The Top NBA Rookies to Watch in Tonight’s Preseason Games

The NBA regular season is now dangerously close, with most teams only have a game left in the 2025 preseason slate.

That means the 2025 NBA Draft class — most of which have seen their debut action this preseason — has only one game left to get work in before the regular season.

Some rookies drafted to more mediocre teams will have the opportunity to earn minutes in their respective rotations. Others will see their minutes dwindle as team’s look to win-now cores in the regular season.

Below, we’ll evaluate the top rookies to watch in tonight’s action.

Jeremiah Fears vs. Jase Richardson

Two top-performing guards are set to face off in the early slate, with Pelicans scorer Jeremiah Fears facing off against Orlando’s do-it-all combo guard Jase Richardson at 6 p.m. CT.

Fears just saw his best outing to date, going for 20 points — 14 of which came down the stretch — in a close loss to the Rockets. Fears will have to tighten things up to earn regular season playing time, but he’s already shown glimpses of who he can be at his peak.

Richardson has made his name doing just about everything for Orlando, filling in the gaps, be it scoring, defending, passing and more.

With both being some of the first guards off the bench, we very well could see them match up head-to-head.

Tre Johnson, Wizards

Tre Johnson is likely to be one of the class’s best scorers, though he’s taken a slower approach to his first two preseason games.

In his first contest he shot just 3-for-9, adding eight points, a startling seven rebounds and one assist. He improved in his second game, going for 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting with three assists and no turnovers.

If Johnson continues his upward trend, his 6 p.m. bout versus the Detroit Pistons could see him fill it up.

Joan Beringer vs. Noa Essengue

In the Timberwolves and Bulls’ 7 p.m. CT match, a pair of project Frenchmen in Joan Beringer and Noa Essengue will take the floor.

Beringer has looked the cleaner player early, offering his unique mobility to Minnesota in the form of easy dunks, blocks and more. Essengue has had a harder time exiting the launchpad in Chicago, but offers the same high-floor and ceiling due to his unique size and skill.

They aren’t likely to match up with one another Thursday night, but both Beringer and Essengue offer some of the more intriguing players in the game.