Kia Rookie Ladder: Closer look at VJ Edgecombe as Top 3 holds tight

VJ Edgecombe is trying increasingly more like a lock to seem on most voters’ Kia Rookie of the Year ballots.

But the place, precisely?

The Philadelphia 76ers guard has impressed in a wide range of methods: As a bonus scorer for the Sixers, as a keen defender and facilitator when the staff’s huge canine such as Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are proudly owning the offense, and recently as the rookie tasked with shouldering the scoring load when Embiid, Maxey and Paul George have been absent.

Edgecombe had a memorable week, with video games of 38 and 35 factors and a possibility to launch 25 photographs nightly in Philadelphia’s 2-1 week. It was a resourceful, whatever-it-takes stretch for the 6-foot-4 Baylor product, by the use of the Bahamas. Essentially, the identical stage of labor Edgecombe has achieved because the season started.

His reward: Third run on the Kia Rookie Ladder, similar place he has spent most of 2025-26. Probably the identical place he’ll land on most media reps’ ballots after they solid their ROY votes, too, behind the Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel and Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg in some order.

Fair or not, the race has became a two-man battle between former Duke teammates and friends. Flagg’s general sport after being drafted first general final June made him a favourite heading into the season. Knueppel’s generally delicate, sweet-shooting and sudden contributions to Charlotte’s improved file had him on Flagg’s heels till he edged forward in Vegas odds and Ladder standing a month or so in the past.

That has left Edgecombe plugging alongside, even via flashy performances. It’s not a foul place to be, however rising to No. 1 or 2 would take heavy lifting and maybe a swoon or harm to the fellows in entrance of him.

The fundamental motive is the legislation of averages. So a lot of the Class of 2025’s work is already within the books. Edgecombe over the Sixers’ closing 10 video games would wish to common 39.1 factors to achieve Knueppel’s 19.1 common, by no means thoughts Flagg’s present 20.3.

And at 43.1%, Edgecombe’s field-goal share is nicely south of Knueppel’s (48.8) and Flagg’s (47.2). The quantity taking pictures he is had ot do on some latest nights argues in opposition to a excessive dialog charge constructed off solely primo appears to be like.

One space Edgecombe has an edge in is successful. The Sixers are 37-28 within the video games they performed, higher than Knueppel’s 37-33 and nicely in entrance of Flagg’s 19-41.

That will not be sufficient to vault him over the 2 favorites however it’s a stable achievement. If Edgecombe does end third, it is going to be one of many strongest thirds in latest ROY historical past.

Here is that this week’s version of the Kia Rookie Ladder:

Weekly recap

• Four rookies averaged greater than 20 factors within the newest patternrelationship to March 17: Edgecombe (29.7 ppg), Utah’s Ace Baily (28 ppg), Sacramento’s Maxime Raynaud (26 ppg) and Flagg (22.3 ppg).
• Bailey blocked 5 photographs in opposition to Philadelphia on Saturdayand Toronto’s Collin Murray-Boyle did it two nights later vs. Bailey’s Jazz. That tied them for many blocked photographs this season by a rookie, matching the Sacramento Kings’ Dylan Cardwell and Phoenix Suns’ Khaman Maluach with 5 every. Heading into Wednesday’s video games, the Hornets’ Ryan Kalkbrenner led the rookies with 84, adopted by New Orleans Pelicans huge man Derik Queen with 63 and Flagg’s 56.
• The rookie file, at least since blocks grew to become an official stat in 1973? Manute Bol swatted 15 in a sport for Washington in 1985-86. And the 7-foot-7 Dinka dunker had 4 extra video games that season of 10 blocks or extra. He holds the file for many blocks in a rookie season (397), with David Robinson second (319) and Shaquille O’Neal third (286). Interestingly, these had been profession highs for Bol and O’Neal and Robinson solely topped his rookie complete when he swatted 320 as a sophomore.
• Ryan Nembhard’s 12 assists in opposition to Atlanta final week had been the Dallas rookie’s fifth sport of 10+ dimes this season. His 252 assists rank fourth behind Flagg (277), Queen (267) and Edgecombe (259), regardless of Nembhard enjoying 800-to-1,200 fewer minutes than any of them.

Storyline to look at

Numerators and denominators. Nor constant method is utilized by Rookie of the Year voters, that means the eventual winner shall be one other apples vs. oranges selection. That doubtless pits conventional counting numbers in opposition to analytics and intangibles. Much like what was famous above about Edgecombe, flipping spots would take some doing, particularly given Flagg’s and Knueppel’s physique of labor to date. For instance, assuming Knueppel had been to play all of the Hornets’ remaining video games, he would wish to common about 27.8 ppg to achieve Flagg’s present 20.3 scoring common. That’s an enormous quantity, regardless of being so seemingly shut at 19.1. Meanwhile, Flagg may dial his accuracy as much as Stephen Curry’s finest ranges (5.1 of 11.2 per sport, 45.4% in 2015-16) and over what’s left of the schedule get solely to 34.7%, nicely wanting Knueppel’s charge.

(All stats via Tuesday, March 24)

1. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets

Season stats: 19 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg
Last Ladder: No. 1
Draft pick: No. 4

Knueppel’s 3-point proficiency had some observers in latest months evaluating him – or at least his ceiling for placing up big single-season and profession numbers – to Curry. But he might need extra in frequent with Curry’s outdated Golden State splash-mate, Klay Thompson, for the period of time the ball spends of their palms earlier than scoring. (Here is a look at Knueppel’s “zero-dribble scoring.”) The Hornets’ rookie was nursing decrease again ache heading into Tuesday’s dwelling sport vs. Sacramento, however performed 20 minutes in that sport.

2. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks

Season stats: 20.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.6 apg
Last Ladder: No. 2
Draft pick: No. 1

Flagg bumped his numbers by averaging 22.3 factors, 6.7 rebounds and seven.3 assists over the previous week. He had 4 steals and 6 blocks, too. But his 3-point vary must work over Dallas’ closing 10 video games. It’s a ability extra prone to be enhanced over the summer time and past, however with the Mavericks formally out of any postseason consideration, coach Jason Kidd may as nicely have Flagg let ‘er fly. He is making 28.8% this season, together with a 2-for-12 skid within the final three video games.

3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers

Season stats: 15.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4 apg
Last Ladder: No. 3
Draft pick: No. 3

Allen Iverson was available as Edgecombe scored 35 factors and sank seven 3-pointers, a combo no Sixers rookie has ever managed. He started the week’s pattern with 38 factors at Sacramento, 10 adopted with 22 and 13 rebounds earlier than the big night-in-vain against OKC Monday. Said coach Nick Nurse: “I loved his aggressiveness and comfortability with all the shots he took. I just thought he found them. I love that he took the amount of threes (15) that he took that were there. He had to take them. They were going under screens.”

4. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs

Season stats: 11.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.8 apg
Last Ladder: No. 5
Draft pick: No. 2

Forty-eight rookies began video games this season earlier than Harper, the second participant drafted, made his first begin Saturday vs. Indiana. He responded with 24 factors on 9-for-13 taking pictures, 4 rebounds, three assists, no turnovers and a plus-21 in 28 minutes as the Spurs received 134-119. Coach Mitch Johnson was pleased.

5. Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings

Season stats: 11.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg
Last Ladder: No. 4
Draft pick: No. 42

Raynaud adopted up his 32-point sport in opposition to San Antonio with 30 in opposition to Philadelphia on Thursday and his 16th double-double (22-10) Sunday vs. Brooklyn. I’ve also had some high praise for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and his all-around sport this season.

The subsequent 5

6. Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz

Season stats: 13.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg
Last Ladder: No. 7
Draft pick: No. 5

The Utah studying curve for Bailey continues to go nicely: he averaged 5.1 factors on 32% taking pictures in his first eight NBA video games vs. 22.8 factors on 48.5% in his most up-to-date eight. And coach Will Hardy stated just lately: “I think he’s grown more defensively than offensively.”

7. Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies

Season stats: 13.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.8 apg
Last Ladder: No. 6
Draft pick: No. 11

Coward had 15 factors and 7 boards within the Grizzlies’ victory over Denver final week, however it was his solely look. He has missed Memphis’ previous three video games (private causes) and fell out of the Top 20 amongst rookies in video games performed (54).

8. Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans

Season stats: 11.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.8 apg
Last Ladder: No. 8
Draft pick: No. 13

Queen’s minutes have fallen off and with them, their stats – together with their taking pictures accuracy (simply 39.4% in March). But one space through which he has shared in New Orleans’ improved outcomes has been plus/minus. He’s averaging a plus-0.4 this month after being underwater all season.

9. Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans

Season stats: 13.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.2 apg
Last Ladder: No. 9
Draft pick: No. 9

Just to be clear, Jeremy Fears – who had 16 assists in Michigan State’s victory over Louisville Saturday – is the older brother of the Pelicans’ level guard. Jeremiah Fears continues to help the Pelicans now that they’ve perked up (10-5 since Feb. 21).

10. Javon Small, Memphis Grizzlies

Season stats: 9.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.7 apg
Last Ladder: No. 10
Draft pick: No. 48

Small missed Monday’s sport with a sore again. He averaged 12.7 factors and 5.3 rebounds this week. Since Feb. 1, he is at 13.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 3.9 apg, whereas taking pictures 50/48/88.

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Steve Aschburner has written concerning the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him herediscover (*3*) and follow him on.