By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, 2025-07-31 19:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
上赛季开始前，2024年NBA选秀被联盟普遍认为是近年来实力较弱的一届。尽管整个赛季这一看法大体成立，但仍不乏一些引人入胜的进展，许多新秀都融入了各自的角色，展现出诱人的长期潜力。
其中一些球员，例如年度最佳新秀得主、 第4顺位 新秀 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) ，在新秀赛季就产生了显著影响。其他球员，包括 第11顺位 的 马塔斯·布泽利斯 (Matas Buzelis) ，则在赛季中展现了爆发的迹象。还有一些新秀，比如 探花 秀 里德·谢泼德 (Reed Sheppard) ，将在新赛季迎来更大的角色。
在您阅读时请记住，这份榜单并非旨在评估谁是表现最好或最有价值的二年级生——它仅仅是我在训练营开始前最感兴趣的球员。由于孟菲斯灰熊队的 扎克·伊迪 (Zach Edey) 将因脚踝手术缺席至少赛季初期，正如 沙姆斯·查拉尼亚 (Shams Charania) 所报道的，我将他排除在本榜单之外。
以下是进入2025-26赛季最值得关注的10位二年级生的详细分析，包括他们新秀赛季的表现以及第二年值得关注的看点。
- 尼古拉·托皮奇 (Nikola Topic)，俄克拉荷马城雷霆
新秀赛季亮点 ：我们可以说的是， 托皮奇 甚至没有踏上球场，就随雷霆队赢得了一座总冠军。他因前交叉韧带撕裂缺席了整个赛季——但俄克拉荷马城雷霆队深厚的阵容深度让他们能够有效地“雪藏” 托皮奇 一年。严格来说， 托皮奇 下赛季仍是新秀，但鉴于他有潜力为卫冕冠军带来影响，他值得被列入此榜单。
上榜原因 ：纯粹的好奇心。考虑到俄克拉荷马城雷霆队后场阵容的压倒性深度， 托皮奇 在赛季初究竟能扮演多大角色，这是一个合理的问题。但他在夏季联赛中展现出了潜力，展示了他的组织能力（三场比赛场均7.3次助攻）和篮球智商，这套技术组合可以帮助他在 谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 身后争取到一些替补时间。他是会成为长期的轮换球员，还是最终更多地成为雷霆队的交易资产，将在未来一两个赛季中见分晓，但他已经展现出积极的闪光点，值得关注卫冕冠军的进一步发展。
- 贾里德·麦凯恩 (Jared McCain)，费城76人
新秀赛季亮点 ：在12月左膝半月板撕裂之前， 麦凯恩 在23场比赛中交出了一份有希望但样本量较小的表现，场均出战25.7分钟，贡献15.3分，投篮命中率达46%。尽管这发生在一个输球的环境中——76人队当时正饱受伤病困扰，常规赛战绩为24胜58负——但在费城以 第16顺位 选中他之后，这仍是一个稳健的开局。他的得分本能和外线投射能力很快就适应了NBA。
上榜原因 ： 麦凯恩 如何从伤病中恢复并在此基础上进步，以及76人队如何将 麦凯恩 、 泰瑞斯·马克西 (Tyrese Maxey) 和2025年 探花秀 （ 第3顺位 ） 维杰·埃奇科姆 (VJ Edgecombe) 的后场出场时间进行组合，都将值得关注。对费城76人队来说，理清这三名球员的适配性符合他们的最大利益， 麦凯恩 从长远来看可能更适合担任双能卫的角色。76人队能否凭借这三人组赢球，这三人组在外线防守端将牺牲大量身高，这将是一个需要解决的关键宏观问题，尤其考虑到 乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid) 和 保罗·乔治 (Paul George) 都已年过三十，并且经常面临出勤问题。对于 麦凯恩 来说，这是巩固自己作为76人队未来关键一员的重要一年。
- 杰伦·威尔斯 (Jaylen Wells)，孟菲斯灰熊
新秀赛季亮点 ： 威尔斯 可以说是2024年选秀中性价比最高的球员，在孟菲斯灰熊队以 第39顺位 选中他后，他入选了最佳新秀一阵，场均贡献10.4分，并首发了74场比赛。作为一名来自华盛顿州立大学，主要被视为定点射手的球员， 威尔斯 不仅投进了35%的三分球，还展现出令人惊讶的防守能力，积极应对艰难的对位，并在职业生涯初期站稳了脚跟。
上榜原因 ：灰熊队将 德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane) 交易到奥兰多魔术队的决定，在一定程度上因为 威尔斯 的崛起而得到了缓解。随着 贝恩 作为射手和次要组织者腾出大量球权， 威尔斯 下赛季应该会有机会拓展自己的得分能力。作为一名大器晚成、8月份将满22岁的前NCAA二级联盟球员， 威尔斯 可能还有一些未被开发的潜力，灰熊队大概会希望看到他能否扩大自己的贡献。尽管他作为持球创造者的局限性可能会限制其达到顶级表现，但根据 威尔斯 已经展现出的能力，如果他能在效率和出手量上都实现飞跃，他有可能会继续带来惊喜。
- 凯尔艾尔·威尔 (Kel’el Ware)，迈阿密热火
新秀赛季亮点 ： 威尔 在赛季中期迎来突破后入选了最佳新秀二阵，他打出了一些高效的表现，并最终进入了首发阵容。他是一位天赋异禀的现代中锋，能够保护禁区，脚步灵活，并能命中定点三分。在热火队以 第15顺位 选中他之后，他以其即战力超出了早前的预期。
上榜原因 ： 威尔 能多快地开发出他巨大的潜力，是迈阿密热火队当前阵容调整中的一个主要变数。尽管他的新秀赛季取得了成功，但有趣的是，本月早些时候热火队主教练 埃里克·斯波尔斯特拉 (Erik Spoelstra) 公开敦促 威尔 “提升他的职业素养”，这些评论与 威尔 进入联盟前所受到的评价大体一致。NBA高管和球探长期以来一直质疑他的比赛积极性和在高水平比赛中表现的欲望，这一情况使得热火队——这支球队的管理层非常看重无形资产——将他视为合适人选，有些令人惊讶。显然，迈阿密热火队认为他们能最大化 威尔 的潜力，我们将拭目以待他能否在初期表现的基础上继续进步，并进一步确立自己作为首发中锋的地位。
- 亚历克斯·萨尔 (Alex Sarr)，华盛顿奇才
新秀赛季亮点 ：作为 榜眼秀 （ 第2顺位 ），尽管 萨尔 仍然是一个正在打磨的项目，但他还是入选了最佳新秀一阵。他在19岁时打满了整个赛季，场均贡献13分和6.5个篮板，并展示了他巨大的防守潜力（场均1.5次盖帽）。华盛顿奇才队完全致力于培养他们的年轻人才，尽管 萨尔 的比赛仍显粗糙，但他大体上看起来像是球队的长期核心。
上榜原因 ：在通过交易得到 AJ·约翰逊 (AJ Johnson) 和 迪伦·琼斯 (Dillon Jones) 之后，华盛顿奇才队现在拥有了2024年首轮选秀的六分之一，但 萨尔 仍然是这批球员中最具吸引力潜力的一个。他解读场上形势的能力尚未跟上他出色的身体条件，但他的天赋很可能在防守端转化为一名移动灵活的盖帽手和禁区守护者，有了新秀赛季的经验，他的进步值得期待。 萨尔 在进攻端表现出一些可预测的起伏——他的投篮命中率仅为39.4%——但他作为一名新秀中锋，场均仍能送出2.4次助攻。奇才队赋予了他不仅仅是简单的内线空切角色，他也得到了作为组织者拓展自我的机会。他的整体数据并不出色，而且对于他这样体型的球员来说，他的篮板能力也低于平均水平，但 萨尔 在第二年实现全面进步的可能性很大，特别是如果华盛顿奇才队的其他年轻球员能够作为一个整体迈上一个台阶。他将参加8月份的男篮欧锦赛，成为法国队的一员，由于 文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 和 鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 将缺席本届赛事，他将获得绝佳的出场机会。
- 多诺万·克林根 (Donovan Clingan)，波特兰开拓者
新秀赛季亮点 ： 克林根 以场均1.6次盖帽领跑新秀盖帽榜，并入选了最佳新秀二阵，他在场均仅19.8分钟的出场时间内贡献6.5分和7.9个篮板，投篮命中率达53%。他每分钟的产出和防守影响力都非常显著，预示着他作为开拓者队内线护筐核心的光明未来。
上榜原因 ：开拓者队似乎为 克林根 和新秀 杨瀚森 (Yang Hansen) 下赛季共同分担中锋时间铺平了道路—— 罗伯特·威廉姆斯三世 (Robert Williams III) 仍然在队，但他到期的合同可能使其成为一个合理的潜在交易对象。届时根据表现，这些出场时间最终如何分配将很有趣。 克林根 值得获得大部分出场时间，但他也需要改善体能以应对大量出场时间。他在赛季最后27场比赛中都首发，这很可能是一个公平的指标，表明他即将上位。此外，开拓者队是否会尝试让 克林根 和 杨 在双中锋阵容中同时出场，这将是值得关注的一点。从纸面上看，这种组合显得笨拙，但考虑到波特兰开拓者队对这两名球员明显的长期投入，至少有一些理由去尝试看看效果如何。综合来看， 克林根 将获得更大的角色，并有望迅速确立自己作为NBA优秀内线防守者之一的地位。
- 马塔斯·布泽利斯 (Matas Buzelis)，芝加哥公牛
新秀赛季亮点 ： 布泽利斯 在赛季中期为公牛队实现了突破，并看起来像是 第11顺位 的超值之选，他在赛季最后31场比赛中首发，场均贡献13分，投篮命中率达47%。这一阶段的表现为他赢得了最佳新秀二阵的席位，并使他成为芝加哥公牛队未来的关键一员。
上榜原因 ： 布泽利斯 曾被视为2024届选秀的 状元 热门，这表明他作为一名高大、技术娴熟的外线得分手拥有巨大潜力。随着他继续增强力量并磨练投篮， 布泽利斯 在发展和角色方面都有巨大的成长空间。随着公牛队常年处于附加赛边缘，他们前进的最佳途径可能涉及 布泽利斯 的潜在巨星转型。尽管这可能不会在一个夏天内发生，但公牛队对快节奏打法的投入应该有利于 布泽利斯 。他应该会在空间中获得更多的持球机会，并有机会拓展自己为自己和队友创造投篮的能力。芝加哥公牛队与 约什·吉迪 (Josh Giddey) 的合同谈判仍在僵持，但后者有望回归阵容并提供组织能力，这应该会进一步帮助 布泽利斯 适应。尽管只有20岁，但他能实现怎样的二年级飞跃，可以说是公牛队进入新赛季最重要的宏观叙事。
- 扎卡里·里萨谢 (Zaccharie Risacher)，亚特兰大老鹰
新秀赛季亮点 ： 里萨谢 证明了亚特兰大老鹰队选择他作为 状元 （ 第1顺位 ）的信念是正确的，尽管这届选秀在NBA决策者中缺乏真正的共识状元。尽管他没有赢得年度最佳新秀，但他却是少数几个能在季后赛级别球队中做出重要贡献的新秀之一，他投篮命中率达到45.8%，三分命中率为35%，并在75场比赛中首发了73场。他在19岁进入联盟时就立刻带来了价值，问题在于他的职业生涯发展过程中，他还能为自己的比赛增加多少内容。
上榜原因 ：老鹰队在休赛期通过增加 克里斯塔普斯·波尔津吉斯 (Kristaps Porzingis) 和 尼凯尔·亚历山大-沃克 (Nickeil Alexander-Walker) 加强了他们的阵容——他们还通过交易掉 第13顺位 选秀权，从新奥尔良鹈鹕队获得了一个潜在的高价值2026年选秀权。随着 特雷·杨 (Trae Young) 和 戴森·丹尼尔斯 (Dyson Daniels) 即将面临续约，亚特兰大老鹰队管理层在展望未来的同时，也有赢得当下胜利的动力。 里萨谢 如此有价值的部分原因在于，他在小前锋位置上的投篮、外线防守和体型尺寸几乎完美契合任何阵容体系。考虑到这一点， 里萨谢 作为得分手的持续进化对老鹰队来说至关重要。亚特兰大老鹰队阵容中不乏组织者， 里萨谢 在无球方面也足够稳健，他们不需要加速他作为持球得分手的成长，但从长远来看，给他一些创造机会的训练机会可能符合他们的最大利益。他在运球后进攻、急停跳投以及为队友创造机会方面能变得多舒适，都值得我们去观察。在这些领域取得一定程度的进步，可能会决定他最终是成为一名优秀的轮换球员，还是达到更高水平的成长上限。下赛季开始时，亚特兰大老鹰队在这方面会给 里萨谢 多大程度的推动将值得关注：如果没有显著的成长，他可能不会成为典型的 状元秀 级别的建队基石，但他有可能远远超出作为 状元秀 所承受的相对温和的预期。他将在8月份代表法国国家队参加男篮欧锦赛，这或许能让我们一窥他休赛期的成长。
- 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle)，圣安东尼奥马刺
新秀赛季亮点 ：一个稳健的首秀赛季为 卡斯尔 赢得了年度最佳新秀的荣誉，他在26.7分钟的出场时间内场均贡献14.7分和4.1次助攻，并为马刺队首发了47场比赛。可以预见的是，他的效率表现不佳（投篮命中率42.8%，三分命中率28.5%），但防守稳健，并在全明星赛后表现更好，得益于圣安东尼奥马刺队赋予他的自由度。
上榜原因 ：随着马刺队继续围绕 文班亚马 （他似乎已准备好从血栓中康复归来）打造一支争冠球队，除了他的健康之外，最重要的因素就是圣安东尼奥马刺队的后卫们能否很好地与他融合。交易得到 德阿隆·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 自然会减少 卡斯尔 的部分持球任务。意想不到的选秀乐透顺位提升，让马刺队获得了 榜眼签 （ 第2顺位 ）选中 迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) ，这为他们的后场带来了第三名核心球员。这对球队阵容来说是一个令人兴奋的发展，但同时也要求这三名球员做出调整。 卡斯尔 距离他的潜力还很远，但他也是三人中最自然的候选人，能够胜任更全面的攻防一体角色，这得益于他的体型、防守端的本能以及进攻端的无私倾向。他仍然需要投进更多远距离投篮，才能真正地在无球方面表现出色，特别是在圣安东尼奥马刺队未来阵容可能的样子下。马刺队将不得不创造性地错开他们的后卫出场时间，不仅是为了赢得比赛，也是为了给 哈珀 和 卡斯尔 提供最佳的适应机会。考虑到环境的变化——以及随着马刺队与 文班亚马 的合作深入，冲击季后赛的动力也随之增强—— 卡斯尔 的适应能力以及他磨练比赛的方式，可能对圣安东尼奥的局势发展以及他在这支球队下一阶段的核心地位产生重大影响。
- 里德·谢泼德 (Reed Sheppard)，休斯顿火箭
新秀赛季亮点 ：去年 谢泼德 曾获得相当大的关注，但他的新秀赛季并没有太多值得一提之处，因为他仅为一支天赋异禀的火箭队出战了51场比赛，场均仅上场12分钟。他确实在发展联盟的一场比赛中得到了49分，而休斯顿火箭队仍然对他充满期待，因为他将在一支雄心勃勃的球队中获得更多出场时间。
上榜原因 ：休斯顿火箭队在 凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 的交易中送走 杰伦·格林 (Jalen Green) 的一个潜在含义是，火箭队为 谢泼德 腾出了大量的后场出场时间，他目前被预计将在 弗雷德·范弗利特 (Fred VanVleet) 和 阿门·汤普森 (Amen Thompson) 身后扮演重要角色。火箭队真正意义上的争冠能力，可能更多地取决于他们年轻球员的成长，而非 杜兰特 能带来的任何东西： 谢泼德 、 汤普森 和 贾巴里·史密斯 (Jabari Smith Jr.) 都将扮演重要角色。尽管他在夏季联赛中表现并非特别突出，但 谢泼德 值得被看好——他应该会进入一个理想的角色，作为一名次要持球手、组织者和空间点，既能与火箭队的球星合作，又能让他们打得更轻松。他的投篮在 汤普森 和 阿尔佩伦·申京 (Alperen Sengun) 身边将至关重要，但他还需要在防守端保持效率，因为当 范弗利特 和 谢泼德 同时在场时，火箭队在外线身高方面会有不小的牺牲。 谢泼德 争夺球权的本能有助于他在防守端，但他也不是对手射手的绝对威慑。 谢泼德 有机会成为休斯顿火箭队争冠的巨大变数——理论上，他正进入一个完美的环境。问题在于下赛季是否是合适的时机，以及火箭队可能需要如何相应地调整他们的阵容深度。事实是，我们还没有真正看到他的全部实力，而这对他本赛季在火箭队的发展轨迹意味着什么，使得他位居榜首。
点击查看原文：The most interesting sophomores to watch for the 2025-26 NBA season
The most interesting sophomores to watch for the 2025-26 NBA season
Entering this past season, the 2024 NBA draft was regarded around the league as one of the weaker classes in recent memory. While that largely held true during the season, there have still been intriguing developments, with many of those prospects stepping into roles and showcasing appealing long-term talent.
Some, like Rookie of the Year and No. 4 pick Stephon Castle, made a significant impact in their debut season. Others, including No. 11 pick Matas Buzelis, showed signs of breaking out in-season. And several prospects are set for expanded roles, including No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard.
As you read through, remember that this is not an evaluation of who are the best or most valuable rising sophomores – it’s simply the players I’m most curious about headed into training camp. I omitted Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Edey from this list due to the fact he’s slated to miss at least the start of the season recovering from ankle surgery, as Shams Charania reported.
Here’s a breakdown of the 10 most interesting sophomores heading into the 2025-26 season, what they accomplished as rookies and what to watch for in Year 2.
10. Nikola Topic, Oklahoma City Thunder
Rookie season superlative: The most we can say here is that Topic won a championship with the Thunder without ever stepping onto the court. He missed the entire season with a torn ACL – but Oklahoma City’s depth allowed them to effectively stash Topic for a year. Technically, Topic will be a rookie next season, but he warranted inclusion on this list with his potential to make an impact for the defending champs.
Why he’s ranked here: Sheer curiosity. It’s a valid question how much of a role Topic will even have to start the season, considering Oklahoma City’s overwhelming backcourt depth. But he flashed moments of his potential at summer league, showcasing his playmaking skills (averaging 7.3 assists over three games) and basketball IQ, and that skill set could help him carve out some backup minutes behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Whether he’s a long-term rotation piece or ultimately winds up as more of a trade asset for the Thunder will play out over the next season or two, but he has had positive flashes and will be worth monitoring as the defending champs continue to evolve.
9. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
Rookie season superlative: McCain delivered a promising but small 23-game sample before tearing his meniscus in his left knee in December, averaging 15.3 points on 46% shooting in 25.7 minutes. While it came in a losing context, as the Sixers were dealing with injuries and a 24-58 regular season record, it was a solid start after Philly selected him with the 16th pick. His scoring instincts and perimeter shooting translated to the NBA rather quickly.
Why he’s ranked here: How McCain builds off his debut coming off this injury – and how the 76ers put together their backcourt minutes with McCain, Tyrese Maxey and 2025 No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe – will be worth watching. It’s in Philadelphia’s best interest to make sense of the fit between those three, with McCain potentially well-suited for more of a combo role in the long run. Whether the Sixers can win with that trio, who will be giving up a lot of size defensively on the perimeter, will be a key big-picture question to address, particularly with Joel Embiid and Paul George in their 30s and often struggling with availability. This is a big year for McCain to further establish himself as a key piece of the 76ers’ future.
8. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Rookie season superlative: Wells was arguably the best value pick in the 2024 draft, making the All-Rookie first team, averaging 10.4 points and starting 74 games after Memphis snagged him at No. 39. Viewed primarily as a spot-up shooter coming out of Washington State, Wells not only made 35% of his 3s, but showed surprising defensive capabilities as well, embracing tough matchups and carving out a viable role to begin his career.
Why he’s ranked here: The Grizzlies’ decision to trade Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic was softened to some extent by the emergence of Wells. He should be in line to stretch himself as a scorer next season, with Bane vacating plenty of touches both as a shooter and secondary playmaker. A late-blooming former Division II player who turns 22 in August, Wells may have some additional untapped upside, and the Grizzlies will presumably want to see whether he can expand his contributions. While his limitations as an on-ball creator probably inhibit high-end outcomes, based on what Wells has already shown, it’s possible he will continue to surprise if he can manage a leap forward in both efficiency and volume.
7. Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
Rookie season superlative: Ware made the All-Rookie second team after breaking through midseason, putting together some productive stretches and eventually moving into the starting lineup. He’s a gifted, modern center who can protect the paint, move his feet and knock down spot 3s. He surpassed early expectations with his readiness to contribute after the Heat picked him at No. 15.
Why he’s ranked here: How quickly Ware can tap into his considerable potential is a major variable in Miami’s current retool. Although his rookie season was a success, it was interesting to see Heat coach Erik Spoelstra publicly urge Ware to “improve his professionalism” earlier this month, comments that largely fell in line with how Ware was perceived before entering the league. NBA execs and scouts had long questioned his motor and desire to play at a high level, a dynamic that made it a touch surprising that the Heat – whose front office harps on intangibles – viewed him as a fit. Clearly, Miami thinks it can get the most out of Ware, and we’ll see whether he can build on those early returns and further legitimize himself as a starting-level center.
6. Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Rookie season superlative: The second pick, Sarr made the All-Rookie first team despite still being very much a project. He played the whole season at age 19, averaging 13 points and 6.5 rebounds, and showcasing his significant defensive potential (1.5 blocks per game). Washington is fully committed to playing its young talent, and Sarr largely looked the part as a long-term fixture despite his game still being rough around the edges.
Why he’s ranked here: Washington now employs a sixth of 2024’s first-round selections following trades for AJ Johnson and Dillon Jones, but Sarr still possesses the most intriguing upside of the group. His ability to read the floor around him hasn’t caught up to his excellent physical skills yet, but his tools are likely to translate defensively as a mobile shot-blocker and paint protector, and with a year under his belt, expect improvement.
There were some predictable ups and downs for Sarr on the offensive end – he shot just 39.4% from the field – but he did manage 2.4 assists per game as a rookie center. The Wizards have given him more than just a simple rim-running role, and he has gotten a chance to stretch himself as a playmaker. His numbers aren’t great overall, and he’s also a subpar rebounder for a player his size, but there’s a real chance Sarr produces all-around improvement in year two, particularly if Washington’s other young players can take a step forward as a group. He’ll be part of France’s setup at EuroBasket in August, with a big opportunity to play since Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert are sitting out of the tournament.
5. Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Rookie season superlative: Clingan led the rookie class in blocks per game (1.6) and made the All-Rookie second team, averaging 6.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in just 19.8 minutes and shooting 53%. His per-minute production and defensive impact were significant, pointing to a bright future as a rim-protecting anchor on the Blazers’ backline.
Why he’s ranked here: The Trail Blazers seemingly cleared the way for Clingan and draftee Yang Hansen to share time at center next season – Robert Williams III is still around, but could make sense as an eventual trade candidate on his expiring contract. It will be interesting to see how those minutes ultimately get divided based on performance. Clingan is deserving of the lion’s share but also needs to improve his conditioning to handle bulk minutes. The fact that he started the final 27 games of the season is probably a fair indicator that he’s up next.
As an aside, whether the Blazers experiment with Clingan and Yang together in double-big lineups will be something to watch. On paper, that fit is clunky, but considering Portland’s apparent long-term investment in both players, there’s at least some argument for finding out what it looks like. All things considered, Clingan is due for an expanded role and could solidify himself as one of the NBA’s better interior defenders in short order.
4. Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
Rookie season superlative: Buzelis broke through midseason for the Bulls and looked like a strong value pick at No. 11, starting the final 31 games of the season and averaging 13 points on 47% shooting in those games. That stretch of play earned him a spot on the All-Rookie second team and has positioned him as a critical piece of Chicago’s future.
Why he’s ranked here: Buzelis was once viewed as a contender for the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft class, pointing to his significant potential as a tall, skilled perimeter scorer. As he continues to add strength and hone his shooting, Buzelis has a huge runway both from a development and role perspective. With the Bulls perennially in play-in limbo, their best path forward likely involves a prospective Buzelis star turn.
While that may not happen in one summer, the Bulls’ commitment to playing up-tempo should favor Buzelis. He should see more of the ball in his hands operating in space and get a chance to expand his shot-creating skills both for himself and for teammates. Chicago remains in a contract standoff with Josh Giddey, but the presumptive return of his playmaking to the lineup should further help Buzelis get comfortable. Still only 20 years old, what type of sophomore leap he can manage is arguably the most important big-picture storyline for the Bulls going into the season.
3. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Rookie season superlative: Risacher validated Atlanta’s conviction in selecting him first in a draft class that lacked a true consensus No. 1 among NBA decision-makers. While he didn’t win Rookie of the Year, he was one of just a few rookies to make significant contributions on a playoff-caliber team, shooting 45.8% from the floor and 35% from 3 and starting 73 of 75 games. He added immediate value entering the league at age 19, the question being how much he’ll add to his game as his career unfolds.
Why he’s ranked here: The Hawks strengthened their position this offseason, adding Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker – they also nabbed a potentially high-value 2026 draft pick from New Orleans by trading out of the 13th pick. With Trae Young and Dyson Daniels due for contract extensions, there’s impetus to win now as well as a big-picture evaluation process for Atlanta’s front office moving forward. Part of why Risacher is so valuable is that his shooting, perimeter defense and positional size at small forward fit neatly in just about any lineup framework.
With that in mind, Risacher’s continued evolution as a scorer should be paramount for the Hawks. Atlanta has enough playmaking on the roster, and Risacher should be solid enough off the ball that they don’t need to accelerate his growth as an on-ball scorer, but directing some diet of creation reps his way is likely in their best interest long-term. How much more comfortable he can become playing off the dribble, getting to his pull-up and making plays for teammates is worth finding out. Some degree of development in those areas may be the difference between him being an excellent role player or tapping into higher-end outcomes for his growth.
How much Atlanta pushes Risacher in that respect will be worth watching to start next season: He might not necessarily wind up as a typical No. 1 pick-level franchise player without significant growth, but it’s possible he far surpasses what were relatively modest expectations by top-pick standards. He’s set to play with the French national team at EuroBasket in August, which might offer a window into his offseason growth.
2. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Rookie season superlative: A solid debut season earned Castle Rookie of the Year honors, averaging 14.7 points and 4.1 assists in 26.7 minutes and making 47 starts for the Spurs. Predictably, he struggled with efficiency (42.8% FG and 28.5% from 3), but was solid defensively and played better after the All-Star break, benefiting from the freedom San Antonio gave him.
Why he’s ranked here: As the Spurs continue their journey to build a contender around Victor Wembanyama, who appears all set to return from a blood clot, the most important factor other than his health is how well San Antonio’s guards can mesh around him. Trading for De’Aaron Fox naturally reduced some of Castle’s ball-handling duties. The unexpected lottery jump that landed the Spurs the No. 2 pick in Dylan Harper gives them a third wheel in the backcourt. It’s an exciting development for the roster, but it will also require all three players to make adjustments.
Castle is far from his potential, but also the most natural candidate of the three to step into a more versatile two-way role, thanks to his size, instincts on the defensive end and unselfish tendencies on offense. He’s still going to have to make a lot more shots from long range to truly excel away from the ball, particularly in the context of what San Antonio’s lineups will presumably look like. The Spurs will have to stagger their guards creatively, not only to win games but to give Harper and Castle the best opportunities to get comfortable.
Considering the change in context – and the added impetus to make the playoffs the further along the Spurs move with Wembanyama – how malleable Castle can be and in what ways he can sharpen his game may be highly consequential to how things unfold in San Antonio, and how central he becomes to this next iteration of the team.
1. Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets
Rookie season superlative: Following considerable hype around Sheppard a year ago, there wasn’t all that much to say about his rookie season, as he appeared in only 51 games and averaged 12 minutes on a talented Rockets team. He did score 49 points in a G League game, and Houston remains excited about him as he steps into more minutes on a team with high aspirations.
Why he’s ranked here: One subtext of Houston dealing away Jalen Green in the Kevin Durant trade is that the Rockets cleared significant backcourt minutes for Sheppard, who currently pencils in for a real role behind Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson. The Rockets’ ability to contend in the truest sense may hang more on the growth of their young players than whatever Durant gives them: Sheppard, Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. are all going to play major roles.
While he wasn’t especially noteworthy at summer league, Sheppard is worthy of optimism – he should be walking into an ideal role as a secondary handler, playmaker and spacer who can both operate off of and make life easier for Houston’s stars. His shooting will be pivotal next to Thompson and Alperen Sengun, but he’ll also need to remain effective defensively, as the Rockets will be giving up a good deal of perimeter size when VanVleet and Sheppard share the floor. Sheppard’s instincts for winning possessions help him on that end, but he’s not exactly a deterrent for opposing shooters, either.
Sheppard has the chance to be a huge swing factor in Houston’s title chase – in theory, he’s stepping into the perfect situation. The question is whether next season is the right time and how the Rockets might have to adjust their depth accordingly. The simple fact is that we haven’t really seen him yet, and what it means for Houston’s place in the arc of this season earns him the top spot on this list.
By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, via ESPN