NBA execs debate the rookie class: Flagg runaway ROY? Biggest steal? Best pick?

The 2025 NBA draught has wrapped up, with the rookie people debuting astatine summertime leagues and teams looking up to adjacent season.

In the aftermath of the yearly Las Vegas showcase, wherever No. 1 prime Cooper Flagg and others turned successful standout performances, we polled aboriginal opinions connected the draught and what NBA teams are expecting from their caller faces.

ESPN's Jeremy Woo surveyed 20 anonymous NBA executives and scouts, asking for their thoughts connected the incoming rookie people for the 2025-26 NBA season. Based connected their evaluations and preliminary observations from this offseason, participants formed their votes connected 5 questions.

Can anyone situation Flagg for Rookie of the Year? Which players were viewed arsenic imaginable draught steals? And who bash teams presumption arsenic the front-runner for the No. 1 prime successful 2026? Our panelists weighed in.

Jump to:
Rookie of the Year | Best pick | Best steal
Biggest reach | No. 1 prime successful 2026

Who's your NBA Rookie of the Year pick?

1. Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks, No. 1): 17 votes
2. Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs, No. 2): 2 votes

Also receiving votes: Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)

The aboriginal Rookie of the Year front-runner isn't precisely a surprise: Flagg was the No. 1 prime for bully crushed and is considered not lone the apical imaginable but possibly the astir NBA-ready subordinate successful the class. He joins a Mavericks squad expected to thin connected him, with Kyrie Irving recovering from tearing an ACL successful March. Flagg's playmaking skills, positional size and antiaircraft interaction task to beryllium instantly useful.

The caveat, arsenic mentioned by a fewer of our voters, is that Flagg whitethorn not upwind up starring the rookie people successful scoring. He's inactive processing arsenic a changeable creator, and the Mavericks shouldn't request him to transportation an outsized load successful that respect. His 31-point summertime league showing (before Dallas unopen him down) helped to underscore Flagg's ability, but connected a squad with plentifulness of veterans, helium whitethorn not beryllium needed to instrumentality implicit games. Other rookies, including Ace Bailey and Johnson, landed connected rebuilding teams wherever they'll apt person much state to operate, but aren't expected to triumph arsenic galore games. In the end, voters wide foretell Flagg's prima powerfulness and winning interaction volition thrust the grant voting.

"I presume idiosyncratic similar Bailey oregon Johnson whitethorn outscore Cooper arsenic a rookie," 1 Eastern Conference enforcement said, "but Cooper volition marque much meaningful contributions that propulsion Dallas into play-in range."

Which rookie -- different than Flagg -- volition beryllium to beryllium the draft's champion pick?

1. VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers, No. 3): 10 votes
2. Dylan Harper (Spurs, No. 2): 6 votes

Also receiving votes: Carter Bryant (Spurs), Yang Hansen (Portland Trail Blazers), Tre Johnson (Wizards), Nique Clifford (Sacramento Kings)/Asa Newell (Atlanta Hawks)

With Flagg the overwhelming headliner of the 2025 draught class, we geared this question toward the remainder of the group. "Best pick" was near unfastened for mentation intentionally: The extremity was simply to find retired which selection(s) rival teams liked most.

The large victor present was Edgecombe, who came disconnected the committee 3rd to the 76ers and underscored his endowment earlier this period with an outstanding 28-point show successful his lone crippled astatine the Utah summertime league. The Baylor merchandise is turning into a dynamic downhill slasher successful the backcourt, and galore execs and scouts judge helium has important untapped upside operating with the shot successful his hands aft playing mostly distant from it successful college.

While determination were immoderate tenable questions astir acceptable successful Philadelphia, wherever the 76ers besides person Tyrese Maxey and 2024 draught prime Jared McCain astatine guard, Edgecombe's imaginable to beryllium a standout connected some sides of the shot yet overrode those concerns. There's plentifulness of optimism astir the league surrounding his future.

"VJ mightiness beryllium Philly's second-best subordinate by the extremity of the season, factoring successful [Joel] Embiid's uncertain health," an Eastern Conference GM said. "He's that bully and volition thrive playing successful Nick Nurse's system. "

San Antonio's Harper, the No. 2 prime retired of Rutgers, garnered six votes, with immoderate viewing the Spurs arsenic a beardown landing spot contempt a crowded backcourt situation, with Harper joining 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and precocious acquired De'Aaron Fox successful the mix. Harper's pick-and-roll prowess and crafty, almighty benignant of play made him the prime for the Spurs, who person been optimizing for further playmaking astir Victor Wembanyama moving forward. Even if helium winds up coming disconnected the seat arsenic a rookie, Harper projects arsenic a foundational semipermanent player.

"[Harper] has immoderate [Manu] Ginobili to his violative game," 1 Western Conference scout said. "If the 3-point changeable ever becomes a existent limb [for him], helium makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a bully commercialized asset."

Which rookie volition beryllium the biggest draught steal?

1. Carter Bryant (Spurs, No. 14): 5 votes
2. Joan Beringer (Minnesota Timberwolves, No. 17): 4 votes
3. Kasparas Jakucionis (Miami Heat, No. 20): 2 votes

Also receiving votes: Walter Clayton Jr. (Utah Jazz), Tre Johnson (Wizards), Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors), Asa Newell (Hawks), Noah Penda (Orlando Magic), Danny Wolf (Brooklyn Nets), Khaman Maluach (Phoenix Suns)/Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies), Liam McNeeley (Charlotte Hornets)/Chaz Lanier (Detroit Pistons), Carter Bryant (Spurs)/Nique Clifford (Kings)

This question turned up the widest scope of responses, with respective voters offering dual answers. Spurs rookie Bryant garnered the astir votes connected the heels of his fantabulous antiaircraft play astatine the Las Vegas summertime league. The Arizona guardant was wide expected to travel disconnected the committee earlier, with imaginable suitors successful Portland and Atlanta trading retired of their slots successful the precocious lottery and dropping him to San Antonio's spot.

"[Bryant] volition crook into an interaction helping defender that tin marque 3's and beryllium a portion of their core," 1 Eastern Conference scout said. "We'll look backmost successful respective years portion the Spurs are winning big, and radical volition notation them drafting Castle astatine 4 [in 2024] and Bryant astatine 14 to brace defensively with Victor arsenic [draft] steals."

There was besides excitement astir Beringer, different defensive-oriented imaginable who played good successful Las Vegas. The 18-year-old French halfway has lone been playing hoops competitively for 4 years, but has demonstrated beardown instincts arsenic a changeable blocker, lob catcher and played his mode into the archetypal circular of the draught aft entering past play arsenic a lesser-known talent. Beringer drew precocious lottery involvement but ended up falling to the Timberwolves aft 3 centers -- Derik Queen, Thomas Sorber and Yang Hansen -- were selected successful the 4 picks preceding him astatine No. 17. He'll beryllium an understudy to countryman and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert adjacent season.

"[Beringer] could crook retired to beryllium a top-five subordinate successful this draft," the Eastern Conference GM said. "Upside is done the roof, and helium doesn't adjacent cognize however to play yet. He is besides successful a cleanable concern wherever helium tin larn and turn from each of their bigs."

Which prime was the draft's biggest reach?

1. Egor Demin (Nets, No. 8): 7 votes
2. Yang Hansen (Trail Blazers, No. 16): 4 votes
3. Cedric Coward (Grizzlies, No. 11): 3 votes

Also receiving votes: Thomas Sorber (Oklahoma City Thunder), Drake Powell (Nets), Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans), Noa Essengue (Chicago Bulls) and 1 elector preferred not to answer

Three players drew aggregate votes from the panel: Demin, Yang and Coward, with the Nets defender drafting the astir scrutiny. Brooklyn held 5 first-round picks and yet made and rostered each 5 of them, enabling a strategy that led to respective swings connected playmaking prospects, including Demin. At 6-foot-9, Demin has fantabulous passing skills but was divisive for teams each play arsenic helium dealt with ups and downs adjusting to assemblage hoops astatine BYU.

"Even if you judge successful [Demin] arsenic a starting NBA constituent defender -- and I don't -- it seems similar helium would've been gettable astatine the extremity of the lottery, oregon adjacent later," 1 Eastern Conference enforcement said.

Yang was surely the astir astonishing prime of the draft, with astir teams expecting him to travel disconnected the committee successful the aboriginal 2nd circular earlier the Trail Blazers traded backmost with the Grizzlies from No. 11 to No. 16 and selected him overmuch sooner. The 20-year-old halfway turned retired to beryllium a precedence for the Blazers, who softly coveted him aft monitoring him implicit the past mates of years. Yang had a bully showing astatine summertime league, continuing to flash fantabulous playmaking instincts and promising violative accomplishment (10.8 points, 5 rebounds and 3.8 assists successful 4 games). Still, determination was immoderate feeling that helium was selected a spot excessively aboriginal comparative to however immoderate evaluated the board, with concerns astir his ft velocity and antiaircraft projection, cardinal questions arsenic his vocation progresses.

"I similar [Yang] -- conscionable didn't spot it coming, with him going close extracurricular of the lottery," different Eastern Conference enforcement said.

Coward, the subordinate yet selected No. 11 by Memphis successful that commercialized deal, was a large riser successful the predraft process. But aft playing conscionable six games astatine Washington State owed to injury, immoderate astir the league viewed him arsenic much unproven than what would beryllium considered optimal for a emblematic precocious lottery selection. The Grizzlies targeted him arsenic portion of their replacement program for Desmond Bane, who they traded past period to the Magic.

"He's a earthy endowment who needs to larn the game," 1 Western Conference scout said. "But if helium tin sprout and support [and it translates], there's a accidental with his carnal intangibles."

One scout preferred not to answer, feeling that it's hard to critique picks without a afloat knowing of different teams' valuation processes. "If [your] squad believed successful the guy," helium said, "then instrumentality your guy."

Who volition beryllium the No. 1 prime successful the 2026 NBA draft?

1. Darryn Peterson (Kansas): 12 votes
2. A.J. Dybantsa (BYU): 8 votes

Looking up to 2026, adjacent play mightiness bring a choky contention for the No. 1 spot connected boards, with Kansas defender Peterson (ESPN's existent No. 1 imaginable successful 2026) and BYU helping Dybantsa (No. 2 connected our Top 100) arsenic the 2 starring candidates.

Peterson commanded much votes, with his antithetic premix of positional size, accomplishment and explosiveness profiling arsenic 1 of the champion pb defender prospects successful caller memory. He has the carnal endowment and competitory constitution to excel arsenic an violative creator and standout defender. He volition beryllium heavy featured for the Jayhawks aft a beardown elder play astatine Prolific Prep enactment him astatine the forefront of the No. 1 conversation.

"Peterson stands retired arsenic the much implicit and dependable option," said 1 Eastern Conference executive, who voted for Peterson, viewing him arsenic the much NBA-ready of the 2 players and harping connected the maturity of his approach. "Each clip I spot him, he's sharper, much refined and continues to amusement growth, perpetually raising his level of play. That hunger, consistency and thrust to get amended translates straight into winning impact."

Contrary to 2025, erstwhile Flagg held the mantle of No. 1 from commencement to finish, determination should beryllium rather a spot to play retired connected the tribunal starting successful the fall, with Dybantsa inactive precise overmuch successful the picture. For a time, helium was considered the beardown favourite for the archetypal selection, with NBA teams heavy keyed successful connected him since his freshman twelvemonth of precocious school.

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"It's a full toss-up close present -- by nary means is [there a] statement yet," said 1 Western Conference executive, who besides formed a ballot for Peterson. "Peterson feels a small much well-rounded offensively and tin relation connected and disconnected the ball, which drives a fewer much palmy 'off-ramps' for him. I bash deliberation A.J. has much prima prime due to the fact that he's a amended athlete. I similar that Peterson's accomplishment and maturity connected the tribunal already look higher -- he's been forced to grow different parts of his crippled [already]."

While Dybantsa hasn't displayed the aforesaid level of polish, the semipermanent statement for his upside arsenic champion successful his people remains: He has the emblematic skills for a prima helping player, arsenic an elite jock susceptible of physically dominating matchups connected some ends. After starring Team USA to a FIBA U19 World Cup rubric successful Switzerland earlier this month, Dybantsa volition beryllium the astir touted imaginable ever to play for BYU, wherever he'll person a important runway to marque his case. His improvement arsenic a 3-point shooter volition beryllium pivotal.

"They're a akin tier of imaginable ... A.J. is 6-foot-9 and successful this league, size inactive does matter," said an Eastern Conference scout, who formed a ballot for Dybantsa. "I deliberation [BYU coach] Kevin Young volition enactment him successful fantabulous positions to showcase and turn his crippled this year. Peterson volition person to combat against the deficiency of spacing Kansas looks to have."

While lone Peterson and Dybantsa drew votes and are driving the aboriginal discussion, a beardown trio of freshman prospects rounds retired our aboriginal apical five: Duke large Cameron Boozer, Tennessee guardant Nate Ament and Louisville defender Mikel Brown. As the 2026 draught rhythm gets underway, we'll beryllium intimately monitoring however NBA teams presumption the apical names.