There always seems to be a learning curve when it comes to rookies entering the NBA. The jump from college to the NBA is a big adjustment, yet the 2026 draft class is reaching historic heights in just their third week of the 2026-27 season.
From Yaxel Lendeborg's emergence with the Golden State Warriors to Cameron Boozer helping lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 6-1 start to the season to others like Caleb Wilson, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson making key impacts as go-to options for their teams, this year's class has a chance to be one of the best.
In over five months, the 2026-27 season will come to an end, and we will crown one of these first-year players the latest NBA Rookie of the Year. Will that be Lendeborg, Boozer, Wilson, or someone else?
With two full weeks of games to dissect and evaluate each rookie's performance, here's a look at ClutchPoints' first 2026-27 NBA rookie power rankings, which will be updated monthly as the season progresses.
1. Yaxel Lendeborg – Golden State Warriors
Stats: 8 games, 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 50.0 FG%, 40.0 3P%
It seems like every time Yaxel Lendeborg steps foot on the court, he sets some sort of new rookie record that puts him in the same sentence as all-time greats like Shaquille O'Neal, Larry Bird, and even Wilt Chamberlain. Since scoring 12 points in his debut against the Los Angeles Lakers and calling out Luka Doncic for constantly complaining about fouls, the Warriors' rookie has ascended to not only being the Rookie of the Year favorite but also a potential All-Star.
Through his first eight games, Lendeborg has scored 172 total points while shooting 50 percent from the floor. The Warriors desperately needed someone to step up next to Stephen Curry to get things going in the right direction after a 0-3 start to the season, and now Golden State has won five straight games because of Lendeborg.
There were 10 players taken before Lendeborg in June's draft simply because he was 23 years old at the time and turned 24 in September. If Lendeborg was two or three years younger, there would've been real conversations about him being a top-five pick.
Lendeborg is proving that he was the most NBA-ready player in this rookie class, and as the Warriors' No. 2 scoring option, he will continue recording big numbers. Time will tell whether his success will continue to translate to wins for the Warriors, which would only fuel his Rookie of the Year campaign.
2. Cameron Boozer – Memphis Grizzlies
Stats: 7 games, 17.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 38.5 FG%, 37.2 3P%
Only one team remained undefeated at 6-0 entering Monday night: the Memphis Grizzlies. A big reason for that, aside from Ty Jerome's breakout All-Star performances, was Boozer proving to be the best do-it-all rookie in the league.
At just 19 years old, Boozer is averaging a double-double through his first two weeks of his NBA career, and the Grizzlies' rookie recently recorded a triple-double against the Portland Trail Blazers. With 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 124-103 win over Portland, Boozer became the second-youngest player in NBA history behind only Josh Giddey.
From scoring anywhere on the court to being the Grizzlies' main facilitator and playmaker to proving that he can defend any position, Boozer is the complete package and a future All-Star in the making.
Whereas Lendeborg is the No. 2 option for Golden State, Boozer is the No. 1 option for Memphis, which is why his opportunities to win this rookie race will only improve.
3. Caleb Wilson – Chicago Bulls
Stats: 7 games, 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.3 blocks, 43.2 FG%, 32.1 3P%
The Chicago Bulls are not a good basketball team. However, Caleb Wilson is a very good basketball player on both ends of the court.
Defensively, Wilson ranks tied for eighth in the league with 14 total steals. As far as two-way play goes, Wilson is one of three players averaging at least 21.0 points, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. The other two are Nikola Jokic and Cooper Flagg.
Perhaps the biggest thing that stands out about Wilson is the fact that he hates losing and is doing everything he can to improve the Bulls' outlook.
“I know that this is gonna be the most I lose in my life. I’m in the NBA now, and we’re not the team that we want to be in the future,” Wilson said recently. “I mean, losing games doesn’t make you a loser, but your approach to losing games and your approach to basketball, how you play, is what makes you a loser.
“I feel like there's a lot of things that I do that rookies aren’t expected to do either. On the court, rookies aren’t expected to play the way I do, or do a lot of the things that I do. Don't have the expectations and pressure that I do. So me being a leader is a beautiful opportunity to afford to me. But nothing that I do, I feel like, is typical.”
This kid simply gets it, and the sky's the limit for what he can achieve on a Bulls team that will lean on him as the season progresses.
4. AJ Dybantsa – Washington Wizards
Stats: 3 games, 19.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 50.0 FG%, 27.3 3P%
AJ Dybantsa made his season debut this past week in a 121-111 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, scoring 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Through his first three games, Dybantsa has taken on a key role offensively for the Washington Wizards, as expected, next to Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
He is one of the best scorers in this draft class, which is why he was selected first overall, and Dybantsa is just getting started with his 57 points in 90 total minutes. The Wizards have a great chance to make a real playoff push this season, not just because of their two veteran All-Stars, but because of Dybantsa's explosive scoring and dynamic play.
5. Darius Acuff Jr. – Sacramento Kings
Stats: 7 games, 26.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 40.6 FG%, 31.3 3P%
Nothing has gone right for the Sacramento Kings this season other than putting the ball in Darius Acuff Jr.'s hands.
Acuff currently leads all rookies in scoring at 26.1 points per game, and he is only one of nine players in the league currently averaging over 26 points per game. The Kings' rookie has done so while taking 165 total shots, tied with Luka Doncic for the second-most in the NBA.
Not only does Acuff have three 30-point performances in his seven games, but one of these games resulted in him having 34 points and 14 assists, joining LeBron James as the only other teenager in NBA history to have at least 30 points and 12 assists in a game.
Expect Acuff to continue leading all rookies in scoring this season, especially since the Kings are comfortable with him taking at least 20 shot attempts every game.
6. Darryn Peterson – Utah Jazz
Stats: 7 games, 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, 36.3 FG%, 37.5 3P%
During the first week of his career, Darryn Peterson averaged 10.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the floor. Over his last four games, Peterson has averaged 15.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 33.9 percent from the floor.
Although his efficiency has decreased slightly, Peterson's confidence is growing, and he is becoming a more complete player for the Utah Jazz alongside Keyonte George in the backcourt.
The scoring will come around for Peterson, and the key for him is to continue building confidence as Utah's primary ball-handler and playmaker. His increase in assists and isolation sets from one week to the next early this season is definitely eyebrow-raising.
7. Aday Mara – Oklahoma City Thunder
Stats: 7 games, 6.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 55.9 FG%
By the end of the 2026-27 NBA season, teams will be kicking themselves for letting Aday Mara fall into the Oklahoma City Thunder's lap with the 12th pick. Mara has only played 127 total minutes, below 20 minutes per game off the bench, but he is +9 on the season in terms of total plus-minus, and his 12 blocks is ranked tied for seventh in the entire league.
Given all the injury problems in Oklahoma City, especially to Chet Holmgren, Mara will continue to see increased opportunities in the frontcourt alongside Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams.
Article Continues BelowBetween his shot-blocking skills and rebounding abilities, Mara can be a double-double threat off the bench as the year goes on.
8. Trevon Brazile – Denver Nuggets
Stats: 6 games, 8.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 55.9 FG%, 35.3 3P%
We normally don't see second-round picks featured on the NBA rookie rankings this early in a season, but Trevon Brazile has really started to make a name for himself coming off the bench for the Denver Nuggets.
Out of all the players on the Nuggets, Brazile ranks only behind Jamal Murray (+14) with a +13 plus-minus this season. While Brazile may not have the flashy scoring numbers as other rookies, he is making the right reads and plays on offense, he's rebounding at a high rate off the bench, and he's proven to be a versatile defender.
9. Keaton Wagler – LA Clippers
Stats: 7 games, 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 29.0 FG%, 30.3 3P%
Although Keaton Wagler has flashed his offensive potential, there is still a lot of room to grow for the LA Clippers' rookie. Despite ranking eighth in scoring among all rookies, Wagler is shooting below 30 percent from the floor and struggling to find a rhythm.
However, he has recorded 46 free-throw attempts, the second most among all rookies and tied for the 14th most among all players in the NBA. His ability to slow the game down and play at his pace is what makes Wagler an interesting rookie to watch.
10. Meleek Thomas – Cleveland Cavaliers
Stats: 4 games, 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 48.9 FG%, 47.6 3P%
Behind Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, rookie guard Meleek Thomas has started to make a name for himself.
Thomas did not make his season debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers until their third game of the season, yet he has recorded at least 10 points in all four games he has played in. On Monday in a 117-112 loss to the Thunder, Thomas notched a career-high 17 points and five rebounds in just his fourth game of the season.
The Cavaliers really need a reliable bench scorer they can turn to, and they may have found one in the 20-year-old combo guard who was the 34th pick in June.