NBA rookie rankings: 10 players to watch ahead of the playoffs - ESPN

Tanking is the dominant conversation in the NBA as executives across the league set their sights on the ultra-talented 2026 draft class. And for good reason: They can look at the league's current rookie class to see how one promising young player can improve a team's long-term outlook.

The first four players picked in the 2025 draft have been the best rookies this season, and as the regular season draws to a close, it's time to assess the entire class.

We've ranked the top 10 rookies this season twice already, once in November and once in January. Note that this is a ranking of the quality of the rookies' play this season rather than a long-term projection.

Tre Johnson (who ranked eighth in the most recent edition of these rankings) fell out of the top 10 in this edition. Kings center Maxime Raynaud, on a tear since the All-Star break, was the last player cut this time. Let's get into the updated rankings:

January ranking: No. 10

Demin's season ended Feb. 27 due to a bout of plantar fasciitis. Before his injury, the No. 8 pick in last year's draft showed enough flashes of talent on a struggling Brooklyn team to grab the No. 10 slot.

The biggest question about Demin coming out of college was his jump shot, as he made just 27% of his 3-pointers at BYU. But Demin made 38.5% of his 6.2 long-range attempts per game in the NBA, making him one of eight qualified rookies in league history to convert at least 38% of his 3s on at least five attempts. The others are Kon Knueppel, Keegan Murray, Tyrese Haliburton, Saddiq Bey, Tyler Herro, Landry Shamet and Rudy Fernandez. That level of shooting as a rookie isn't a guarantee of stardom, but it's a step in the right direction.

Otherwise, Demin showed off his advanced passing skills,