OK, I get it, I get it. Zion Williamson is all the hype right now in the NBA world, especially when it comes to rookies. But, there are some pretty talented guys who haven't gotten nearly the same amount of attention simply because well, they're not Zion.
Here are 7 of the most underrated NBA rookies (in no particular order) heading into the next season.
1. Tacko Fall
Other than the fact that Fall is 7'6", he has a lot of upside. (No pun intended). He made nearly 75 percent of his attempted shots his senior year at the University of Central Florida, and he helped lead his squad to a March Madness appearance. Need I remind you they nearly beat Duke? Fall's height and accuracy will help him at the next level.
2. Kyle Guy
Guy, who helped lead the University of Virginia to win the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, was only selected in the late second round of the 2019 NBA Draft. (Pick 55 to be exact). Guy proved in the Summer League, though, that he is a real powerhouse and will be a great asset in the NBA. In fact, he averaged 16.8 points per a game in his NBA debut!
3. Galen Robinson Jr.
Robinson just graduated from the University of Houston. He signed a two-way G-League contract with the Spurs earlier this month. While some may view that as not truly being on the roster, it's still an NBA contract, and with a year of the G-League to practice and develop, Robinson is bound to be a threat on the court. Who knows? We may even see him pulled up for a few games!
4. Corey Davis Jr.
Another player out of the University of Houston, Davis signed with the Washington Wizards after being overlooked on draft night. Some may critique Davis for only being 6'1". That doesn't stop him, though! Davis is a quick and strong defender who can score as well. He averaged 17 points per game in his senior year at Houston.
5. Shizz Alston Jr.
Ok, as a Temple graduate, I may be a little bias on this one, but seriously, Alston is a great player. He played for the Indiana Pacers in the Summer League, and will definitely have a long and successful professional career. Alston averaged 19.7 points per game his senior year at Temple making him the leading scorer not only on Temple's team but in the entire American Athletic Conference.
Alston was a part of the first team in the AAC and the Big-5. He also led the conference with a 90.8 percent free throw percentage. He is also the 13th all time leading scorer in Temple history with 1,597 career points.
6. Bruno Fernando
Some may argue that Fernando isn't underrated because he has gotten press time, but honestly, it's not nearly enough. Fernando will play his Rookie season with the Hawks. Fernando is also the first player from Angola to make the NBA, which is pretty cool in and of itself. His Freshman year, he made the All-Freshmen team and was considered one of the most improved players returning to school this past year. Fernando has some real potential as one of the only true big guys to be drafted this year.
7. Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura came out strong in the Summer League. While he was drafted in the top 10 of the draft, he wasn't nearly as hyped up as the rest of the top 10. He averaged 19.3 points per game in the Summer League. He's proving he can hang in the NBA.
The NBA is really heating up in the offseason, and these rookies are just part of the reason why.
