ONE WEEK IN, THE 2026 ROOKIE CLASS IS ALREADY MAKING HISTORY

One week into the NBA season, the 2026 draft class has already put its names next to Michael Jordan, Chris Webber and Luka Doncic. Caleb Wilson matched Jordan's first two games point for point. Cameron Boozer became the youngest player ever to post 25 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals in a game. Yaxel Lendeborg did something no Warriors rookie had done since Webber. And the No. 1 pick, AJ Dybantsa, has not played a minute yet.

It is even more striking given how the week began. In a week when LeBron James started over in Philadelphia at 41, the youngest players in the league had an opening night that looked like a warning.

Opening Night Looked Like a Warning

Wilson, the No. 4 pick from North Carolina, scored 16 points at Toronto on 7 of 21 shooting with nine turnovers, and finished minus 45 in a 43 point loss. Boozer, the No. 3 pick from Duke, went 2 of 15 and missed all six of his threes against Utah, though he still grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out five assists in a 123 to 103 win. Darius Acuff Jr. scored 12 for Sacramento on 5 of 24 against the Clippers and missed all seven of his threes. Darryn Peterson, the No. 2 pick, scored nine in that Memphis game. Dybantsa watched in street clothes with a sprained left ankle.

The one exception was Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick. He started for Golden State against the Lakers, scored 12 and spent the night in Doncic's ear, drawing a technical along the way. Doncic shot 7 of 18.

Friday Changed Everything

Two nights later, on Friday, October 23, every one of them played again, and every one of them got better.

Boozer was the headline. Memphis trailed Golden State 106 to 94 with 3:47 left, closed on a 17 to 0 run, and Boozer hit the go ahead turnaround over Brandin Podziemski with 19.7 seconds left in a 111 to 108 win. He finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals in 37 minutes, made 4 of 7 threes and all nine of his free throws. At 19 years and 97 days old, he became the youngest player to post 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists on 15 or fewer shots. Doncic is next on that list, at 20 years and 18 days.

"He was on right from the get-go," Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said.

Across the floor, Lendeborg put up 18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals, a line no Warriors rookie had posted since Webber. In Sacramento, Acuff answered his debut with 33 points on 10 of 26 shooting and made 11 of his 12 free throws, though the Kings lost their home opener to Portland 128 to 120. In Milwaukee, Wilson scored 21 on 7 of 14, put up 19 of them after halftime and sealed Chicago's first win, 132 to 125, with a late steal. In Utah, Peterson scored 15 on 6 of 12 in a 120 to 119 win over New Orleans, the Jazz's first of the season.

Caleb Wilson Is Walking in Jordan's Footsteps

The numbers that have Chicago talking belong to Wilson. Jordan scored 16 points in his debut in 1984 and 21 in his second game. Wilson scored exactly 16 and 21. On Saturday, in his first home game at the United Center, he added 30 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, two steals and zero turnovers for his first career double double, although the Bulls lost to Washington 124 to 120.

That gives Wilson 67 points through three games. The only player in Bulls history who scored more to start his career is Jordan, with 74. Wilson still has work to do from distance, going 1 of 9 from three on Saturday, but he is 20 years old.

Lendeborg Plays Like He Has Been Here Before

Lendeborg kept going on Saturday at Phoenix with 26 points, six threes, nine rebounds and five assists, the first 20 point game of his career. That made him the first Warriors rookie since Webber with back to back games of at least 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Golden State is 0 and 3, but its rookie is the reason to watch.

Boozer Has Memphis Unbeaten

On Sunday in Sacramento, Boozer had 16 points and 11 rebounds in a 123 to 112 win, his second double double in three games. Memphis is 3 and 0. His shot came and went, 6 of 21 that night, but his rebounding and passing have shown up every game. We picked him for Rookie of the Year in our preseason award predictions, and nothing this week argues against it.

Acuff matched him in the same game with 22 points and seven assists. The Kings are 0 and 3, but they have a guard who is not afraid of the ball.

Dybantsa Is Still Waiting

Dybantsa sprained his left ankle in the preseason finale against New Orleans on October 16. He was ruled out again for Monday's game against Charlotte, and his next chance to debut is Wednesday against Cleveland. He averaged 12.8 points and 1.5 steals over four preseason games and scored 27 in his first summer league game, so the debut everyone circled in June is still coming.

That is the remarkable part. The most anticipated rookie of the season has not checked in, and the class is already producing history without him.

Bad Nights, Fast Answers

The early numbers matter, but the pattern matters more. Almost every top rookie had a rough first night, and almost every one of them answered it within 48 hours. Boozer went from 2 of 15 to a game winner. Acuff went from 5 of 24 to 33 points. Wilson went from minus 45 to a road win and a tie with Jordan. That kind of response does not show up in summer league or on a draft board.

One week does not make a class. But a class that answers its worst night this fast is worth watching all season.