The NBA released the rosters for the 2026 Rising Stars game this week, and the rookie list is stacked. From the No. 1 overall pick to some surprise standouts, this group features the best first-year players the league has to offer.

The most impactful rookie this year hasn't been Cooper Flagg. Or Kon Knueppel. Or Tre Johmson. It's Hugo Gonzalez of the Celtics.

It’s been a solid rookie campaign thus far for Dëmin, and one aspect of his game has proven to be especially outstanding.

The 2025‑26 NBA season has been full of exciting rookie performances, and the Kia Rookie Ladder as of January 14, 2026, highlights which first-year players are making the biggest impact. From high-flying scorers to versatile all-around contributors,

Dylan Cardwell isn't supposed to be here. It's not just that he's still in the visiting locker room minutes before the team bus is scheduled to Madison Square Garden while the cleaning crew vacuums around us.

NBA veteran guard Lu Dort and rookie Jeremiah Fears got into a heated altercation during Tuesday's Pelicans-Thunder game. Fears later called Dort "soft" on social media.

It’s always possible that an injury could clear a spot for another worthy rookie candidate. For now, the Rising Stars format presents the same challenge as this season’s Kia Rookie Ladder: Limiting a deep field to just 10.