The 2026 Rookie of the Year Nominees
Rookie of the Year
This year's rookie class made an immediate impact across the league, with several first-year players forcing their way into starting lineups and postseason storylines alike.
How the votes are determined
To help vote on each award, Breaking Point created a panel of community voters. The panel includes Breaking Point staff, The Flank & OpTic co-stream teams, on-air broadcast talent, coaches from each of the professional teams, and select media members in the space. The Nominees are the four players with the most points heading into the final week of voting. BP Pro members will also have a say in the final tally, so remember to vote daily on the front page!
Each voter on the panel was asked to rank their top five players for each award. Each position earns:
1st: 10 points
2nd: 7 points
3rd: 5 points
4th: 3 points
5th: 1 point
After breaking down the voters' ballots, four names separated themselves from the pack. Here are the 2026 Rookie of the Year nominees!
Nium wasted no time making his mark in LA, closing out Major III as a champion in his very first CDL season. His 0.97 overall K/D held up against far more experienced competition all year, and his ability to contribute immediately alongside a stacked Thieves roster made him one of the standout rookie stories of the season.
Alluka's rookie season took an unconventional path, signed by FaZe Vegas after a hot Challengers run before spending the year developing behind the org's starting four. Despite no CDL reps, his talent never went unnoticed, drawing interest from multiple teams and eventually landing him a loan role with the Riyadh Falcons heading into Champs, a rare vote of confidence for a player yet to log significant CDL minutes.
Kips arrived in Toronto as a bright spot during a turbulent season for KOI, helping steady the roster after an early Champs exit. His rise coincided with the team's 3rd-place finish at Major III, a result that showcased just how much upside the rookie brought to a squad still searching for consistency.
Lurqxx - Carolina Royal Ravens
Lurqxx stepped directly into a starting role as part of Carolina's offseason overhaul and held his own from day one. Thrown into a rebuilt roster with plenty of pressure to perform, he quickly became one of the more reliable pieces on a Royal Ravens team looking to establish a new identity this season.