as a result of he may finally be the participant who convinces New Orleans to flee its purgatory and angle towards a youth motion. The 21-year-old large man has actual expertise as a scorer and distributor, however he’ll have to make main progress on the defensive finish to solidify his standing with the Pelicans’ new teaching employees. Does New Orleans have the persistence to deal with Queen as a prime precedence subsequent season?
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 5
Rookie season recap: Bailey could not maintain tempo with the 4 standouts chosen above him. The 6-foot-9 ahead averaged 13.8 factors per sport on mediocre effectivity for the bottom-dwelling Jazz, although his particular person manufacturing picked up noticeably after the All-Star break.
What’s subsequent: Although Bailey will not flip 20 till August, it is time for him to start out changing his hypothetical abilities into precise influence. If he’s going to blossom into an elite scorer, he should enhance his 3-point effectivity and skill to get to the free throw line. Regardless of his measurement and bodily instruments, Bailey ranked twenty eighth out of 29 2025 first-round picks in free throw price.
Complicating Bailey’s sophomore marketing campaign is the arrival of rookie No. 2 choose Darryn Peterson, a gifted shotmaker and unproven playmaker who’s sure to make use of numerous possessions. That might depart Bailey needing to do extra with much less offensively, whether or not in a catch-and-shoot or secondary function.
The Jazz, who wish to shift out of their multiyear rebuilding effort, will even wish to see him proceed to make strides as a flexible perimeter defender.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 11
Rookie season recap: Coward was a nice shock for a Grizzlies workforce that pulled the plug by dealing Jaren Jackson Jr. on the February commerce deadline and completed within the lottery. The 6-foot-5 wing made the All-Rookie first workforce by averaging 13.6 factors, 5.9 rebounds and a pair of.8 assists per sport.
What’s subsequent: Coward, 22, proved able to step into Memphis’ beginning lineup as a rookie because of his additional seasoning in faculty. Now, the second of fact: Can he make a significant second-year leap, or ought to expectations be tempered as a result of he is three years older than most of the different gamers on this checklist?
Memphis traded two-time All-Star Ja Morant this summer time, clearing the way in which for Coward and rookie No. 3 choose Cameron Boozer to take as many photographs as they’ll deal with. Coward has appeared erratic at occasions with the ball in his fingers in his early summer time league motion, however he performs with power on each ends.
With the 18-year-old Boozer in place because the Grizzlies’ subsequent franchise cornerstone, Coward slots in because the X issue whose progress may decide how lengthy their rebuilding cycle lasts.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 3
Rookie season recap: Edgecombe was a Day 1 starter subsequent to Tyrese Maxey, averaging 16.0 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per sport for a enjoyable and overachieving 76ers workforce that reached the convention semifinals. He led his draft class in regular-season minutes and postseason begins.
What’s subsequent: The electrical guard assaults the rim like a missile and seems to be on a rocket ship experience to stardom. The 76ers had a greater successful share when franchise middle Joel Embiid was accessible, however Edgecombe’s instantaneous influence helped Philadelphia’s followers think about a purposeful transition right into a post-Embiid period.
Maxey and Edgecombe are an exhilarating duo able to getting up and down the court docket within the blink of a watch, and Jaylen Brown’s arrival will add extra measurement and scoring firepower on the wing.
The actual intrigue in Philadelphia can be present in how coach Nick Nurse manages to maintain everybody concerned. Maxey, Embiid and Brown are All-NBA abilities, however it could be silly to ask Edgecombe to sacrifice an excessive amount of given his sky-high potential.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 17
Rookie season recap: Beringer, 19, spent many of the season buried behind veterans for the Timberwolves, who had been coming off back-to-back journeys to the Western Convention finals. The French large man averaged 3.9 factors and a pair of.3 rebounds in 40 appearances, then performed solely sparingly within the postseason.
What’s subsequent: Shocked that Beringer cracked the highest half of this checklist? Do not be. After the Timberwolves traded Julius Randle and Naz Reid this offseason, the 6-foot-11 Beringer abruptly appears to be like like a crucial piece of their frontcourt puzzle.
Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels are mainstays, however Minnesota possible will not have sufficient measurement to maintain up with the West’s elite except Beringer can deal with rotation minutes. His summer time league debut was eye-opening: an 18-point, 12-rebound and four-block effort that included above-the-rim performs on each ends. The Timberwolves want him to be an inside defender first, however his mobility on offense may make him a lob goal for newcomer LaMelo Ball.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 4
Rookie season recap: Knueppel averaged 18.5 factors, 5.3 rebounds and three.4 assists whereas making 273 3-pointers, probably the most ever by a rookie. Whereas his sturdiness, marksmanship and maturity had been essential elements to Charlotte’s 25-win soar within the standings and helped him end second in Rookie of the 12 months voting, he appeared overwhelmed at occasions within the play-in match.
What’s subsequent: Knueppel was a revelation as a rookie, main Charlotte in minutes and 3-pointers whereas main his class in win shares. On condition that he has already established himself as one of many NBA’s prime 3-point shooters earlier than his twenty first birthday, the Hornets have each motive to consider he’ll develop right into a multiple-time All-Star.
Knueppel’s profession arc took an sudden flip when Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball this summer time, nonetheless. Ball stirred the drink for the Hornets’ offense, and Knueppel will possible discover his shot high quality lower as opposing defenses are free to commit extra sources to stopping him subsequent season. Then once more, Ball’s departure may create extra alternatives for the 6-foot-6 guard to operate as a heady playmaker on the ball.
After deciding Ball wasn’t their franchise participant, the Hornets will intently watch Knueppel’s progress to see if he is as much as the duty.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 1
Rookie season recap: Flagg lived as much as his prime billing, claiming Rookie of the 12 months honors by averaging 21.0 factors, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per sport. He led his class in factors and assists per sport, and he helped drag the injury-ravaged Mavericks to 26 wins.
What’s subsequent: Flagg, 19, usually appeared overtaxed throughout his first season, and his effectivity numbers took a success as a result of he was primarily thrown to the wolves with out adequate help. It is useful to recollect, although, that he graduated from highschool in three years and was initially imagined to be within the 2026 draft class. Flagg would have been the simple No. 1 choose in June’s draft as a result of he is a extra well-rounded and polished prospect than AJ Dybantsa.
The excellent news: Flagg had the possibility to regulate to life within the NBA, and Dallas took a number of sensible steps to refashion its group round him. The Mavericks enter subsequent season with a brand new president, common supervisor and coach, and they’re anticipated to get again star guard Kyrie Irving from harm to lighten Flagg’s playmaking load.
Regardless of all of the challenges baked into being the face of the post-Luka Doncic Mavericks, Flagg was productive, dependable and at occasions phenomenal final season. He initiatives as a possible MVP contender down the street, and he must be within the combine for an All-Star choice in his second season. Now that Dallas has a bit extra distance from Doncic and has moved on from the short-lived Anthony Davis experiment, do not be shocked if Flagg leads a run to the play-in match.
Choose in 2025 draft: No. 2
Rookie season recap: Whereas Harper spent many of the season coming off the bench behind De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Fort, he nonetheless averaged 11.8 factors, 3.4 rebounds and three.9 assists per sport. Harper then raised his sport through the Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals, serving to conjure pictures of a looming San Antonio dynasty whereas main his class in postseason minutes.
What’s subsequent: Harper’s excellent kind within the playoffs — 14.1 factors, 5.6 rebounds per sport — begs the query: How for much longer till the 20-year-old guard cracks the beginning lineup? With Fox struggling at occasions within the postseason, Harper emerged as the most well-liked man in San Antonio. His purposeful drives to the rim and clean finishes make him a nightmare cowl for opposing defenses, and it is easy to image him because the Tony Parker to Victor Wembanyama’s Tim Duncan for the following decade.
For now, Fox and Fort are each returning, which possible sends Harper again to the super-sub function he crammed final season. Ought to he intention for Sixth Man of the 12 months? Ought to San Antonio experiment with three or 4 guards in its beginning lineup? Will Fox commerce rumors choose up?
How, precisely, the Spurs handle their embarrassment of riches can be one of many main storylines of the 2026-27 season. San Antonio blew away all cheap expectations final season, however now its solely purpose is a championship.
