NBA Announces 2025/26 All-Rookie Teams
The NBA has officially revealed its All-Rookie teams for the 2025/26 season (Twitter links). The First Team is made up the top four picks in the 2025 draft, along with the No. 11 overall selection, while the Second Team consists of four additional lottery picks and one second-rounder.
A panel of 100 media members selected the All-Rookie teams, with players earning two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team nod. The 10 players who made the cut, along with their corresponding point totals (Twitter link), are as follows:
First Team
- Cooper Flagg, Mavericks (200 points)
- Kon Knueppel, Hornets (200)
- VJ Edgecombe, Sixers (200)
- Dylan Harper, Spurs (193)
- Cedric Coward, Grizzlies (125)
Second Team
- Derik Queen, Pelicans (110)
- Maxime Raynaud, Kings (110)
- Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans (109)
- Ace Bailey, Jazz (107)
- Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors (66)
Flagg, Knueppel, and Edgecombe were the three finalists for Rookie of the Year and received nearly all the votes for that award, so it comes as no surprise that they’re the three players who were unanimously selected to the All-Rookie First Team.
Harper played a key role for the 62-win Spurs, while Coward emerged as a reliable scorer for the Grizzlies, averaging 13.6 points per game on 47.1% shooting. They were the only two players besides the three finalists to show up on any Rookie of the Year ballots.
Fears and Bailey ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, among rookies in scoring, while Queen and Raynaud earned starting roles for their respective teams and responded well, with Queen averaging 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, while Raynaud put up 12.5 PPG and 7.5 RPG. Raynaud, the only non-lottery pick on the All-Rookie teams, was the 42nd overall pick last June.
Murray-Boyles’ counting stats were modest, but he played a rotation role and showed off impressive defensive versatility for a Raptors team that finished fifth in the East. His eight first-team votes and 50 second-team votes helped earn him the final All-Rookie spot over Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who had 43 second-team votes.
Wizards guard Tre Johnson (19 points), Celtics wing Hugo Gonzalez (5), Wizards swingman Will Riley (4), Spurs forward Carter Bryant (3), Nets guard Egor Demin (2), Hornets guard Sion James (2), Heat guard Kasparas Jakucionis (1), and Mavericks guard Ryan Nembhard (1) were the other players who showed up on at least one ballot.
Among all the players who received All-Rookie votes, only Nembhard went undrafted — he signed a two-way contract with Dallas as a free agent, then was promoted to the Mavs’ standard roster in February.
All-Rookie is one of the few awards that doesn’t require players to meet the 65-game minimum and certain minutes-played thresholds. Harper, Coward, Queen, Raynaud, Bailey, and Murray-Boyles each would have been ineligible for consideration if the 65-game rule applied to All-Rookie voting.
Schlenk, Redden Among Execs Linked To Sixers Job
Wizards VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk and Clippers general manager Trent Redden are among the NBA executives who have been linked to the Sixers‘ search for a new head of basketball operations, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports.
O’Connor also confirms the 76ers have targeted Hawks GM Onsi Saleh, but reiterates that Atlanta is viewed as unlikely to allow Saleh to speak to Philadelphia, as first reported by Marc Stein.
Formerly an assistant GM in Golden State under Bob Myers, Schlenk was hired as Atlanta’s GM in 2017 and was promoted to president of basketball ops in 2019. He was moved to an advisory role by the Hawks in December 2022, then was hired by Washington in June 2023.
Redden, a longtime Cavaliers executive, joined the Clippers as an assistant GM in 2017. The 42-year-old was promoted to GM in 2023 and has been linked to previous top front office vacancies.
The Sixers fired former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey last week after they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by New York. The search process is being led by former Warriors president Myers, who is now president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment.
Stein previously linked Cavaliers GM Mike Gansey, Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren, Sixers consultant Neil Olshey and Thunder executive Vince Rozman, a former Sixers employee, to Philadelphia’s front office vacancy, while noting that assistant GM Jameer Nelson could be in line for an expanded role.
A few days ago, Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer listed 10 potential candidates for the position. In addition to Rozman, Olshey, Schlenk, U’Ren and Saleh, Mizell mentioned current 76ers GM Elton Brand, NBPA executive director Andre Iguodala, Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, Pistons senior VP Dennis Lindsey, and Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin as some other names to watch.
Morey’s successor in Philadelphia is expected to run the front office on a day-to-day basis and will have “a lot of authority,” though Myers acknowledged last week that he’ll be involved with the Sixers’ “high-level decision making.”
Yam Madar Reportedly Agrees To Deal With LSU
Israeli point guard Yam Madar has agreed to a lucrative contract to play college basketball at LSU, according to a report from Mozzart Sport. Israel Hayom previously reported that Madar was in advanced talks with LSU on a deal worth approximately $5MM.
Both outlets noted that Madar would have to be granted special eligibility from the NCAA in order to be cleared to suit up for the Tigers. He turned 25 years old in December and holds extensive international experience, so he’d only be able to play one season if he’s granted eligibility.
According to Kevin Sweeney of SI.com (Twitter link), Madar’s case for eligibility would likely be tied to an exemption for military service and participation with the Israeli national team.
Madar is a former second-round pick, having been selected 47th overall in 2020. However, he never signed an NBA contract, and the Celtics — the team that drafted him — still control his NBA rights.
According to Israel Yayom, Madar has been unhappy with his role with Hapoel Tel Aviv, as he rarely played in EuroLeague action in 2025/26. The 6’3″ guard is under contract next season at an estimated $1.9MM, but his deal features a buyout clause that could allow him to play for LSU, assuming he’s eligible.
Madar, who won the EuroLeague’s Rising Star award during the ’22/23 campaign, has played for Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan Belgrade, Fenerbahce, and Bayern Munich since he was drafted six years ago.
There’s no recent precedent for a player in Madar’s situation. The closest comparable might be James Nnaji, a Knicks prospect who was selected 31st overall in the 2024 draft. However, Nnaji, who played a modest role for Baylor to end last season, is nearly four full years younger than Madar.
Eastern Notes: Wizards, Brown, Celtics, Pacers
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the past three seasons, but team owner Ted Leonsis has no regrets about pivoting to a full roster tear-down – or, as he calls it, a “deconstruction” – after several years mired in mediocrity, he tells Barry Svrluga of The Athletic. Leonsis indicated that he’s happy with the job team president Michael Winger has done to position the Wizards for a more promising future.
“(Winger) said to me three or four times, ‘You know, this could take four or five years,'” Leonsis said. “And I said, ‘I totally understand. I’ve been through the deconstructing stage with the (NHL’s Washington Capitals). I lived through it the first time with the Wizards. I’m prepared. … I don’t see any other path to get out of where we are than deconstruct.’ And they executed it very, very well.”
Of course, the Wizards’ future looks much more positive after the May 10 draft lottery than it did before it — armed with the No. 1 overall pick in a loaded 2026 draft, Washington is in position to add a long-term franchise cornerstone to its young core. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Wizards will become a contender overnight. Leonsis told Svrluga that he considers the rebuild to be “just starting” rather than ending.
“I think it’s an important point on this long, long journey that we’ll be on.” the Wizards’ owner said, before pausing and adding, “The deconstruction, though, is over.”
We have more from around the Eastern Conference:
- So what exactly should the Wizards do with that first overall pick? One rival front office official told Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic that figuring that out is a “great (expletive) problem to have.” Of the 13 executives and scouts who spoke to Robbins and Aldridge, seven said they’d take AJ Dybantsa, two expressed a preference for Darryn Peterson, one said he’d want Cameron Boozer, and three didn’t commit to a specific prospect.
- While Jaylen Brown will technically be eligible for a contract extension as of July 26, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes that the Celtics will likely feel no sense of urgency to get a new deal done at this point, given that there are still three years left on Brown’s current super-max contract. Robb doesn’t expect a Brown extension to be among Brad Stevens‘ offseason priorities.
- Observing that the Celtics want to get more athletic and add another ball-handler this summer, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) explores whether the club might be able to address either of those needs with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft. Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie, Duke forward Isaiah Evans, and Texas wing Dailyn Swain are among the prospects Washburn considers as possible targets for Boston.
- After losing their first-round pick on lottery night, what’s next for the Pacers this summer? Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) attempts to answer that question, noting that the team may want to add another wing with size. Dopirak examines which trade and free agent targets might be realistic for Indiana and weighs whether it would make sense for the club to trade back into the draft, likely in the second round.
Stein’s Latest: LeBron, Sixers, Magic, Blazers, Giannis
Has LeBron James played his last NBA game? That’s the question Marc Stein wondered on Saturday at his Substack.
Stein and people he trusts around the league think James is likely to play a record-extending 24th season in 2026/27, but Stein acknowledges that no one — maybe not even James — knows the answer.
James, a 21-time All-NBA member, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 41-year-old’s “runaway preference” would be to remain with the Lakers, Stein writes, and they’re believed to be open to that scenario as well — with a caveat.
According to Stein, Los Angeles would like to bring back LeBron at a “much lower number” than the $52.6MM he made this season. However, Stein views that scenario as “thorny,” since James has never accepted the sort of discounted rate the Lakers might prefer to offer.
Still, the other teams that could appeal to James — the Warriors, Cavaliers, Knicks and Clippers — may not be able to offer him much in free agency either, Stein notes. That might make retirement a more viable option, even though Stein suspects the NBA’s all-time leading will play another season.
Stein also detailed several other items of interest in his Sunday edition of The Stein Line:
- Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, recently said the Sixers‘ new head of basketball operations would have “a lot of authority” but that he expects to be involved in major personnel and roster decisions moving forward. That has led to a “widespread belief” around the league that Myers will explore the possibility of hiring Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh for the job, according to Stein, who points out that Saleh worked with Myers in Golden State. However, Stein hears Saleh is expected to remain with Atlanta, as the 76ers would require permission to speak to him, and that seems unlikely to be granted after Saleh finished second in Executive of the Year voting.
- According to Stein, there have been “rumbles” about the Sixers potentially being intrigued by Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, but he’s still under contract for another year and Minnesota didn’t show any interest in letting him speak to Dallas before the Mavericks decided to hire Masai Ujiri.
- Regardless of what happens with the front office search, Stein has heard chatter throughout the season about Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson potentially being promoted to an “expanded role.” The former NBA point guard is highly regarded in Philadelphia and in the league and is “routinely described” as a possible future GM, Stein writes. 76ers consultant Neil Olshey and Thunder executive Vince Rozman, a longtime former Sixers employee, have also been connected to Philadelphia’s front office vacancy after the team fired Daryl Morey.
- The Magic hope to hire an experienced head coach to replace Jamahl Mosley, per Stein, and Billy Donovan is still viewed as a “strong candidate” for the position despite backing out of the same job to return to the University of Florida in 2007. Tom Thibodeau is another experienced coach who remains a free agent, Stein notes.
- Sources tell the Stein Line that Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori can be added to the list of names the Trail Blazers have expressed interest in as they search for a new head coach. For what it’s worth, former Blazers head coach Terry Stotts threw his name into the hat recently as well, texting longtime Oregon sportswriter Dwight Jaynes that he’d like another crack at the job. “I would love to come back to the Blazers and Portland,” Stotts told Jaynes. Stotts, who confirmed his agent has reached out to Portland about the position, spent the last two seasons as the Warriors’ top assistant.
- According to Stein, the following statement from president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is among the reasons the Celtics keep popping up as a potential suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo: “One of the things that we’ve got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim,” Stevens said. “And I think we do need to add to our team to do that.”
And-Ones: Social Justice Award, Wemby, Leg Injuries, McGrady
Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Pistons forward Tobias Harris, and Cavaliers big man Larry Nance Jr. are the five finalists for the 2026 Social Justice Champion award, the NBA announced in a press release.
“The annual award honors a current NBA player for pursuing social justice and will receive the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar trophy for advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged,” the release states.
“The NBA Social Justice Champion will be announced during the Conference Finals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs and receive a $100,000 donation from the NBA for a non-profit organization of his choosing.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is unlikely to suit up for the French national team for a pair of 2027 FIBA World Cup qualifying games in early July, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops, but the former No. 1 overall pick is expected to be available during the second qualifying window in late August. San Antonio’s deep playoff run — the Spurs are set to face Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals — is the reason why Wembanyama probably won’t play for Team France in July.
- Kirk Goldsberry of The Ringer takes a data-focused look at the NBA’s significant rise in soft-tissue leg injuries and considers what measures the league could take to mitigate them.
- Hall-of-Famer Tracy McGrady relaunched his Ones Basketball League at Oak Ridge High School in Orlando on Friday, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “I thought it was a great atmosphere,” McGrady said of the rowdy crowd. “Orlando showed a lot of support. I thought the guys played extremely well, played hard. … All in all, I think it was a great showing. And hopefully the crowd that was here got an opportunity to see some good basketball and understand what we’re trying to build.” Beede passes along more details about the one-on-one league, which will conclude on July 1 with a prize of $100,000.
Celtics Notes: Tatum, Repeater Tax, Free Agency, Brown
Jayson Tatum entered this season just hoping to recover from his torn Achilles and help the Celtics by playoff time. His goals for 2026/27 are much loftier, relays Souchi Terada of MassLive, as Tatum said in a recent appearance on the “Glass Half Full” podcast with Craig Melvin that he dreams of “winning another championship and holding up Finals MVP.”
Tatum was part of the title-winning team in 2024, but he watched teammate Jaylen Brown get named MVP of both the NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. Tatum’s play-making and defense were vital in the series against Dallas, but he struggled with his shot and Brown put up better overall numbers.
Tatum also addressed his physical status after soreness in his left knee forced him to miss Game 7 of the first-round loss to Philadelphia. He’s looking forward to training normally this summer without having to face a long rehab process.
During the conversation, Tatum revaled that he inquired about whether there was anything he could have done to prevent the Achilles injury.
“I asked the doctor, ‘If I got an MRI the day before, would you have been able to tell me I was at risk?’” Tatum said. “He was like, ‘Honestly, you might not want to hear this, but your tendon looks perfectly healthy.’ It was just an unlucky moment. And that was hard to hear because I was doing everything right. I was taking care of my body. I was getting treatment. I was doing all my strength work, every game day.”
There’s more from Boston:
- President of basketball operations Brad Stevens talked about the need for a talent upgrade at his end-of-season press conference, but that could lead to some difficult financial decisions, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. The Celtics were able to duck below the tax line this year, and they’ll need to do so again to reset the repeater clock. The team has about $181MM committed to 11 players for 2026/27, putting it roughly $19MM below the projected $200.5MM tax line.
- In a mailbag column, Robb looks at potential moves involving LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Obi Toppin. He also examines the center market, pointing to the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson and the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams as the best available free agents, but stating that their current teams can offer them more than the Celtics could. The Magic’s Moritz Wagner and the Bulls’ Zach Collins could also be options, but Robb suggests the Celtics might be better off looking for trades.
- Brown discusses his reaction to being benched early in his career during an appearance on the “State of the Game” video series, per Robb.
Draft Notes: Combine, Peterson, Stojakovic, Momcilovic
Baylor wing Cameron Carr, North Carolina State guard Matt Able and UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. are among the prospects who boosted their stocks at this week’s draft combine, per Jeremy Woo and Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
The stocks of Arizona’s Koa Peat and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner may be trending in the opposite direction after their time in Chicago, Woo writes. Peat struggled during shooting drills, while diminutive but explosive point guard Tanner didn’t play very well in the scrimmages on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Texas wing Dailyn Swain is leaning toward keeping his name in the draft, according to Borzello, but two other early entrants — Florida center Rueben Chinyelu and Louisville commit Flory Bidunga — seem more likely to return to college for their respective senior and junior seasons.
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Projected top-four pick Darryn Peterson expected to receive questions about his health during interviews at the combine, but he said that hasn’t necessarily been the case, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “Actually, surprisingly, not a lot,” Peterson said when asked if teams were interested in the topic. “I think what I did with ESPN kind of gave people some answers. I haven’t got a lot of questions about it all.” As Todd details, NBA evaluators are certainly keen to learn more about Peterson’s health, but they’ll receive his medical evaluations this week and have spent the interviews learning more about who he is as a person. The Kansas star also clarified that he’s open to playing on or off the ball after saying Sunday that he views himself as a point guard, and said he looks up to NBA stars like Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, Todd adds.
- While junior wing Andrej Stojakovic said this week that he has “both feet in” the draft process, that doesn’t mean he has ruled out a possible return to Illinois, according to Colleen Kane of The Chicago Tribune. The son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic said he has worked out for the Grizzlies and Celtics so far and plans to use the next couple weeks leading up to the May 27 withdrawal deadline to continue gathering information. “The more I move forward, the more we go closer to that deadline, I’ll know more,” the younger Stojakovic said. “The group around me has done a really good job of evaluating and staying level-headed no matter what kind of feedback we hear. I’m very thankful for the situation I’m in because going back to school is also a really, really good option for me.”
- Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic says he’s “still focused on the draft” rather than returning to college, as James Madden of ZagsBlog.com relays. Momcilovic, who plans to transfer if he does return to for a senior college season, suggested a guaranteed contract might be the deciding factor on whether he remains in the draft or withdraws. “If there’s guaranteed contracts, that’ll be good,” Momcilovic said (Twitter video link via Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports). “If it’s the later second round, those are usually two-way contracts, so then I’ll probably go back (to college). I want to go to the NBA, that’s the goal. I want to go this year.”
Celtics Hiring Isaiah Thomas As Scout
The Celtics have hired Isaiah Thomas as a pro and college scout, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscriber link), who reports that the former Celtics star will be based in the Seattle area, his hometown.
Boston has several other regional and international scouts, Himmelsbach notes. Sources tell The Boston Globe that Thomas has been at the draft combine in Chicago this week, working with Celtics executives as they interview prospects and teach him about the “overall evaluation process.”
Thomas had the best years of his career in Boston, making a pair of All-Star teams and earning second-team All-NBA honors in 2016/17 after finishing fifth in MVP voting. However, his career was derailed by a hip injury in the spring of 2017, and he was traded to Cleveland in the Kyrie Irving later that summer.
Thomas was never able to recapture his previous form after the hip issue, having bounced around the league for several years. The 37-year-old point guard last played in the NBA in 2023/24, when he finished out that season with the Suns.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who was Boston’s head coach at the time, has credited Thomas with helping to establish the culture that has led to considerable success over the past decade, per Himmelsbach.
Thomas never formally retired as a player. In fact, less than sixth months ago he said he was considering continuing his career in Europe after spending part of last season with the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate.
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.