[NBA.com] Kia Rookie Ladder: Yaxel Lendeborg climbs to No. 1 in latest Top 10
Season stats: 21.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 4.0 APG (52.3 FG% / 44.3 3P% / 75.8 FT%)
Just six players are averaging at least 20 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists this season, and Lendeborg is the only rookie, right there with Luka Dončić, Alperen Sengun, Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Scottie Barnes.
Last week: No. 2 ⬆️Draft pick: No. 11
Season stats: 26.2 PPG, 7.3 APG, 3.8 RPG (41.8 FG% / 33.0 3P% / 84.6 FT%)
Acuff has emerged as a big-time scorer and passer. He leads rookies in points, assists and minutes, has three double-doubles in points-assists and is just the second player in NBA history to score 30 or more points and have 10 or more assists in multiple games before turning 20. LeBron James is the other. Acuff’s 259 points in his first 10 games is the most since 1984, when Michael Jordan totaled 273.
Last week: No. 3 ⬆️Draft pick: No. 7
Season stats: 16.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 5.5 APG (36.4 FG% / 29.0 3P% / 93.3 FT%)
Boozer continues to make an impact with his scoring, passing and rebounding. It was well known that Boozer was NBA-ready coming out of Duke, and he has demonstrated quickly that he is and will be an important player for the Grizzlies. Among all players, he is seventh in defensive rebounds per game (8.0) and became the first player since 1976-77, when the NBA began tracking defensive rebounds, to collect at least 10 defensive rebounds in his first three games.
Last week: No. 1 ⬇️Draft pick: No. 3
Season stats: 15.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.2 SPG (41.1 FG% / 37.7 3P% / 86.7 FT%)
Peterson has scored 20+ points in three straight games, while shooting 51.9% from the field and 45.8% on 3-pointers – plus 13 assists, 12 rebounds, four steals and three blocks tallied during this stretch.
Last week: No. 6 ⬆️Draft pick: No. 2
Season stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG (43.3 FG% / 27.3 3P% / 77.1 FT%)
Dybantsa attacks the rim with force and finesse, and he’s getting to the free throw line 5.0 times per game. Don’t forget, he missed the first week with a sprained ankle, so he’s playing a little catch-up with the rest of the rookies in terms of games and minutes played.
Last week: No. 5 ↔️Draft pick: No. 1
Season stats: 19.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.9 SPG (40.6 FG% / 30.4 3P% / 71.1 FT%)
Wilson had a nice stretch where he scored at least 20 points in three consecutive games and shot the ball well, especially on 3-pointers. But playing against quality defenders game after game reveals how difficult it is for rookies to score consistently and efficiently.
Last week: No. 4 ⬇️Draft pick: No. 4
Season stats: 8.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 1.4 APG (61.5 FG% / 55.6 FT%)
As noted in a previous edition of the Kia Rookie Ladder this season, it makes sense to look beyond per-game averages. Mara’s per-36-minute averages: 14.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 blocks and 2.4 assists
Last week: No. 7 ↔️Draft pick: No. 12
Season stats: 12.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, 2.1 RPG (34.6 FG% / 31.1 3P% / 80.0 FT%)
Brown put together his best two-game stretch of the season over the last week, averaging 18 points and shooting 45.8% from the field.
Last week: Not ranked ⬆️Draft pick: No. 6
Season stats: 8.5 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.6 RPG (52.1 FG% / 42.9 3P% / 72.7 FT%)
Kingston has started four consecutive games, his minutes have increased over that time and the Hawks went 3-1. He has contributed offensively, especially with his playmaking.
Last week: No. 8 ⬇️Draft pick: No. 8
Season stats: 13 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.3 APG (47 FG% / 47.8 3P% / 100 FT%)
Thomas continues to provide 3-point shooting for the Cavaliers, going 9-for-18 from that distance in his last three games.
Last week: No. 10 ↔️Draft pick: No. 34
Source: Kia Rookie Ladder, Nov. 11, 2026 – Jeff Zillgitt, NBA.com