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VJ Edgecombe had games of 38 and 35 points and an opportunity to launch 25 shots nightly in Philly\u2019s 2-1 week.<\/p>\n
VJ Edgecombe is looking more and more like a lock to appear on most voters\u2019 Kia Rookie of the Year ballots. \u00a0<\/p>\n
But where, exactly?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Philadelphia 76ers guard has impressed in a variety of ways: As a bonus scorer for the Sixers, as a willing defender and facilitator when the team\u2019s big dogs such as Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are owning the offense, and lately as the rookie tasked with shouldering the scoring load when Embiid, Maxey and Paul George have been absent. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Edgecombe had a memorable week, with games of 38 and 35 points and an opportunity to launch 25 shots nightly in Philadelphia\u2019s 2-1 week. It was a resourceful, whatever-it-takes stretch for the 6-foot-4 Baylor product, by way of the Bahamas. Essentially, the same level of work Edgecombe has done since the season began.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
His reward: Third rung on the Kia Rookie Ladder, same place he has spent most of 2025-26. Probably the same place he\u2019ll land on most media reps\u2019 ballots when they cast their ROY votes, too, behind the Charlotte Hornets\u2019 Kon Knueppel and Dallas Mavericks\u2019 Cooper Flagg in some order. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Fair or not, the race has turned into a two-man battle between former Duke teammates and pals. Flagg\u2019s overall game after being drafted first overall last June made him a favorite heading into the season. Knueppel\u2019s sometimes subtle, sweet-shooting and unexpected contributions to\u00a0Charlotte\u2019s improved record had him on Flagg\u2019s heels until he edged ahead in Vegas odds and Ladder status a month or so ago.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
That has left Edgecombe plugging along, even\u00a0through\u00a0flashy performances. It\u2019s not a bad place to be, but rising to No. 1 or 2 would take heavy lifting and perhaps a swoon or injury to the guys in front of him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The main reason is the law of averages. So much of the Class of 2025\u2019s work already is in the books. Edgecombe over the Sixers\u2019 final 10 games would need to average 39.1 points to reach Knueppel\u2019s 19.1 average, never mind Flagg\u2019s current 20.3. \u00a0<\/p>\n
And at 43.1%, Edgecombe\u2019s field-goal percentage is well south of Knueppel\u2019s (48.8) and Flagg\u2019s (47.2). The volume shooting he\u2019s had ot do on some recent nights argues against a high conversation rate built off only primo looks. \u00a0<\/p>\n
One area Edgecombe has an edge in is winning. The Sixers are 37-28 in the games he as played, better than Knueppel\u2019s 37-33 and well in front of Flagg\u2019s 19-41. \u00a0<\/p>\n
That won\u2019t be enough to vault him over the two favorites but it\u2019s a solid achievement. If Edgecombe does finish third, it will be one of the strongest thirds in recent ROY history.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here is this week\u2019s edition of the Kia Rookie Ladder:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Weekly recap<\/p>\n
Four rookies averaged more than 20 points in the latest sample, dating to March 17: Edgecombe (29.7 ppg), Utah\u2019s Ace Baily (28 ppg), Sacramento\u2019s Maxime Raynaud (26 ppg) and Flagg (22.3 ppg).\u00a0
\nBailey blocked five shots against Philadelphia on Saturday, and Toronto\u2019s Collin Murray-Boyle did it two nights later vs. Bailey\u2019s Jazz. That tied them for most blocked shots this season by a rookie, matching the Sacramento Kings\u2019 Dylan Cardwell and Phoenix Suns\u2019 Khaman Maluach with five each. Heading into Wednesday\u2019s games, the Hornets\u2019 Ryan Kalkbrenner led the rookies with 84, followed by New Orleans Pelicans big man Derik Queen with 63 and Flagg\u2019s 56.
\nThe rookie record, at least since blocks became an official stat in 1973? Manute Bol swatted 15 in a game for Washington in 1985-86. And the 7-foot-7 Dinka dunker had four more games that season of 10 blocks or more. He holds the record for most blocks in a rookie season (397), with David Robinson second (319) and Shaquille O\u2019Neal third (286). Interestingly, those were career highs for Bol and O\u2019Neal and Robinson only topped his rookie total when he swatted 320 as a sophomore.\u00a0
\nRyan Nembhard\u2019s 12 assists against Atlanta last week were the Dallas rookie\u2019s fifth game of 10+ dimes this season. His 252 assists rank fourth behind Flagg (277), Queen (267) and Edgecombe (259), despite Nembhard playing 800-to-1,200 fewer minutes than any of them. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Storyline to watch\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Numerators and denominators. No consistent formula is used by Rookie of the Year voters, meaning the eventual winner will be another apples vs. oranges choice. That likely pits traditional counting numbers against analytics and intangibles. Much like what was noted above about Edgecombe, flipping spots would take some doing, especially given Flagg\u2019s and Knueppel\u2019s body of work so far. For example, assuming Knueppel were to play all the Hornets\u2019 remaining games, he would need to average about 27.8 ppg to reach Flagg\u2019s current 20.3 scoring average. That\u2019s a big number, despite being so seemingly close at 19.1. Meanwhile, Flagg could dial his accuracy up to Stephen Curry\u2019s best levels (5.1 of 11.2 per game, 45.4% in 2015-16) and over what\u2019s left of the schedule get only to 34.7%, well short of Knueppel\u2019s rate. \u00a0<\/p>\n
(All stats through\u00a0Tuesday,\u00a0March\u00a024)\u00a0<\/p>\n
1. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets<\/p>\n
Season stats:<\/a> 19 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg\u00a0 Knueppel\u2019s 3-point proficiency had some observers in recent months comparing him \u2013 or at least his ceiling for putting up huge single-season and career numbers \u2013 to Curry. But he might have more in common with Curry\u2019s old Golden State splash-mate, Klay Thompson, for the amount of time the ball spends in their hands before scoring. (Here is a look at Knueppel\u2019s \u201czero-dribble scoring.\u201d<\/a>) The Hornets\u2019 rookie was nursing lower back pain heading into Tuesday\u2019s home game vs Sacramento, but played 20 minutes in that game.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n 2. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a> 20.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.6 apg\u00a0 Flagg bumped his numbers by averaging 22.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists over the past week. He had four steals and six blocks, too. But his 3-point range needs work over Dallas\u2019 final 10 games. It\u2019s a skill more likely to be enhanced over the summer and beyond, but with the Mavericks officially out of any postseason consideration, coach Jason Kidd might as well have Flagg let \u2018er fly. He is making 28.8% this season, including a 2-for-12 skid in the past three games. \u00a0<\/p>\n 3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a> 15.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4 apg\u00a0 Allen Iverson was on hand as Edgecombe scored 35 points and sank seven 3-pointers, a combo no Sixers rookie ever has managed. He began the week\u2019s sample with 38 points at Sacramento, 10 followed with 22 and 13 rebounds before the big night-in-vain against OKC<\/a>\u00a0Monday. Said coach\u00a0Nick Nurse: \u201cI loved his aggressiveness and comfortability with all the shots he took. I just thought he found them. I love that he took the amount of\u00a0threes (15)\u00a0that he took that were there.\u00a0He had to take them. They were going under screens.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 4. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a>\u00a011.5\u00a0ppg, 3.4\u00a0rpg, 3.8\u00a0apg\u00a0 Forty-eight rookies started games this season before Harper, the second player drafted, made his first start Saturday vs. Indiana. He responded with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting, four rebounds, three assists, no turnovers and a plus-21 in 28 minutes as the Spurs won 134-119. Coach Mitch Johnson was pleased<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 5. Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a>\u00a011.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg\u00a0 Raynaud followed up his 32-point game against San Antonio with 30 against Philadelphia on Thursday and his 16th\u00a0double-double (22-10) Sunday vs. Brooklyn. He\u00a0also had some high praise<\/a> for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and his all-around game this season. \u00a0<\/p>\n The next 5<\/p>\n 6. Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a>\u00a013.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg\u00a0 The Utah learning curve for Bailey continues to go well: he averaged 5.1 points on 32% shooting in his first eight NBA games vs. 22.8 points on 48.5% in his most recent eight. And coach Will Hardy said recently: \u201cI think he\u2019s grown more defensively than offensively.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n 7. Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a>\u00a013.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.8 apg\u00a0 Coward had 15 points and seven boards in the Grizzlies\u2019 victory over Denver last week, but it was his only appearance. He has missed Memphis\u2019 past three games (personal reasons) and fell out of the Top 20 among rookies in games played (54). \u00a0<\/p>\n 8. Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans\u00a0<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a> 11.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.8 apg Queen\u2019s minutes have fallen off and with them, his stats \u2013 including his shooting accuracy (just 39.4% in March). But one area in which he has shared in New Orleans\u2019 improved outcomes has been plus\/minus. He\u2019s averaging a plus-0.4 this month after being underwater all season. \u00a0<\/p>\n 9. Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans\u00a0<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a> 13.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg Just to be clear, Jeremy Fears \u2013 who had 16 assists in Michigan State\u2019s victory over Louisville Saturday \u2013 is the older brother of the Pelicans\u2019 point guard. Jeremiah Fears continues to\u00a0help the<\/a>\u00a0Pelicans now that they have perked up (10-5 since Feb. 21).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n 10. Javon Small, Memphis Grizzlies\u00a0<\/p>\n Season stats:<\/a>\u00a09.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.7 apg\u00a0 Small missed Monday\u2019s game with a sore back. He averaged 12.7 points and 5.3 rebounds this week. Since Feb. 1, he\u2019s at 13.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 3.9 apg, while shooting 50\/48\/88. \u00a0<\/p>\n * * *<\/p>\n Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him\u00a0here<\/a>, find\u00a0his archive here<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0follow him on X<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 1 \u2194\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 4\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 2 \u2194\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 3 \u2194\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 5 \u2b06\ufe0f
Draft pick:\u00a0<\/a>No. 2\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 4 \u2b07\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 42\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 7 \u2b06\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 5\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 6 \u2b07\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 11\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 8 \u2194\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 13\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a> No. 9 \u2194\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a> No. 9\u00a0<\/p>\n
Last Ladder:<\/a>\u00a0No. 10 \u2194\ufe0f
Draft pick:<\/a>\u00a0No. 48\u00a0<\/p>\n