Before the start of the NBA season, most people assumed that 76ers Forward Ben Simmons would take home the Rookie of the Year award without a doubt. It was fair, considering the comparisons he was getting to LeBron James and this year is really his second year in the league, but he is technically a rookie because he didn’t play last year due to an injury. Fewer people expected this year’s rookie class to give him some serious competition. The 2017-2018 rookie class is the best the league has seen in quite some time. Here are the rookies that have shown the most promise.
Donovan Mitchell
At this point of the season, the Rookie of the Year award is a race between Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell has played very well for the Utah Jazz this season. Mitchell has taken home two straight Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards in December and January, and he’s continuing his exceptional play in February. Mitchell is averaging 19 points-per-game and passing for 3.5 assist-per-game. The shooting guard is having a major impact on his team and is quickly becoming their number one scoring option. His efficiency needs some improvement, but he’s still far better than most rookies.
Jayson Tatum
Tatum has had to step up due to Gordon Hayward’s injury in the first game of the season, and he has done so convincingly. Tatum is a big contribution to the Celtic’s first place record in the East. Tatum is shooting 44 percent from the three-point line and scoring about 14 points-per-game. He struggled a little bit in January as his shooting percentages dipped, but he also took on a bigger role in the offense and took more shots. Tatum can also defend well on the other side of the floor and fits well with the number one ranked defense in the NBA.
De’Aaron Fox
Fox has picked up his game recently now that he’s gotten a little more playing time. The Sacramento Kings. January was a good month for Fox, as he shot 42 percent both overall and from the three-point line. He averaged 14 points and five assists also and increased his free throw percentage to 80 percent. These are all major increases from October through December and he’s continuing his elevated play in February. The bigger role has been good for Fox and he’s shown that he can be the point guard of the future for Sacramento.
Lauri Markkanen
Lauri Markkanen has quietly become one of the best rookies in the NBA. Part of that is because he’s on a struggling Bulls team, but he’s done his part to aid them in their wins. Markkanen is averaging 15 points-per-game and grabbing eight rebounds. He spaces the floor well and shoots efficiently for a big man. He knocks down his free throws at an efficient rate; 85 percent. He may never become the face for the Chicago Bulls, but he is certainly a piece they’d like to have going forward for the future.
Kyle Kuzma
Who would’ve thought that Kuzma, not Lonzo Ball, but Kyle Kuzma would be the best rookie for the Lakers? He’s been excellent and has well exceeded his draft projection. Kuzma is averaging nearly 16 points-per-game with six rebounds. The Los Angeles forward can also space the floor and knock down the three. Kuzma is shooting 36 percent behind the three-point line and shooting 45 percent overall. Not bad for a rookie big man that’s become a go-to guy for the Lakers.
Ben Simmons
Having Simmons on this list is a little unfair, because this is his second year in the NBA. He is considered a rookie because this is his first season actually playing, so he gets to be on this list. Simmons is just great. He’s averaging 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per game. He’s doing it all from the floor and he plays a lot like LeBron James and Magic Johnson. Those are pretty great comparisons. If Simmons could develop a consistent jump shot, then he’d be a top ten player easily. Luckily, he is a rookie and has plenty of time to do so. He’s already a leader on a very young and talented 76ers team fighting for a playoff spot. If he can lead his team to the playoffs, then he’s just about a lock for the Rookie of the Year award.
Dennis Smith Jr.
The Dallas Mavericks ask a lot from Dennis Smith Jr. His usage rate among rookies is second only to Donovan Mitchell, so his game can be inconsistent at times, but that’s understandable. He’s still learning how to play in the NBA and so far, he’s done a pretty good job. The point-guard is scoring about 14 points-per-game along with grabbing four rebounds and dishing out five assists. His team is struggling and will likely be one of the last teams in the standings, so the Mavericks have relied on him to do a lot, which is why his shooting percentages aren’t as high as they could be. He is shooting 40 percent from the field and 31 percent behind the three-point arc. This wouldn’t be so bad considering his struggling team and the workload he’s taken on as such a young player, but he’s also shooting 68 percent from the free throw line. This indicates that his jump-shot could use some serious fine-tuning. Most guards in the NBA today need to have a consistent jump-shot if they want to have success in the league.
