A way too early look at the Rookie of the Year Race
A way too early look at the Rookie of the Year Race
It has been a week, but here’s a look at who’s the front-runner to take out the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season.
It has been a week, but here’s a look at who’s the front-runner to take out the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season.
It has been a week. Some players have only played a few games, and others can’t quite work out how to shoot free-throws, but here’s a look at who’s my favorite to take out the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season.
1. Ben Simmons - Philadelphia 76ers
Ben looks like he has taken full advantage of spending a season in the gym with NBA level training staff to improve his game. If he can develop some kind of shot he’ll be an unstoppable force in the league, already having the ability to bring the ball up the floor, play point guard, grab rebounds and finish at the rim. He’s my pick of the 76ers rookies to win the award.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 4 |
0.49 |
0.62 |
0.0 |
34.7 |
17.0 |
10.8 |
7.0 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
3.0 |
2. Lonzo Ball - Los Angeles Lakers
Lonzo is a walking triple-double threat every night (so long as he’s not being drafted by Patrick Beverly), and if the Lakers start winning games it more than helps his cause. Unfortunately for Lonzo, that won’t be happening this season, so he’ll have to rely on his stats, which so far this season have looked impressive.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 3 |
0.35 |
0.50 |
1.7 |
34.4 |
13.3 |
9.3 |
8.7 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
3.7 |
3. Dennis Smith Jr - Dallas Mavericks
Dennis was phenomenal in his debut, tallying 16 points and 10 assists. It’s rare for Carlisle to trust a rookie this early in the season, but if 30 minutes in his debut is anything to go by, trust is what Dennis has.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 2 |
0.39 |
0.50 |
0.5 |
29.8 |
13.0 |
4.5 |
5.5 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
2.0 |
4. De'Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings
Fox is the dark horse candidate since he’s currently playing behind George Hill, but Hill has only played more than 50 games in a season once since 2014. Fox has looked great coming off the bench, and it’s only a matter of time until Sacramento have no other choice than to find a way to start him, whether that be at shooting guard or point guard.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 4 |
0.46 |
0.86 |
0.5 |
27.3 |
15.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
2.0 |
5. Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics
It looks like Jayson could find himself in the starting lineup for the rest of the season, and while an injury is not the best way to earn a starting spot, the heavy minutes he’ll log can only improve his chances of winning the award. Unfortunately for Tatum, the usage won’t be there to compete with the likes of Simmons, Ball, and Dennis Smith Jr.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 3 |
0.41 |
0.82 |
0.3 |
35.3 |
12.3 |
9.0 |
1.7 |
0.3 |
1.0 |
2.0 |
6. John Collins - Atlanta Hawks
Collins is the only big man to make the list, and for very good reason. In his first 4 games of the season he has already entered the conversation as the best big man on the Hawks roster; a conversation he’ll likely win by the end of the season. He’s too good to keep off the floor, so expect him to work his way into the starting lineup at some point this season.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 4 |
0.53 |
0.82 |
0.0 |
19.3 |
11.8 |
7.8 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
The official NBA betting line at TopBet.eu have Ball as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, followed by Simmons, and Fultz, but Fultz has yet to show that he deserves to be in the conversation, and attempts like this don’t help his case.
It has been a week. Some players have only played a few games, and others can’t quite work out how to shoot free-throws, but here’s a look at who’s my favorite to take out the Rookie of the Year award at the end of the season.
1. Ben Simmons - Philadelphia 76ers
Ben looks like he has taken full advantage of spending a season in the gym with NBA level training staff to improve his game. If he can develop some kind of shot he’ll be an unstoppable force in the league, already having the ability to bring the ball up the floor, play point guard, grab rebounds and finish at the rim. He’s my pick of the 76ers rookies to win the award.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 4 |
0.49 |
0.62 |
0.0 |
34.7 |
17.0 |
10.8 |
7.0 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
3.0 |
2. Lonzo Ball - Los Angeles Lakers
Lonzo is a walking triple-double threat every night (so long as he’s not being drafted by Patrick Beverly), and if the Lakers start winning games it more than helps his cause. Unfortunately for Lonzo, that won’t be happening this season, so he’ll have to rely on his stats, which so far this season have looked impressive.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 3 |
0.35 |
0.50 |
1.7 |
34.4 |
13.3 |
9.3 |
8.7 |
1.0 |
0.3 |
3.7 |
3. Dennis Smith Jr - Dallas Mavericks
Dennis was phenomenal in his debut, tallying 16 points and 10 assists. It’s rare for Carlisle to trust a rookie this early in the season, but if 30 minutes in his debut is anything to go by, trust is what Dennis has.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 2 |
0.39 |
0.50 |
0.5 |
29.8 |
13.0 |
4.5 |
5.5 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
2.0 |
4. De'Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings
Fox is the dark horse candidate since he’s currently playing behind George Hill, but Hill has only played more than 50 games in a season once since 2014. Fox has looked great coming off the bench, and it’s only a matter of time until Sacramento have no other choice than to find a way to start him, whether that be at shooting guard or point guard.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 4 |
0.46 |
0.86 |
0.5 |
27.3 |
15.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
2.0 |
5. Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics
It looks like Jayson could find himself in the starting lineup for the rest of the season, and while an injury is not the best way to earn a starting spot, the heavy minutes he’ll log can only improve his chances of winning the award. Unfortunately for Tatum, the usage won’t be there to compete with the likes of Simmons, Ball, and Dennis Smith Jr.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 3 |
0.41 |
0.82 |
0.3 |
35.3 |
12.3 |
9.0 |
1.7 |
0.3 |
1.0 |
2.0 |
6. John Collins - Atlanta Hawks
Collins is the only big man to make the list, and for very good reason. In his first 4 games of the season he has already entered the conversation as the best big man on the Hawks roster; a conversation he’ll likely win by the end of the season. He’s too good to keep off the floor, so expect him to work his way into the starting lineup at some point this season.
| GP |
FG% |
FT% |
3PM |
MIN |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
STL |
BLK |
TO |
| 4 |
0.53 |
0.82 |
0.0 |
19.3 |
11.8 |
7.8 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
The official NBA betting line at TopBet.eu have Ball as the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, followed by Simmons, and Fultz, but Fultz has yet to show that he deserves to be in the conversation, and attempts like this don’t help his case.