Welcome to the 2026-27 NBA Kia Rookie Ladder.<\/p>\n
Headed into the 2026 NBA Draft, this year\u2019s rookie class was considered deep \u2013 especially in the lottery and among the top four draft picks, each of whom made a case they could have been the No. 1 overall selection.<\/p>\n
The Washington Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick, the Utah Jazz took Darryn Peterson at No. 2, the Memphis Grizzlies went with Cam Boozer third and the Chicago Bulls drafted Caleb Wilson at No. 4.<\/p>\n
In this season\u2019s initial Rookie Ladder, we\u2019re going to take a look at the lottery picks and what\u2019s been said about them as the start of the regular season approaches. Be assured, though: rookies, regardless of draft position, will be noted for their achievements in NBA.com\u2019s Rookie Ladder throughout the season.<\/p>\n
No. 14 Pick | Hannes Steinbach, Charlotte Hornets<\/p>\n
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The good words from Hornets coach Charles Lee: \u201cYou get to coach him. He wants to be coached, which is really exciting. \u2026 We want to continue to push him and his voice and his communication in defensive coverages because he\u2019s capable. He\u2019s got the strength. He\u2019s got the foot speed to move laterally. It\u2019s just the communication and how fast he can pick up on all these sets that are happening. Offensively, we got to see he\u2019s got a great motor. He\u2019s rim-running. He\u2019s able to seal. He\u2019s got really good hands [and] touch around the basket. Really excited about the versatility that Hannes brings.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 13 Pick | Nate Ament, Milwaukee Bucks<\/p>\n
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The good words from Bucks general manager Jon Horst: \u201cI thought he played on a team, respectfully a very good [Tennessee] team, but where he could clearly have been the best player every single night and played in a way in which he would go dominate. And he has an assertiveness to himself and a belief and a confidence, but he did what Coach (Rick) Barnes asked him. \u2026 He was really trying to be a great teammate. And then, to me, once he found his grounding, his comfort, you saw him explode.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 12 Pick | Aday Mara, Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n
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The good words from Thunder guard Alex Caruso: \u201cAday\u2019s just a monster, obviously. There are times where you think you have it and he just grabs the ball. He puts it in or shoots a floater. No one is touching it. He can pass, he can dribble (and) has a good understanding of how people are moving off of him. You don\u2019t see that watching him play in college just because it\u2019s a different game.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 11 Pick | Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors
\nWarriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg getting buckets in preseason action vs. Kings<\/p>\n
Highlights from Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg in preseason action at home vs. the Kings<\/p>\n
The good words from Warriors coach Steve Kerr: \u201cYaxel had a great summer not only in Summer League, but in our building \u2013 pick-up games, individual work. He\u2019s clearly going to play a ton. He gives us the size and the versatility that we need. He can guard bigs. He can guard wings. He\u2019s a connector on offense, a really good passer, ball handler. I always try to check boxes with guys \u2013 dribble, pass, shoot, process. He checks all those boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 10 Pick | Brayden Burries, Milwaukee Bucks<\/p>\n
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The good words from Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins: \u201cThere\u2019s a responsibility that really comes with being a guard in our system and in our program. There\u2019s different ways to be a leader on a team, but obviously when you\u2019re on the court, when you\u2019re a lead guard and that opportunity earned, you got to take on the responsibility, not just offensively from organization and setting up your teammates but within our style of play. What I love about Brayden is his ability to impact on both sides of the floor. This guy wants to be a point-of-attack defender. He wants to be a team defender. It\u2019s infectious.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 9 Pick | Morez Johnson Jr., Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n
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The good words from Mavericks coach Dusty May: \u201cI know one of the things that makes him so valuable is he checks a lot of boxes. Whatever that moment needs, or that game needs, or what the team needs, he is adaptable. He transformed his game last year for us (at Michigan) because of his adaptability, but the things that make \u2018Rez, \u2018Rez, are his tenacity, his heart, his physicality (and) doing whatever it takes to win and assist his teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 8 Pick | Kingston Flemings, Atlanta Hawks<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2299919463.jpg\")
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The good words from Hawks guard CJ McCollum: \u201cHe\u2019s super smart. Very ahead of his time in terms of his demeanor, how he approaches the game, his work ethic. \u2026 He\u2019s very responsive. He asks questions. He cares. That\u2019s really important. A lot of people ask me, \u2018Well, what do you think?\u2019 First, you have to draw a line in the sand. Do they care or do they not care? Do they like it or do they love it? The work ethic is there. The caring factor is there. The talent is through the roof. Now, it\u2019s about processing the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 7 Pick | Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings
\nDarius Acuff Jr. pours in 25 against Warriors in preseason action<\/p>\n
Highlights From Kings’ rookie Darius Acuff Jr.’s 25-point game in preseason action vs. Golden State.<\/p>\n
The good words from Kings coach Doug Christie: \u201cWhen you are young like that, finding a routine early, it\u2019s paramount because it dictates how everything goes from that point. It\u2019s like the roots in the ground. And if you get solid roots, you can weather all the storms. And he\u2019s that in a lot of ways already. I\u2019m in early and I look down and I see him, and I smile, and he\u2019s in late. I\u2019m super excited for him, but a routine is a big one. I was not what I see in him athletically. He\u2019s very polished. He wants to be really good, and we want to make sure that we put around him everything that helps him accomplish that.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 6 Pick | Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn Nets<\/p>\n
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The good words from Mikel Brown Jr.: \u201cI feel like I fit in well just because they see the work that I put in. They see that I\u2019m a savant when it comes to this stuff. I\u2019m watching a lot of film and just constantly trying to learn their game, learn Julius\u2019s (Randle) game, learn Egor\u2019s (Demin), everybody\u2019s game, just to try to put them in the best position to be successful. That just goes a long way in itself. And they\u2019ve told me, \u2018We need you to speak up more. We need you to be more communicative. We need that this year.\u2019 And Julius has pushed me to that, and Julius has been on me about it, and I\u2019m rolling with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 5 Pick | Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2299607984.jpg\")
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The good words from Clippers coach Ty Lue: \u201cJust the first thing \u2026 to embody winning and playing hard competing, and he did that in college and now this is a whole new level, whole new experience for him. But he\u2019s been here since day one. We\u2019re talking about one of those guys (who\u2019s) been here for two or three months just trying to get better, trying to soak it all in. And he\u2019s been phenomenal. He\u2019s gotten a lot better. We understand how we need to use him early on to help him develop. \u2026 We\u2019re going to have fun. We\u2019re going to enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 4 Pick | Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls
\nCaleb Wilson takes over with 12 points in the third<\/p>\n
Caleb Wilson finds his rhythm and pours in 12 points in the third quarter.<\/p>\n
The good words from Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham: \u201cThe expectations are probably pretty high because Caleb is pretty outspoken, but internally we know it\u2019s a season of growth, of development. We have to be OK with giving him grace because he\u2019s doing to have some ups and downs. There is going to be some progress, and there is going to be some regression. But are we going to be like, \u2018Caleb, get out of the game, you turned the ball over.\u2019 No. That\u2019s where we are. That\u2019s the building phase.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 3 Pick | Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/GettyImages-2299551474-1.jpg\")
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The good words from Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo: \u201cHis passing is already at a very, very high level, and that\u2019ll be something that we definitely utilize. It is really more like pruning certain things, not starting with everything but going step by step, because we have to understand that, even though he is very developed for his age both mentally and physically, he is a 19-year-old going into his first NBA year, and there will be an adjustment period for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 2 Pick | Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz
\nDarryn Peterson pours in 23 points in Utah<\/p>\n
Highlights of Darryn Peterson’s preseason game against the Nuggets in Utah.<\/p>\n
The good words from Jazz president of basketball operations Austin Ainge: \u201cHe has brought intensity, work ethic, and maturity that is unique. The NBA is hard on rookies, and he\u2019s going to have some ups and downs this year, but we believe in his character and approach and think he will handle all the ups and downs and figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
No. 1 Pick | AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards
\nHighlights from Wizards’ rookie AJ Dybantsa’s preseason game vs. Detroit<\/p>\n
Top plays from Wizards rookie AJ Dybantsa in preseason action against the Detroit Pistons.<\/p>\n
The good words from Wizards forward-center Anthony Davis: \u201cHe\u2019s ready for it. He\u2019s got all the tools to be successful in this league. He\u2019s a very special talent \u2013 can defend, can make any shot. You\u2019ve seen a little bit in Summer League and throughout his tenure in college, but AJ has a special talent, and he wants it. He works very hard. He listens, he\u2019s dedicated and motivated. I try to not give him too much and kind of stay out of the way but try to give him enough where he can go in a game and do what he has to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at\u00a0jzillgitt@nba.com<\/a>, find\u00a0his archive here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0follow him on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Association: Caleb Wilson, Cameron Boozer provide preseason progress report The crew breaks down Caleb Wilson and Cameron…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":646380,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[85,46,105],"class_list":["post-646379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=646379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/646379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/646380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=646379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=646379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=646379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}