Kon Knueppel leads with Cooper Flagg injury

 

 

These are unsettled times for the NBA’s rookie class coming out of the league’s All-Star break and less than six weeks remaining in the 2025-26 regular season.

There’s a new betting favorite to win rookie of the year, and it’s not Cooper Flagg for the first time this season. Injuries and tanking have also created a fascinating race for all-rookie status down the stretch, with at least one spot on the first team and the second team still to be determined by how these rookies perform over the next month.

Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel and Philadelphia 76ers counterpart VJ Edgecombe led the way in recent weeks with Flagg hurt, while second-round pick Maxime Raynaud of the Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz wing Ace Bailey each saw their stock rise by stringing together several strong efforts after the NBA All-Star break.

Here’s a breakdown of how all the rookies stack up for the entire 2025-26 NBA season:

NBA rookie rankings

Stats as of games played before March 3. NBA Rookie of the Year odds as of 3 p.m. ET on March 3, courtesy of BetMGM.

On the bubble: Egor Demin, Will Richard, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Danny Wolf, Nique Clifford

• Last ranked: Not ranked
• Stats: 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: N/A

Bailey is benefitting from the Jazz’s tanking strategy, getting consistent minutes and shots as a starter, and his play has perked up of late. He had at least 18 points in three of his past five games after six-straight games scoring in double figures before the NBA All-Star break.

• Last ranked: 8
• Stats: 7.8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: N/A

The No. 9 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been a starter and a key two-way piece for the Raptors when he’s healthy. But Murray-Boyles is also dealing with a nagging thumb injury that forced him to miss Toronto’s Feb. 28 win over the Washington Wizards. He ranks third among rookies in defensive rating this season.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: Is a new contender emerging out West?

• Last ranked: 10
• Stats: 13.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: N/A

Fears has enjoyed a resurgence coming out of the All-Star break, including back-to-back games in which he registered his second-career double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) in a win over the Utah Jazz and a career-best 28 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on March 1.

• Last ranked: 6
• Stats: 11 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: N/A

The Western Conference rookie of the month for February has been consistently filling up the box score in a reserve role as the Spurs surge towards the postseason, and he might warrant more playing time in the playoffs. The two-man combination of Harper and San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama has the third-best NET rating in the NBA this season.

• Last ranked: 5
• Stats: 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: +50,000

Coward hasn’t played since suffering a knee injury before the NBA All-Star break, and his availability down the stretch could affect his all-rookie status if he misses more time. But the Grizzlies have been significantly better with him than without him on the floor. Perhaps that’s why he’s been slow to return with the team in tank mode after trading Jaren Jackson Jr.

• Last ranked: 9
• Stats: 10.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: N/A

The Kings’ front court has been cleared for Raynaud to get lots of chances after recent injuries shelved fellow big men Domantas Sabonis and Dylan Cardwell. The second-round pick is averaging a double-double since the NBA All-Star break (no rookie has more this season) and should be a fixture in Sacramento’s starting lineup the rest of the season.

4. Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

• Last ranked: 4
• Stats: 12.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: +50,000

Queen transitioned to the bench with the return of Dejounte Murray in New Orleans and had his most effective game since the move when he had 19 points in 29 minutes in a loss to the Clippers. Queen’s role moving forward is worth monitoring.

• Last ranked: 3
• Stats: 15.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: +12,500

Edgecombe found his outside shooting touch out of the All-Star break, with 18 3-pointers at a 43.9% clip from beyond the arc in the Sixers’ past six games. He leads all rookies in minutes played this season.

• Last ranked: 1
• Stats: 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: +130

Flagg has not played in an NBA game since Feb. 10 due to a mid-foot sprain, but he was upgraded to doubtful before Tuesday’s showdown against the Charlotte Hornets. He had scored at least 27 points in five of his previous six games before suffering the injury.

• Last ranked: 2
• Stats: 19.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists
• NBA Rookie of the Year odds: -170

Knueppel’s dream ride of a rookie season continued as he emerged from the All-Star break to take over as the favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year for the first time, according to BetMGM. The Hornets guard shot better than 50% from the field and better than 50% from 3-point range the past two weeks while averaging more than 22 points per game. Flagg’s injury has opened the door for Knueppel in the NBA Rookie of the Year race, especially with Charlotte rising up the Eastern Conference standings.