Three Under-the-Radar NBA Rookies Already Playing Above Their Draft Position in 2025/26
Discover 5 non-lottery NBA rookies, picked after 14th, who are quietly outperforming expectations and becoming essential players for their teams.
A few players each season are drafted well past the lottery but quickly show through sustained consistency that they deserved to be chosen earlier. The overachievers of this year include experienced college players and young talents with lots of potential who were overlooked early on but fell into teams tailored for their strengths.
These youngsters are changing the perception around rookies at the start of the season and vindicating the teams who cast glances at them despite not being one of the first 14 selections in the draft. Below we highlight the three best NBA rookies outperforming their draft position.
1. Ryan Kalkbrenner
Despite not being highly anticipated, Ryan Kalkbrenner has wasted no time proving himself in the NBA. The 7-foot-1 center was selected 34th overall by Charlotte, and has shown a level of polish and purpose that few expected from a second-round pick.
He is producing with staggering efficiency, leading all qualified NBA players, rookies and veterans alike, by converting 81 percent of his field-goal attempts, almost all of them at the rim. What was supposed to be a modest role has quickly become an anchor point for a franchise desperate for stability at interior.
Kalkbrenner's influence extends well beyond finishing plays as has become one of the most active rim protectors in the league, coming in second in blocks per game at 2.4, only behind the revolutionary Victor Wembanyama. That presence has transformed Charlotte's interior defense, giving the team a deterrent around the basket it has not had in recent seasons. The timing, discipline, and ability to track drivers that he showcases make him far more than a situational defender.
His immediate acclimatisation was evident from opening night when Kalkbrenner joined Hornets franchise history by becoming the first rookie since 2004 to post a double-double on his NBA debut. His fluid rim-running, reliable hands, and understanding of pick-and-roll spacing have been a natural fit alongside Charlotte's ball-handlers, while his rebounding and IQ have solidified his minutes.
For a player passed over by so many teams, Kalkbrenner's rapid rise underlines precisely how much value can still be found outside of the draft's spotlight, and just how fast the right skill set can translate at the NBA level.
2. Will Richard
Valuing basketball instincts as much as raw talent, the Golden State Warriors have found in Will Richard whom they selected at No. 56, one of those players who fits seamlessly into their system.
The 22-year-old guard is adept at linking with his teammates on the court, knowing exactly when to cut to the basket, when to rotate defensively to help someone else out and when to keep the ball moving. It is this not a surprise that his three point shooting at 44 percent already fits in with the Warriors style of play.
Richard's impact has been far from subtle contributions, as among all rookies this season, he has the highest player efficiency rating, a measure of a player's influence on both ends of the floor when on the court.
He has even shown a potential to deliver even more if needed, having scored 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting, the best game according to Basketball Reference's game score for any rookie this season. For a player drafted towards the very end of first-round selections, he certainly has rapidly emerged as a figure on whom Golden State truly relies.
3. Sion Jones
Despite not being part of the national conversation, Sion Jones was picked by Charlotte at No. 33 for his steadiness and experience while sharing a college roster at Duke with several lottery prospects and has quickly justified the franchise's decision. Coach Charles Lee has played James at least 25 minutes in each of the past seven games (as of November 14), which indicates the rookie has already earned a place in the rotation.
What's caught many off guard, though, is how confident James has been shooting from deep. He's made 61% of his threes to this point in the season, a mark he evidently won't sustain, but one that nonetheless speaks to just how assertive and composed he's looked on offence.
With his energy, discipline, and shooting surge, he is becoming one of the reasons the Hornets have been more watchable and competitive than expected.
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