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Jeremy Woo
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.
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 31 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.