2026 NBA rookies make a strong early impression
The 2026 NBA rookie class has made an eye-catching start through the first two weeks of the season, with Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff Jr. among the leading performers. Early play and rising trading-card sales have drawn attention to the newcomers as of November 2.
Cameron Boozer has emerged as an early standout for the unbeaten Memphis Grizzlies. He is averaging 17.4 points and 10.3 rebounds, and recently recorded his first triple-double, with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. He then scored a career-high 27 points against Sacramento. His early performances have also helped drive interest in his trading cards: one refractor card that sold for $6.50 in October later fetched $28.
Caleb Wilson has impressed for Chicago at both ends of the court, averaging 21.6 points in the early going. He is also putting up 3.2 combined steals and blocks per game. Wilson is attempting 7.8 three-pointers per game, though he has made 29.8% of them so far. Yaxel Lendeborg has also joined the class’s top group, after scoring a career-best 37 points on 68% shooting against the Clippers.
Darius Acuff Jr. leads the rookies with 26.1 points and 6.3 assists per game. His scoring average ranks 10th across the league, and a limited-edition card of his recently sold for $10,000. AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick, made his Wizards debut after missing four games with an ankle injury. He scored 19 points in his first outing and is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting across his first games, while playing under a minutes restriction.
Darryn Peterson is averaging 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists for Utah, though his role is still taking shape. Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown Jr. have begun their NBA careers off the bench; Brown has also had his minutes limited and missed a game for back-injury management. Early assessments point to a class with several strong starts, while rookies’ roles and performances continue to develop.