The Milwaukee Bucks lost bigly, 137-111, to the Detroit Pistons as this depressing season draws to a close. But you know what’s not depressing? Jericho Sims! The big man recorded the first trip-dub of his career. But yeah, it was a rough one as the Pistons ran all over the Bucks, winning the season series 3-1. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast, Bucks In Six Minutes, below.

Player Grades

Pete Nance

17 minutes, 0 points, 2 rebounds, 0/4 FG, 0/3 3P, -21

Yeah… nothing much to report for Nance. At least he didn’t bomb away.

Grade: D

Ryan Rollins

32 minutes, 23 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 turnovers, 8/19 FG, 1/6 3P, -10

An OK game from Rollins. Not his best, but not his worst either. He had two bad live-ball turnovers, throwing it cross-court, as well as a de facto turnover shooting a three on a no-pass offence barely any seconds into the shot clock. Having said all of this, Ausar Thomspon doesn’t exactly make it easy for you.

Grade: B

Taurean Prince

27 minutes, 15 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/10 FG, 5/8 3P, -7

Like AJ, the only shots TP made were threes, and most of them were incredibly tough looks in which he had a split second to get the shot off, and made them, which was impressive to see. He did have a few poor closeouts, though.

Grade: B-

Ousmane Dieng

26 minutes, 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 6/13 FG, 4/8 3P, -20

Dieng was better last night than he was against the Nets from a shooting POV (including some nice step-backs), but man, the finishing at the rim can be rough; he has to get stronger in the offseason. Also had a horror sequence where he helped on the strong-side corner for no good reason, leaving his man open for an easy three, and then dribbled down and threw a cross-court pass that ended up as a Pistons pick-six. I will say that Ous 1) turned it over less, and 2) competed more on the offensive boards than I recall him doing; he had a nice tip to Sims in this one.

Grade: B-

AJ Green

30 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4/9 FG, 4/8 3P, -18

It’s been great to see AJ get more threes up full stop, but super great that he’s been making them at a way better clip. Over the last six games, he’s shooting 46.2% on a whopping 8.7 attempts per game. Hit a number of tough ones in this game. Whew!

Grade: B

Jericho Sims

38 minutes, 11 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 3/6 FG, -20

Sims’ game just continues to blossom, and you can see the confidence washing over him. Doc continues to use him as a hub, and he’s getting increasingly comfortable making plays and trusting himself in that role. A fair few of Jericho’s assists came off scramble situations where he found a shooter before the defence had set, but he also had some advanced backdoor passes to Rollins and Ryan. Furthermore, he’s trusting himself to take dudes one-on-one a few times every game now, something he wouldn’t have dared to try at the start of the season.

Grade: A+

Cormac Ryan

24 minutes, 16 points, 6/9 FG, 3/6 3P, -11

Another solid game from Cormac. He nailed some threes, but the most intriguing part of his game has been his ability to finish in the paint, whether that be with moves around the rim or just short little jumpers.

Grade: B+

Gary Trent Jr.

19 minutes, 7 points, 3/12 FG, 0/8 3P, -16

GT returned from a decent layoff, but didn’t have it. He looked like the same player we’d seen for most of this season. Had a pretty pathetic effort fighting on the inside against Beef Stew. Did make two layups, though, so you know I have to give an ode to my guy Morgan: “Gary at the rim, Gary at the rim. It’s scary, it’s scary. It’s Gary at the rim!“

Grade: D

Doc Rivers

I think Jericho’s career game last night had a lot to do with Doc empowering him more and more as the season has progressed, so Doc deserves some credit for that. The Bucks were never going to beat that team, but again, they played together and didn’t allow it to get too ugly—that’s all you can really ask for.

Grade: C+

Garbage Time: Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr., Gary Harris

Inactive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, Kevin Porter Jr.

Bonus Bucks Bits

• Doc said Jericho getting a triple-double was “awesome.” Noted that they kept him in and worked to check the boxes as a team as the game wound down.
• Rivers credited Ous for turning it over less, and also defended his high turnover numbers of late because of the lack of other ballhandlers on the team. “There are times when he’s your primary ballhandler, and that’s something, obviously, that we wouldn’t be doing, [but] we have no choice with the bodies.”
• Eric Nehm tweeted that Cleaning the Glass has Ous shooting 65% at the rim since joining the Bucks.
• Credit Finn for notifying me of this, but Cormac Ryan (12) now has more made shots from 0-5 feet than AJ Green (11) for the entire season in nine games played, compared to Green’s 76.

Up Next

The Bucks play their final home game of the season tomorrow night against the Nets. Catch the game at 7:00. p.m. CDT on FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin.

Cooper Flagg recently sat down with Tommy Alter of The Young Man and the Three podcast in his first podcast appearance ever, which he made sure to let everyone know before they started taping. In the episode aptly named THE MAVS EPISODE, Flagg was joined by teammates Ryan Nembhard and Max Christie, and they hit a whole host of topics. 

Some highlights include Christie’s trade to Dallas, everybody’s draft experience and what Max Christie has learned from Klay Thompson. We’ll get back to that last one. 

It’s not a secret that Cooper Flagg has struggled with losing as much as the Dallas Mavericks have this year. He has simply not been used to it. But there is an argument to be made about how learning to lose will help you win later in your career and help you deal with adversity better. 

Flagg talked about that at length, and touched on how he’s improved at managing the mental side as the season wore on. 

“You have to learn how to lose, I think. And learn how to take positives away and know that you might have another one [game] tomorrow or the next day.”

The Dallas Mavericks are in a rebuild phase around Cooper Flagg, and have more than twice as many losses than wins currently at 55-25. 

Coming off a successful season at Duke and drafted with the number one pick, Cooper Flagg is not accustomed to losing at all. 

“We lost four games last year in college and each time we had four or five days in between to go through all the film. You start working on drills from the game, different things that you have to work on,” Flagg said. 

It didn’t make it easier that the pressure was high from back home, especially to start the season:

“The family is freaking out. Like my mom especially. She hadn’t seen me lose that much before so she’s worried about me. And you’re trying to just move on each night.”

“It was tough. There were times early in the season where it was taking a toll on me mentally,” Cooper Flagg said, also emphasizing how much this season has taught him:

“That was a big learning curve for me. Learning how to lose and how to bounce back a little bit quicker and get over it quicker than previously.”

But Flagg is not the only one who learned a lot this season in Dallas. Max Christie, the young shooting guard brought to Dallas with Anthony Davis in the Luka Trade last February, had a lot to say about what a young shooter can learn from one of the best shooters the league has ever seen. 

When asked what he has learned from Klay Thompson, he went straight to talking about Thompson’s personality and how he carries himself:

“Outside of basketball and shooting, it’s been a joy to watch him and his personality. The confidence that he has. He doesn’t care what anybody else thinks about him,” Max Christie said about Klay Thompson. It’s that very useful and extreme shooter’s confidence, which is necessary if you want to be the best. Something once-Maverick Tim Hardaway Jr. was good at, as well. A shooter without confidence is at best mediocre. 

And Max Christie seems inspired by that approach. “It’s honestly something I think that I can use more of. Continuing to have that ultimate confidence,” he said.

When it comes to basketball and shooting, it’s all about speed.

“What I try to take is his speed and his quickness of his release, and how compact his shot is – but how quick he gets into it. And that’s an adjustment for me. This is the best shooting year I’ve had in my career so far and I’m adjusting to how guys are closing out hard. I have a bad habit of sometimes passing up shots because my shot isn’t as quick as I want it to be right now,” he said.

Max Christie is shooting a very efficient 40 percent from three on 5.8 attempts per game this season, and averages 12.2 points per game, the most of his four-year NBA career.

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off two disappointing losses, with their postseason chances tanking. They’ll now look to stop the bleeding in what’s shaping up to be a true must-win game, traveling to Houston to take on the Rockets.

The Rockets, as many know at this point, have had what’s best described as a hot-and-cold season. They stand at 50 wins, which in itself is a legitimate accomplishment. However, the process behind their season has been questionable at best.

Head coach Ime Udoka has struggled mightily with adjustments and making this roster work without a true, traditional point guard. There’s been a burner account scandal that may or may not be true, involving Kevin Durant allegedly trashing his teammates on Twitter, and the fact that neither the Rockets nor KD himself have outright denied it is eyebrow-raising, to say the least.

Then there’s been sporadic play from young superstar Alperen Sengun. Some nights he looks like baby Jokic. Other nights he looks lost, getting pick-and-rolled to death to the dismay of the coaching staff and teammates alike. Factor in the shaky shooting surrounding those two, and it’s a recipe for the Rockets losing games they simply should not have.

A lot of their 50 wins come down to two things: their talent and Durant. Despite the Twitter allegations, he’s been a marvel in his 18th year. He’s already played in 76 games and averaged 25.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists on 51.7 percent shooting and 41.3 percent from three. His durability has been remarkable given his age, and the production has been rock solid for a guy approaching his forties.

The Rockets have also had contributions across the board, with young guys like Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. all finding their respective ways. The issue isn’t the talent, but more so the questionable roster fit. There aren’t many playmakers or guys who can break down a defender off the dribble, which is what makes the Fred VanVleet injury so devastating.

It essentially becomes: let KD cook, and if he misses, pray for an offensive rebound. The Rockets have done well amassing center depth behind Sengun, but results can be inconsistent depending on the matchup.

So, why is this game so important? The standings race has heated up, with the Toronto Raptors winning a few games and leapfrogging the Sixers, who currently sit in the eighth spot. Other teams jockeying for position, particularly the Orlando Magic, have also won some major games which, factored in with their softer remaining schedule, means the Sixers essentially have to win out if they want to secure a playoff spot and stay out of the play-in tournament.

If the Sixers lose this game, it would skyrocket their chances of being in the play-in, as even if they win the final two games, it’s simply too much ground to make up in a very short remaining schedule. If they win, they’d put themselves in the driver’s seat and, barring an embarrassing defeat or two to a tanking team, make the playoffs.

Not to mention, there are implications with this game outside of the postseason picture. The Sixers own the Rockets pick from the Jared McCain deal, and a Sixers win would help keep that pick towards the lower twenties. The Lakers, Rockets and Cavaliers (via Atlanta) all currently sit at 50 wins, with the Knicks and Nuggets right behind at 51. A Rockets loss would help keep that pick closer to 21st overall, while a Rockets win would potentially nudge it closer to 25th.

Speaking of inconsistency, here come the Sixers. Their prior two losses have been winnable games that they simply haven’t been able to win. Tyrese Maxey in particular has put up two duds, being outplayed by Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins and posting what’s ultimately his worst game of the year against the Spurs. This is a get-right matchup where he has to be aggressive against a plethora of Houston defenders. He cannot have another scoreless half like he did in San Antonio.

Maxey wasn’t the sole reason they lost, however. Quentin Grimes has put up two stinkers, and is tanking his respective payday after his now-former agent negotiated him out of any deal. Grimes has Houston ties, so maybe that’ll incentivize him to get back on track with this game. The Rockets don’t have much true guard depth, and both Maxey and Grimes will simply have to be way better than what they’ve shown recently.

The one silver lining that might translate to this game is Joel Embiid, who was hands down the Sixers’ best player against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs. Embiid posted 34 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, and was the only reason the Sixers hung around as they did. Embiid had success against Sengun and the Rockets a few months ago when they played in Philly, and this shapes up to be a potential revenge game of sorts for Sengun. Either that, or Embiid makes Furkan Korkmaz’s offseason comments look even more goofy.

Heading into this game, Cam Payne and Johni Broome are the only Sixers listed, both out. Houston’s side of the injury report is relatively clean, with Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet remaining out with their respective injuries. More or less, this is shaping up to be a mostly healthy team vs. another mostly healthy team.

Out of all the games this season, this might be the biggest one where they have to come away with a victory. A win keeps their guaranteed postseason dreams alive and healthy, a loss essentially banishes them to the dreaded play-in tournament. We’ll have a better idea of where this team is headed soon enough.

Game Details

When: Thursday, April 9, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Prime Video
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

I must admit that I didn’t have high hopes entering yesterday’s game. After all, both Castle and Wemby were sidelined, and the Spurs weren’t really playing for anything (the chance of them getting the first seed is now officially zero). In contrast, a Portland win tonight would have matched their record with the Clippers, giving them an excellent chance to finish the regular season with an improved position in the play-in. Even so, the shorthanded Spurs came out firing and won each of the first three quarters, showcasing impressive depth and versatility. While I hate to see injuries, especially this late in the season, it is heartening to know that this iteration of the Silver and Black can beat a motivated opponent without two of its best players.

Another piece of good news is that — while the box score for this game was pretty vanilla in some respects — it did produce some highly unusual combinations related to free throws, as you will see below. I’m testing out a slightly modified format for the highlights today; first, I’ll outline the key box score factors that determined the game. Second, I’ll identify any notable rarities contained within the box score. These posts are still new and evolving, so please let me know what you think!

Factors that Decided the Game

• This game was quite balanced in many key areas, and where imbalances existed they were often offsetting.
• Regarding balanced stats, San Antonio had a minor edge in total rebounds (+2), a minor deficit in turnovers (+1), and no advantage or disadvantage in total offensive rebounds. San Antonio did have an edge in ORB% (not pictured here), but again it was mild.
• The Spurs were notably more efficient from the field, including FG% and 3P% margins of +3.7 and +5.5 percentage points, respectively. However, these advantages were offset by Portland’s edge in volume, including FGA and 3PA margins of +5 and +8, respectively. The net result of these competing forces was that San Antonio made one more field goal and one less three, thus outscoring the Blazers by a single point from the field.
• With everything else being a wash, this game was effectively decided at the free throw line. Fortunately, the Spurs had big advantages in both volume (+9 FTA) and especially FT% ( +28.95 percentage points), resulting in a FTM differential of +10 (i.e., about 91% of San Antonio’s final margin of victory).

Rare Box Score Stats

• The Spurs’ victory at the charity stripe was weird, because it was quite large despite the combined free throw volume and efficiency of the two teams being unimpressive.
• For example, this contest marked just the 40th time in the last 13 regular seasons that a winning team achieved a FTM differential of +10 or better on no more than 19 FTA. Put another way, this combination happens about 3 times per regular season on average, or about once in every 422 games.
• In the set of 40 games mentioned above, the winning team almost always achieved their large FTM margin with excellent efficiency. However, the Spurs’ FT% in this game was basically average. In fact, regular season winners have earned a FTM margin of +10 or more on 19 of fewer FTA and a FT% no better than 78.95% just five times since 2012-2013, or about once in every 3,372 regular season games.
• Due to Portland’s dreadful FT% (50%), San Antonio achieved a FT% margin of +28.95 percentage points despite having a FT% of just 78.95%. In the last 13 regular seasons, about one in every 375 winners have met or bettered that FT% differential with a FT% that bad or worse (that’s about 3.3 instances per regular season).

What are Team Graded Box Scores?

Very briefly, these box scores grade winner-loser differentials for basic box score statistics, with the grade being based on the winning team’s differential relative to other NBA winners during a defined reference period. Think of it like a report card for understanding how a given winner performed relative to other winners. The reference period used runs from the start of the 2012-2013 season to the latest date of play, including only games in the same season category (i.e., regular season and playoff games are not compared to each other).

Data Source: The underlying data used to create these box scores was collected from Basketball Reference. In all cases, the data are collected the morning after the game is played. Although rare, postgame statistical revisions after data collection do occur and may affect the results after the fact.

The Lakers are searching. 

For their first win since Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were ruled out for the remainder of the NBA’s regular season. 

For the right formula that they can depend on with their star guards sidelined.

For a traditional nine-man rotation that they can take into their first-round playoff series, with the hopes Doncic or Reaves will return at some point during the postseason.

To see the Lakers (50-29) get blown out by the league-leading Thunder, 123-87, for the second time in five days wasn’t a surprise, especially considering they were also without LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes in addition to Doncic and Reaves.

But the frustrations of their current reality, just one week after being one of the league’s hottest teams for 4 ½ weeks, were displayed.

Coach JJ Redick called a timeout 2 ½ minutes into the game, quickly yanking Rui Hachimura from the game after Hachimura “didn’t do his job,” Redick said. 

Redick called a timeout 16 seconds into the second quarter before a verbal back-and-forth broke out between him and Jarred Vanderbilt, who was benched for the remainder of the game following the exchange after playing five minutes. 

“We’ve got to find nine guys that are all in on us fighting and willing to go out on whatever metaphor you want to use — I don’t want to use a war metaphor in this time — but whatever you got to do to go out and fight and be all in on the team,” Redick said. “We’ll find the nine guys. It’s a great opportunity for us over the next three games to find those guys.”

And if the Lakers’ last two games were any indication, there’s a lot of playing time up for grabs.

“Those sort of spots are — they’re open,” Redick said. “Similar to what we’ve done when we’ve been healthy at [center], we’ll play the [center] that is all in that day, and we’ll figure out who that is.”

Realistically, the Lakers have most of their Doncic-, Reaves-less rotation figured out.

James, Smart, Hayes, Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard and Jake LaRavia have played and been in the main rotation every game they’ve been available for the Lakers this season.

That’s unlikely to change, putting the Lakers at seven rotation players without Doncic and Reaves.

But what about the final two spots?

Up for grabs between Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Bronny James, Kobe Bufkin, Maxi Kleber and Dalton Knecht.

Two-way players Drew Timme, Chris Manon and Nick Smith Jr. can be in the regular-season rotation but aren’t eligible to play during the postseason unless they’re converted to standard NBA deals. 

Bufkin and Knecht can likely be ruled out of the rotation; neither has gotten regular playing time even when the team has dealt with multiple injuries.

That leaves Vanderbilt and Kleber as the players who’ll most likely fill out the rotation, with Thiero and Bronny James having an outside shot.

Even though Vanderbilt has gone through significant stretches of not receiving regular playing time, and Tuesday’s altercation between him and Redick stemmed from a “confluence of things,” he’s still a veteran player whom the Lakers have leaned on more than most of their less experienced players.

The same applies for Kleber, who unlocks some of the team’s bigger lineups when he slots next to Ayton or Hayes.

There are three regular-season games left: The Lakers play the Warriors in San Francisco on Thursday before hosting the Suns on Friday and the Jazz on Sunday. 

Plenty of time for the team’s younger players, including Thiero, who had 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal against the Thunder, to make their case.

“Just trying to go out there and keep building my own confidence and building the coaches’ confidence to put more trust in me,” Thiero said. “And show what I can do in those situations.”

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It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t pretty. And yeah, the Dallas Mavericks did their part. Pulling Cooper Flagg late, the five-second violation down five, no real push to extend the game. You saw it. But a win is a win for the Phoenix Suns, and this one mattered. Because with it, they lock up the seventh seed as the Los Angeles Clippers fall. Opponent still unknown, but that piece is secured. Two games left, and you know where you stand. There is value in that. There is comfort in that. Even if the path to get there felt a little clunky.

And honestly, I’ll say it, I’m happy. Because I got what I wanted. It came in an unexpected way, with Jalen Green going down early, and you never root for that. But it opened the door. It created minutes, and those minutes went to the young guys. We saw Rasheer Fleming again. Ryan Dunn got some run. As the season approaches its twilight, and considering how putrid the team has been guarding the perimeter, it was nice to see them again.

Jordan Ott rolled out Khaman Maluach for his first start, and you saw the good and the bad. Late rotations, inconsistent box outs, all of that. But he was out there and he was playing. He was learning in real time. And yeah, blocking his former teammate Flagg? That was a moment.

Now, did the influx of youth solve everything? No. Dallas pushed consistently as rust was evident. Every Suns’ run had an answer. It got tight, some would say too tight. Phoenix flirted with letting it slip, and you could feel that tension creeping in. But they held on. And more importantly, they learned.

That is what this is about right now. Yes, locking in the seventh seed matters. But development has been the thread all season, and in Game 80, you saw it again. Not perfect. Not polished. But progress. And we’ve been looking for signs of progress for the past month. So I’ll take it.

Bright Side Baller Season Standings

Mark Williams’ effectiveness — and his size — helped him earn his 7th BSB of the year.

Bright Side Baller Nominees

Game 80 against the Mavs. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
37 points (13-of-27, 2-of-6 3PT), 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 9-of-9 FT, 4 turnovers, +11 +/-

Dillon Brooks
28 points (11-of-22, 4-of-5 3PT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, +5 +/-

Royce O’Neale
14 points (5-of-7, 4-of-6 3PT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 turnovers, 1 block, -3 +/-

Collin Gillespie
13 points (5-of-12, 1-of-7 3PT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, +4 +/-

Jordan Goodwin
9 points (3-of-7, 3-of-4 3PT), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, +1 +/-

Khaman Maluach
4 points (2-of-5), 14 rebounds, 3 blocks, 0 turnovers, +11 +/-

…and the winner is?

The 2025 NBA Draft always had more to offer than just the grand prize at the top of the class in Cooper Flagg. Flagg was the runaway No. 1 pick throughout his one-and-done season at Duke, but a strong group of prospects emerged behind him led by college teammate Kon Knueppel, Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, and Rutgers star Dylan Harper.

This year’s rookie class didn’t just live up to the hype, it exceeded it. There were impact first-year players all over the league, and while Flagg was spectacular for the Dallas Mavericks, he may not even win NBA Rookie of the Year.

Another talented NBA Draft class is coming down the pipe right now, and the success of the current rookie class should only make teams more desperate for lottery luck. Remember: a lot can change in a year. My rookie rankings from last season would look completely different now if I re-ranked the 2024 class. Let’s rank the NBA’s best rookies for the 2025-26 season based on their first-year impact.

12. Hugo Gonzalez, F, Boston Celtics

Gonzalez wasn’t expected to be an immediate contributor after barely playing at Real Madrid when the Celtics took him with the No. 28 overall pick. Instead, he looks like another hidden gem for Brad Stevens. Gonzalez has the potential to become one of the best wing defenders in the league with a strong 225-pound frame and 6’11 wingspan, and he’s already graded out in the 91st percentile of defensive EPM in his rookie year. The Celtics outscored teams by nearly 14 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor, good for a monstrous +7.2 net-rating. There could be some noise in the plus/minus stats, but Gonzalez’s physical tools, motor, and high-IQ gives him a strong defensive floor while his offense continues to develop.

11. Collin Murray-Boyles, F, Toronto Raptors

Murray-Boyles had the traits of a future All-Defensive team selection entering the draft, and he already made a big impact on that end for a winning team in his rookie year. CMB racked up deflections, steals, and blocks for the Raptors this year, and showed his sharp instincts as a help defender who consistently knew how to plug a leak in the team structure. His three-point shot looked better than expected in a small sample at 34 percent, but significantly increasing his volume from deep is the next step. Even if Murray-Boyles never becomes a plus shooter, he still adds offensive value with his playmaking in the middle of the floor and his offensive rebounding. Finishing with a +3.1% rTS (true shooting relative to league average) is an encouraging sign not just for his scoring efficiency, but also for his overall feel. Toronto found a keeper with the No. 9 overall pick.

10. Jeremiah Fears, G, New Orleans Pelicans

Fears graded out poorly in the impact stats with a -4 net-rating dragging him down. That shouldn’t surprise anyone for one of the youngest rookies in the class, and it shouldn’t be too discouraging yet either. Fears’ blend of speed and elite ball handling ability is what future stars are made of, and hex put it on display with a few 20+ point scoring outbursts every month. He’s not yet an efficient scorer with -5.4 rTS% and still struggles with his turnovers, but the flashes of star-level guard production were there in spurts. He finished in the 100th percentile of rim attempts league-wide, burning defenders to the cup even if he couldn’t always finish. Adding more strength and gaining more experience will help Fears learn how to harvest all of his gifts. He won’t turn 20 years old until the start of next season, and there’s on reason to rush his development just yet. If Fears can keep improving from the baseline he established this year, New Orleans should have its point guard of the future.

9. Derik Queen, F, New Orleans Pelicans

Queen was a divisive prospect coming out of Maryland because his elite strengths also came with some alarming weaknesses, and both were on display during an up-and-down rookie year with New Orleans. Let’s focus on the positives first: Queen’s jumbo creation looked fantastic at times in creating scoring chances for himself and his teammates. His handle and footwork are both impressive for his size, and he showed an ability to both get to the free throw line and make his foul shots. Defenders bounce off Queen on his drives to the rim, and he’s at his best when he’s diming up teammates with rim assists or kick outs to three. The other side of the floor is more of an issue. New Orleans allowed a 121.6 defensive rating with Queen on the floor, and a 115.5 defensive rating with him on the bench, which is the difference between No. 30 and No. 20 in the league. That’s not all Queen’s fault, of course, and the Pelicans’ context didn’t exactly set him up for success. Still, improving as a shooter and defender would go a long way to making Queen more of an impactful player in the long run.

8. Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Charlotte Hornets

Kalkbrenner has been an instant contributor for a winning team as a rookie, which is a big success for any second-round pick. The Hornets knew they were getting a stout defensive big man after he won four Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards in college, and the 7’1 center has indeed been able to provide quality rim protection in drop coverage all season. Would you believe that he also finished second in the entire league in field goal percentage among players who played at least 500 minutes? Kalkbrenner shot nearly 75 percent, which is impressive even if almost every shot was assisted. His upside is more limited than many of his peers, but he knows his role and executes it well. That’s solid for the No. 34 overall pick.

7. Maxime Raynaud, C, Sacramento Kings

Raynaud immediately looks like a steal for the Kings with the No. 42 overall pick. After a four-year career at Stanford, the 7’1 big man has been a productive scorer from day one whose offensive value should only continue to climb as his playmaking and outside shooting develops with better team context and more experience. Raynaud put up 22.5 points per 100 possessions by finishing well at the rim (73.4 percent) and being one of the league’s most effective players from the short mid-range area, which shows his touch on floaters. He only shot 28 percent from three after being much better than that in college, and I’d expect him to be a better outside shooter going forward as he adjusts to the NBA line. His 7.5 percent assist rate undersells his passing ability, too, and that should also pop going forward when he gets some better teammates. Defense is a big issue for Raynaud and certainly undercuts his overall value, but his offensive skill is worth celebrating, especially for a mid-second round pick.

6. Ace Bailey, F, Utah Jazz

Bailey did exactly what any team would want out of their 19-year-old rookie by continuing to look more comfortable as his minutes increased throughout the season. He’s had some huge scoring games in the second half of the season by stressing opposing defenses as an off-ball gunner with the size and touch to splash shots all over the floor. Bailey’s three-point volume was encouraging by taking 45 percent of his field goal attempts from deep, and his touch (35 percent three-point percentage) should only improve in time. His physical tools as a bouncy 6’9 wing allow him to add an element of shot-blocking and offensive rebounding from the perimeter, too. His passing is still pretty minimal and his scoring efficiency fell 4.2 points below league average, but the outline of a deadly off-ball scorer has been there, and that’s an encouraging sign for year two.

5. Cedric Coward, F, Memphis Grizzlies

Coward was close to playing for Duke this season before getting strong intel back at the combine and eventually turning into a lottery pick. His rise from D3 Willamette to an instant impact rookie is one of the most inspiring stories in basketball. The 6’7 wing immediately showed he could be a plus defensively and on the glass, gobbling up boards and contesting shots with his ridiculous 7’2 wingspan. His length and strength were always a good bet to translate, but his scoring punch (24.5 points per 100 possessions) and connective passing both exceeded expectations. His rim finishing is already super impressive, and his outside shooting will only get better over time. He looks like a long-term starter on the wing for Memphis.

4. Dylan Harper, G, San Antonio Spurs

Harper is the rare No. 2 overall pick to land on a legitimate championship contender, and he’s found ways to contribute off the bench during San Antonio’s rise around Victor Wembanyama. He’s a demon going to the rim and already has a lot of finishing craft when he gets in close. He’s a good facilitator too who ranks in the 96th percentile of potential assists (15.3 per 100 possessions) while also doing a great job limiting live-ball turnovers. Harper is going to be a good defender in time too as a big guard who hustles for loose balls, hits the glass, and uses his size to overwhelm smaller ball handlers. He’s in a perfect position to thrive next to Wembanyama long-term even if he does feel a little redundant on the current roster. Harper will slowly grow into Wemby’s top sidekick, and they’re going to be a brilliant pairing for years to come.

3. VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers

Edgecombe’s athleticism, motor, and willingness to get up threes has made him a staple in Philly’s lineups since opening night. The 6’4 guard leverages his top-tier explosiveness on both ends. Defensively, Edgecombe has been stockpiling steals and blocks all year, and he also hits the defensive glass well for a guard while flying in for loose balls whenever he gets a chance. His open court scoring has already been excellent with 67.6 percent true shooting in transition, and his three ball is already at a respectable 35.7 percent. The rim finishing woes Edgecombe showed in college have stuck with him into the NBA, but he has the tools to get better there once he learns more craft. There are plenty of different outcomes for him from here, but it’s fantastic that he can already play a winning role for a solid playoff team.

2. Cooper Flagg, F, Dallas Mavericks

Flagg lived up to the hype in his rookie year and continued to affirm that he’ll become a superstar eventually. As the youngest player in the NBA this season, Flagg took on point guard duties early in the season and still acquitted himself well despite a heavy creation burden. He’s going to be a phenomenal scorer in time, and putting up 29.8 points per 100 possessions as a super young rookie proves that even if he was slightly below league average in his scoring efficiency. His playmaking is going to be one of his strongest skills, and his ability to avoid live ball turnovers is proof that he’s cut out for the point-forward role. Flagg’s shooting will be better than his 29 percent three-point stroke in time. He also has way more upside defensively than he showed this year, where he looked solid but not spectacular while handling a huge offensive load. I’d like to see the Mavs get more ball handling around Flagg and allow him to use more of his energy on the defensive end, where he once looked elite. He’s still going No. 1 in any redraft, but an incredible year from his college teammates means he shouldn’t win Rookie of the Year.

1. Kon Knueppel, G, Charlotte Hornets

Kon Knueppel has been the best rookie in the NBA this season, and he deserves to win the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year award. The No. 4 overall pick has been a deadly offensive weapon, and it has fueled Charlotte’s rise into becoming the Eastern Conference’s team of the future. Knueppel leads the NBA in three-point makes this season while knocking down 43 percent of his looks from behind the arc. He’s already one of the most dangerous screeners in the game, using his big body to free up ball handlers, then darting behind the line for quick pick-and-pop jumpers. Knueppel is more than just a shooter: he’s a smart ball mover, an active participant on the glass, and a smart team defender who knows where to be. Posting +6 rTS% and being a key part of the NBA’s best five-man lineup is almost unthinkable for a rookie. It was going to take a historic season to keep Flagg away from the Rookie of the Year award, and Knueppel delivered it.

Duke great JJ Redick stirred things up a while back when he said guys like Boston Celtic Bob Cousy were “plumbers and firemen” in the off-season and couldn’t play in today’s NBA.

He had a point to an extent: although Cousy had phenomenal court vision, he was small by today’s standards, and if you watch any video at all, you’ll realize quickly that, like just about everyone else in his era, Cousy’s off-hand was very weak when it came to ball handling.

Cousy retired in 1963. In 1972, just 10 years later, the Celtics drafted Paul Westphal out of Southern Cal, and his skill set was entirely different.

Cousy said he learned to pass like a prodigy out of necessity, but he never developed his off-hand. In fairness, in the 1950s and ‘60s, he didn’t really need to.

Westphal, by contrast, was probably the greatest ambidextrous talent at that point in basketball history, and remains one of the finest to this day.

Westphal could basically do whatever he wanted on a basketball court. He was offensively brilliant, and his defense was good, too.

In 1975, the Celtics traded him to Phoenix, and he led the Suns to the NBA Finals against his old team, losing 4-2. Game 5, however, was extraordinary, going to triple overtime before the Celtics prevailed, 128-126.

Westphal had many career highlights, as you’ll see, but his greatest play ever may have been this stunner from the third overtime in that triple OT classic loss to Boston. It’s hard to believe anyone could take a shot like that, under that kind of pressure, much less hit it.

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