The 2025 NBA draft class produced an epic Rookie of the Year race and several big-time playoff performers last season, and now they're back for more. What do Cooper Flagg , Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel have in store for Year 2?
Which other members of this promising class are eyeing expanded roles for playoff teams? And are there any former lottery picks already approaching a career crossroads?
Let's tackle those questions and more by evaluating the 10 most interesting sophomores to track during the upcoming 2026-27 season: 10. Carter Bryant , San Antonio Spurs Pick in 2025 draft : No.
14 Rookie season recap: The baby-faced Bryant played spot minutes as a defensive specialist and hinted at a 3-and-D future, albeit on a low volume of attempts. Despite modest regular-season averages of 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, he continued to see the floor in small doses throughout San Antonio's run to the Finals.
What's next: Victor Wembanyama's Spurs are loaded with young talent, and they'll be cooking with gas if Bryant can develop into more of an offensive threat as a sophomore. When San Antonio expanded Bryant's role in summer league, he struggled with turnovers and couldn't scale his outside shooting.
He flashed a nice pull-up jumper from the midrange, however. The 20-year-old forward boasts a strong frame, and he has the requisite length and quickness to shadow elite perimeter playmakers of all sizes.
While the Spurs also have Tobias Harris , Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes in their frontcourt rotation, their best-case scenario involves Bryant showing enough progress to claw more minutes away from the veterans. Bryant has "indispensable role player on a title team" written all over him.
9. Egor Demin , Brooklyn Nets Pick in 2025 draft : No.
8 Rookie season recap: The Russian guard averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 assists in 52 games for the rebuilding Nets, and he often looked overmatched and overwhelmed. Demin compensated by gravitating to his comfort zone outside the arc; 72% of his shot attempts were 3-pointers, the highest mark among 2025 first-round picks.
What's next: The BYU product looked much more comfortable and assertive in his second run through summer league, raising the possibility that he could emerge as an impact player for Brooklyn. The 6-foot-8 Demin entered the NBA with good size for a lead ball-handler, but he has added enough strength to become a legitimate downhill threat.
Demin has consistently topped 20 points in his California Classic and Las Vegas exhibitions, thanks to a mix of proficient outside shooting and rim pressure. The Nets have added veteran forwards Michael Porter Jr .
and Julius Randle in offseason trades over the past year, but their long-term plan is centered on their recent draft picks. At present, the 20-year-old Demin looks like the best of a questionable bunch.
8. Derik Queen , New Orleans Pelicans Pick in 2025 draft : No.
13 Rookie season recap: Queen bubbled up as a darling of League Pass diehards thanks to his unconventional body type and impressive passing ability for a big. He posted solid averages of 11.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists while splitting time as a starter and reserve.
What's next: The Pelicans might be the NBA's most confounding team: Their lack of meaningful activity after a 26-win season suggests they expect to improve through internal development under new coach Jamahl Mosley. However, Queen and fellow 2025 lottery pick Jeremiah Fears find themselves in direct competition with veteran alternatives.
Queen makes this list because he could eventually be the player who convinces New Orleans to escape its purgatory and angle toward a youth movement. The 21-year-old big man has real talent as a scorer and distributor, but he'll need to make major progress on the defensive end to solidify his standing with the Pelicans' new coaching staff.
Does New Orleans have the patience to treat Queen as a top priority next season? 7.
Ace Bailey , Utah Jazz Pick in 2025 draft : No. 5 Rookie season recap: Bailey couldn't keep pace with the four standouts selected above him.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 13.8 points per game on mediocre efficiency for the bottom-dwelling Jazz, though his individual production picked up noticeably after the All-Star break. What's next: Even though Bailey won't turn 20 years old until August, it's time for him to start converting his hypothetical skills into actual impact.
If he is going to blossom into an elite scorer, he must improve