Cooper Flagg is an amazing favourite to 2026 NBA Rookie of the Yr, and nobody else is even shut. FanDuel has Flagg at -195 to win the award, and there’s just one different participant with odds decrease than +1000. It doesn’t take a playing skilled to know that if anybody apart from Flagg wins Rookie of the Yr, it’s going to be a serious, main upset.
The No. 1 total decide sometimes isn’t precisely a lock to win Rookie of the Yr each season, although. Over the past seven years, solely two No. 1 total picks (Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero) have gained the award. When you think about that Flagg would be the youngest participant within the NBA this season after solely spending three years in highschool, there’s not less than a pathway to another person pushing him for the award that doesn’t contain harm.
Flagg will most likely win Rookie of the Yr this season, but it surely felt like a very good time to take a look at his greatest challengers for the award. Right here’s our checklist of 5 NBA rookies who can steal Rookie of the Yr away from Flagg this season, ranked by who’s probably to do it. Additionally try our preseason MVP rankings.
5. Yang Hansen, C, Portland Path Blazers
That is my deep sleeper within the Rookie of the Yr race. Hansen is at the moment slated because the backup to Donovan Clingan, and for the time being eternally injured fellow massive man Robert Williams nonetheless hasn’t been cleared to play. Clingan is an apparent breakout participant candidate this 12 months, however he’s struggled to remain on the ground for even half-hour going again to his faculty days at UConn. Except Clingan has made large progress along with his conditioning over the summer time, it certain looks as if there can be not less than some position for Hansen. The Blazers shocked the NBA by reaching for the 20-year-old Chinese language heart with the No. 16 total decide, however a powerful run in Las Vegas Summer season League helped the general public see Portland’s imaginative and prescient. Hansen is a extremely gifted offensive heart who will hit cutters as a passer, rating inside, and can even take some threes. His defensive mobility is a priority, however the Blazers have so many good defenders subsequent to him that they need to be capable of cowl for the rookie early in his profession. Hansen continues to be one thing of a thriller man after coming over from China that he might catch opponents off guard. I like this decide increasingly more for the Blazers because the season nears regardless of grading it as a D on draft night time. I doubt he’ll share minutes with Clingan, however he ought to nonetheless have a task backing him up.
4. Walter Clayton Jr., G, Utah Jazz
Final time we noticed Walter Clayton Jr., he was carrying Florida to the nationwide championship with one of many biggest March Insanity runs in historical past. Clayton begins his NBA profession as a 22-year-old after 4 seasons in faculty, and he’s in a primary place to hit the bottom operating with the Jazz. Utah dumped a high quality veteran in Collin Sexton this summer time partly to open up taking part in time for youthful guards like Clayton. The previous Gator as a signature ability to depend upon early in his rookie 12 months along with his pull-up capturing. Clayton generates a ton of energy on his three-pointers off the dribble with simple vary past the NBA line. His defensive and playmaking limitations shouldn’t be an enormous deterrent on a tanking Jazz workforce that has a watch on getting a high decide in 2026. He’ll have competitors within the rotation from Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George, however Clayton’s capturing and massive recreation expertise on the faculty degree ought to serve him properly from early in his NBA profession.
3. Tre Johnson, G, Washington Wizards
Johnson is the aforementioned runner-up in FanDuel’s preseason Rookie of the Yr odds. I can see the argument for him making a run at this award. The Wizards desperately want extra offensive firepower within the lineup, and Johnson is an indefatigable gunner with a candy three-point stroke and a growing mid-range recreation. He could possibly be the most effective shooter among the many rookie class this 12 months with a lethal launch on spot-ups and the power to hit pictures off motion. The Texas product is a serious competitor, and he’s been drawing rave critiques from teammates early in coaching camp. My solely concern is that the Wizards are going to win, like, 20 video games this 12 months, and it seems like it’s going to take somebody on a greater workforce to unseat Flagg within the ROY race if he stays wholesome. Johnson might be going to be put the category’ greatest per-game numbers outdoors of Flagg, however his affect on successful will seemingly be muted, and that’s why he’s solely No. 3 on this checklist.
2. Dylan Harper, G, San Antonio Spurs
Harper’s spot within the rotation as a rookie is a little bit of a query mark with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Fortress already entrenched within the backcourt. The capturing questions going through all three imply it’s most likely unlikely they play collectively, doubtlessly relegating the No. 2 total decide to a backup position originally of the season. That’s okay: Harper’s driving skill and knack for below-the-rim of completion is so spectacular that San Antonio gained’t be capable of hold him off the courtroom. Harper has a present for splitting double groups and attending to the rack, and he’s a adequate passer to search out Victor Wembanyama on the lob when the protection converges on him. I’m in on the Spurs being a playoff workforce this season, and that’s going to offer Harper the highlight he wants to really contend for the award. He must be nearer to a 35 % three-point shooter than a 30 % shooter from deep to have an opportunity to win this, however I feel he can do this. The rise of Wemby goes to generate a ton of consideration this 12 months, and Harper can trip that to difficult for Rookie of the Yr.
1. Kon Knueppel, G, Charlotte Hornets
Knueppel was Robin to Flagg’s Batman at Duke this previous season, however he could also be his greatest challenger for Rookie of the Yr getting into the season. The Hornets are nearly all the time a catastrophe, but it surely’s simple to see the imaginative and prescient of Knueppel because the connective glue between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller if the veteran duo can lastly keep wholesome. The No. 4 total decide doesn’t want the ball to make an affect. He’s a knockdown shooter who can stress opposing defenses simply with the specter of his jumper, and he’s actually sensible shifting with out the ball. I’d count on Knueppel to begin from day one, shoot round 40 % from three, and shortly endear himself to Ball as he hunts for assists. The East is vast open this 12 months, and we noticed the Detroit Pistons go from 14 wins to 44 wins simply final season. Even when the Hornets don’t make that massive of a leap, Knueppel is such a dependable offensive participant that he could make a run at Rookie of the Yr.
