NBA Rookies Already Looking Like Draft Steals After Preseason

It'll take some time to fully figure out the correct order of the 2026 NBA draft, but several players have already outperformed their billing in preseason play.

If these early indications hold up, we'll remember the 2026 draft as much for the talent that came off the board after the lottery as in it.

We won't ignore a couple of late-lottery prospects here, but we'll also hit a few that fell into the 20s. In each case, strong showings during the exhibition season point to real rotation roles and significantly better production than most expected back in June.

Keep an eye on these rookies. They're off to impressive starts that could develop into careers that defy draft slot expectations.

Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors know they're older and less athletic than almost anyone they'll play this season, which is why they "don't want anything passive" from rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.

So far, the No. 11 pick is obliging with plenty of aggression.

Too strong for wings to handle and too quick for bigs to stay in front of, the 6'9", 240-pound Lendeborg is already a matchup nightmare. He's shown an overpowering downhill game in the preseason—one that'll be even more potent if his three-point shot continues to look legitimate.

Capable of grabbing and going on the defensive glass, the Michigan product sees the floor well in transition and is more than happy to create (and finish through) contact. He's already breaking out a "too small" celebration when he converts against players of virtually any size.

Lendeborg racked up 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists on Oct. 10 against the Kings and looks very much like the Warriors' second-most-important player behind Curry. He provides athletic force and an attacking style the rest of the roster lacks. He's expected to retain his major role as long as he doesn't fall into the trap of deferring to the team's veterans too often.

A gaggle of point guards came off the board in the first 10 picks of the 2026 draft. Oklahoma City Thunder rookie Bennett Stirtz outplayed most of them through his slate of preseason games.

With 61 points and 13 made threes across his first three preseason contests (followed by a ho-hum seven-point night on Oct. 13), the No. 16 pick is on the way to establishing himself as a rotation piece on a contender.

Stirtz's three-point shot feels like an absolute given. The ball comes out of his hands easily. He's shown no hesitation firing on the catch. If the intriguing floaters and running leaners he showed against the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 6 are really part of his game, the 6'4" guard might have a more developed arsenal than expected.

Already 23, the Iowa product may have less runway to improve than several younger guards chosen ahead of him. But at the same time, those prospects aren't guaranteed to match the levels of poise and shot-making Stirtz is already showing.

If you don't see glimpses of Pau Gasol in Thunder rookie Aday Mara, you should consider a visit to the optometrist.

The OKC rookie, taken four spots ahead of Stirtz, has been at least as impressive in a more limited role. Mara produced 17 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four blocks against the Hawks on Oct. 12, just five days after he went 10-of-10 from the field in 25 minutes against the Bucks.

Absurd scoring efficiency is welcome, but Mara's real swing skill might be his passing. Like Gasol, Mara's eyes start scanning the floor before he receives the ball so he can immediately forward it to the right spot. He sees cutters quickly, delivers the rock on time and has access to all the angles because of his 7'3" stature.

Rim protection and a deft scoring touch seem like givens, but the No. 12 pick could make his draft position look ridiculous if his creation skills hold up during the regular season.

A 7-footer who can impact the game as a defender and scorer is one thing, but a big man who can make plays for others is something special.

Every NBA team wants its rookies to outperform their draft position, but the Dallas Mavericks might be the league's most desperate team in that regard.

That's not to say the stakes are high in Dallas, where 40 wins would count as a massive success. But positionally, the Mavs badly need No. 25 pick Sergio de Larrea to pop as a playmaker.

The Spanish import isn't burly enough to avoid being run over on defense. The reliability of his three-point shot will ultimately matter as much as anything, but de Larrea can absolutely put the basketball where it needs to be. He hit rollers for lobs , slipped smooth pocket passes to cutters and whipped the ball ahead in transition, all with a distinctive flair.

If you're into the idea that great passers are born, not made, you have some solid proof in how de Larrea conducts an offense. Everything he does seems intuitive. Feel drives his game as much as thought.

Kyrie Irving is Dallas' most important playmaker for the next 10 weeks. The Mavs got some early signs that de Larrea could hold that title for the next 10 years.

For a squad that found fewer and fewer uses for backup center Luke Kornet as the 2026 postseason wore on, Tarris Reed Jr.'s preseason work has been a welcome relief.

The No. 26 pick may not offer much in the way of scoring, but the San Antonio Spurs don't need him to pile up points. If Reed simply does what he does best by rebounding on both ends and impacting the game with hustle, he could find himself in a rotation role before long.

Reed grabbed 17 boards (eight on the offensive end) in 24 minutes against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 12. That rebound rate is unrealistic for anyone, but Reed's track record suggests he can sustain it more than most. He hauled down 27 boards and scored 31 points to help UConn beat Furman in the first round of the NCAA tournament last March.

Fellow rookie Jayden Quaintance isn't yet cleared for basketball activities while he rehabs a knee injury, so Reed's opportunities to make a difference should persist for a while. If he keeps this up, the Spurs will have no choice but to give him minutes.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com , Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass . Salary info via Spotrac .

Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale .