2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread

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Which 3 players will lead the ROY race this season? (listed in order of post-draft betting odds)

Cooper Flagg, Mavericks
161
29%
Tre Johnson, Wizards
57
10%
Ace Bailey, Jazz
54
10%
Dylan Harper, Spurs
61
11%
V.J. Edgecombe, 76ers
105
19%
Kon Knueppel, Hornets
31
6%
Derik Queen, Pelicans
11
2%
Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans
14
3%
Cedric Coward, Grizzlies
16
3%
Other (Clifford, Demin, Bryant, Richardson, Newell, Clayton Jr., Gonzalez, etc. - poll is limited to 10 options)
46
8%
 
Total votes: 556

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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#381 » by LoveMyRaps » Yesterday 3:01 am

People are sleeping on Collin Murray Boyles....

Best defensive prospect from the class.
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#382 » by Zukkoyaki » Yesterday 4:35 am

Fears has been a bright spot for New Orleans
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#383 » by Duffman100 » Yesterday 1:50 pm

CMB with a 15, 9 and 5 game with 3 steals
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#384 » by peZt » Yesterday 2:17 pm

peZt wrote:CMB is sooo good. If he develops a consistent shot, what limit is there to his ceiling? He already looks like a 10 year old vet who makes the game slow around him, who uses angles perfectly, positions his body perfectly, who makes everything look low effort AND he is an elite defender?


My post from July. Sometimes its obvious even from the first summer league game. Raptors got a gem
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#385 » by mg » Yesterday 3:06 pm

PlatinumState wrote:
jasonxxx102 wrote:Ace Bailey looks outmatched on the floor.

A guy who didn’t have the handle to beat future accountants and personal trainers was going to dominate the NBA with his “tough shot making”

lol nobody saw this coming


I think Ace is just gonna take time to develop. Type of player to explode and figure things out after 2-3 seasons


Yeah he was the most raw of the top 6 picked in the last draft.
It does kinda suck for Utah after 3 tanking seasons their highest drafted prospect might compare closer to a Jaden McDaniels supporting type player, assuming Ace can reach his ceiling defensively and also improve on the shooting. He's taking some inefficient mid range shots like he did in college. He can definitely finish with the alley oops but the Jazz don't really have any PG's to get him the ball in his spots.
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#386 » by jasonxxx102 » Yesterday 4:13 pm

Most of the rookies have looked way better than advertised! This is shaping up to be a really good class.

Cooper is fine. He's been disappointing relative to expectation but he's still clearly the best player in the class.

CMB is probably my favorite player archetype when it comes to real life basketball value. The elite defense provides such a high floor that if he ever figures out the offense at an above average level he's going to be a phenomenal player

Tre/Fears/Coward/VJ/Harper/Kon all look better than advertised

Queen - I never really saw what skill he had that was a + at the NBA level. He's a tweener forward who can't shoot. Don't know how that's gonna fit and being in New Orleans is just horrible for his development.

Bailey - I talked all leading up to the draft and through the summer how he was really going to struggle in the league as a scorer because he can't create any on-ball separation and he's not really an off-ball player... or at least doesn't see himself that way. He hasn't proven me wrong. Has looked awful so far. People will make up excuses that he's sick or something but he's looked bad bottom line.
76ciology wrote:Wouldn't Edey have a better chance of winning the scoring battle against Tatum in the post after a switch than Tatum shooting over Edey's 9'6" standing reach?
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#387 » by Bornstellar » Yesterday 4:45 pm

LoveMyRaps wrote:People are sleeping on Collin Murray Boyles....

Best defensive prospect from the class.

He impressed me in the Spurs/Raptors game. He definitely plays with a lot of toughness
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#388 » by LoveMyRaps » Yesterday 4:49 pm

Bornstellar wrote:
LoveMyRaps wrote:People are sleeping on Collin Murray Boyles....

Best defensive prospect from the class.

He impressed me in the Spurs/Raptors game. He definitely plays with a lot of toughness


The Draymond comparison makes a lot of sense for him.
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#389 » by MMyhre » Yesterday 6:53 pm

jasonxxx102 wrote:Most of the rookies have looked way better than advertised! This is shaping up to be a really good class.

Cooper is fine. He's been disappointing relative to expectation but he's still clearly the best player in the class.

CMB is probably my favorite player archetype when it comes to real life basketball value. The elite defense provides such a high floor that if he ever figures out the offense at an above average level he's going to be a phenomenal player

Tre/Fears/Coward/VJ/Harper/Kon all look better than advertised

Queen - I never really saw what skill he had that was a + at the NBA level. He's a tweener forward who can't shoot. Don't know how that's gonna fit and being in New Orleans is just horrible for his development.

Bailey - I talked all leading up to the draft and through the summer how he was really going to struggle in the league as a scorer because he can't create any on-ball separation and he's not really an off-ball player... or at least doesn't see himself that way. He hasn't proven me wrong. Has looked awful so far. People will make up excuses that he's sick or something but he's looked bad bottom line.

So Edgecombe is averaging 20.3 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast/2 to, with 1.5 steals/0.3 blk on a 60.7 ts %. Why are you saying Flagg and his 13.8 pts, 6.5 reb, 3 ast/1.8 to, 0.8 stl/0.5 blk on a terrible 49.3 ts % is "clearly" the best player in the draft? What are we doing here?

Even if you were high on Flagg, which is fine, adding the "clearly" is just disrespectful to the other talent in this draft which has outperformed him.

I believe Flagg will do better, but there is nothing clear about him being the best from this draft right now.
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#390 » by MMyhre » Yesterday 6:56 pm

https://youtu.be/UudzNZ5amfQ?si=tKo8eRkJHGDT-WJl

Some of the passes Coward is already making is really impressive, I didn't expect to see that level of playmaking so early.

The Grizzlies need to stop being bums and start this kid.
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#391 » by jasonxxx102 » Yesterday 7:03 pm

MMyhre wrote:
jasonxxx102 wrote:Most of the rookies have looked way better than advertised! This is shaping up to be a really good class.

Cooper is fine. He's been disappointing relative to expectation but he's still clearly the best player in the class.

CMB is probably my favorite player archetype when it comes to real life basketball value. The elite defense provides such a high floor that if he ever figures out the offense at an above average level he's going to be a phenomenal player

Tre/Fears/Coward/VJ/Harper/Kon all look better than advertised

Queen - I never really saw what skill he had that was a + at the NBA level. He's a tweener forward who can't shoot. Don't know how that's gonna fit and being in New Orleans is just horrible for his development.

Bailey - I talked all leading up to the draft and through the summer how he was really going to struggle in the league as a scorer because he can't create any on-ball separation and he's not really an off-ball player... or at least doesn't see himself that way. He hasn't proven me wrong. Has looked awful so far. People will make up excuses that he's sick or something but he's looked bad bottom line.

So Edgecombe is averaging 20.3 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast/2 to, with 1.5 steals/0.3 blk on a 60.7 ts %. Why are you saying Flagg and his 13.8 pts, 6.5 reb, 3 ast/1.8 to, 0.8 stl/0.5 blk on a terrible 49.3 ts % is "clearly" the best player in the draft? What are we doing here?

Even if you were high on Flagg, which is fine, adding the "clearly" is just disrespectful to the other talent in this draft which has outperformed him.

I believe Flagg will do better, but there is nothing clear about him being the best from this draft right now.


nothing like overreacting to 5 games in a rookie season :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
76ciology wrote:Wouldn't Edey have a better chance of winning the scoring battle against Tatum in the post after a switch than Tatum shooting over Edey's 9'6" standing reach?
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#392 » by MMyhre » Yesterday 7:09 pm

jasonxxx102 wrote:
MMyhre wrote:
jasonxxx102 wrote:Most of the rookies have looked way better than advertised! This is shaping up to be a really good class.

Cooper is fine. He's been disappointing relative to expectation but he's still clearly the best player in the class.

CMB is probably my favorite player archetype when it comes to real life basketball value. The elite defense provides such a high floor that if he ever figures out the offense at an above average level he's going to be a phenomenal player

Tre/Fears/Coward/VJ/Harper/Kon all look better than advertised

Queen - I never really saw what skill he had that was a + at the NBA level. He's a tweener forward who can't shoot. Don't know how that's gonna fit and being in New Orleans is just horrible for his development.

Bailey - I talked all leading up to the draft and through the summer how he was really going to struggle in the league as a scorer because he can't create any on-ball separation and he's not really an off-ball player... or at least doesn't see himself that way. He hasn't proven me wrong. Has looked awful so far. People will make up excuses that he's sick or something but he's looked bad bottom line.

So Edgecombe is averaging 20.3 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast/2 to, with 1.5 steals/0.3 blk on a 60.7 ts %. Why are you saying Flagg and his 13.8 pts, 6.5 reb, 3 ast/1.8 to, 0.8 stl/0.5 blk on a terrible 49.3 ts % is "clearly" the best player in the draft? What are we doing here?

Even if you were high on Flagg, which is fine, adding the "clearly" is just disrespectful to the other talent in this draft which has outperformed him.

I believe Flagg will do better, but there is nothing clear about him being the best from this draft right now.


nothing like overreacting to 5 games in a rookie season :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Or we could use the six games we have seen them play at the NBA level, to observe that Flagg is clearly not a way better player than Edgecombe.

I don't think making that statement is anything close to an overreaction.
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Re: 2025-26 NBA Rookie Discussion Thread 

Post#393 » by G R E Y » Yesterday 10:52 pm

:banghead:

Read on Twitter


Wait I read that wrong. Avoided major injury is good!

Phew!

:pray:

UPDATE:
Read on Twitter


**** ESPN, man...
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