We’re past halfway through the NBA season and already there is so much to talk about. The Boston Celtics saw head coach Udoka suspended for the season due to misconduct, but Joe Mazzulla has stepped in and they are looking better than ever.
The odds NBA suggest the Celtics are the current favorites for the title, having lost to Golden State Warriors in last year’s finals. Guard Malcolm Brogdon has played a huge part in that success and now Boston fans are dreaming of a fifth Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. However, the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, and Phoenix Suns will have something to say about that.
The race for MVP is equally tightly contested with plenty of big names vying for the accolade. The current MVP frontrunners include Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Rookie of the Year is also shaping up to be a close contest, with plenty of candidates staking a claim at the halfway stage. Here’s our round-up of the season’s best Rookies so far, as they look to follow in Scottie Barnes’s footsteps and get their hands on the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy.
Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
Draft pick: No. 4 overall
After a slow start to the season, Murray has found his feet and has the best three-point percentage of all rookies who have at least 100 attempts from distance. His form has seen him win the Western Kia Rookies of the Month for December, and become a key part of Sacramento’s success so far.
Head coach Mike Brown said of Murray, “…The sky is the limit for him,”. “I’ve gone at him pretty hard, and he doesn’t get too high or too low.” He keeps his composure and looks at the Coach directly. He tells him directly about what he is feeling or thinking without much hesitation. “And for a young guy, that’s remarkable,” he added.
Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
Draft Pick: No. 5 overall
A look at Ivey’s highlights reel tells you he’s going to be an NBA superstar someday, and the 20-year-old made a promising start to the season. Cade Cunningham and Ivey looked good together on the court and there were flashes of the rookie’s power and ability to drive to the hoop. But come November, Ivey has struggled.
NBA Rookie of the Year honors look like a stretch right now, but there’s plenty of time to recapture that early-season form and make a late run. One thing’s for certain, however, Jaden Ivey is destined for greatness.
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Rookies Of The Year Winners:
2022 Scottie Barnes Toronto Raptors
2021 LaMelo Ball Charlotte Hornets
2020 Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies
2019 Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks
2018 Ben Simmons Philadelphia 76ers
2017 Malcolm Brogdon Milwaukee Bucks
2016 Karl-Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves
2015 Andrew Wiggins Minnesota Timberwolves
2014 Michael Carter-Williams Philadelphia 76ers
2013 Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers
Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
Draft pick: No. 6 overall
Bennedict Mathurin, a rookie for the Indiana Pacers, scored 816 points off the bench to pass Hall of Fame shooting guard Reggie Miller for the most by a rookie in franchise history with 31 games remaining in the regular season.
Mathurin has all of the qualities a player needs to be a star both for the franchise and in the league, and is proving to be offensively explosive. Speaking about Mathurin, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said Benedict is a “strong-willed guy.” Stating that he is “getting better and better” Carlisle mentions that he is a “nasty competitor that can really score.”
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Draft pick: No. 1 overall
Not since the Philadelphia 76er’s Ben Simmons in 2018, has the No. 1 overall draft pick won Rookie of the Year, but Paolo Banchero is on course to do just that. The rookie is averaging 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game so far this season, including scoring 20-plus points in seven consecutive games.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound rookie, who was named December’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, was unfortunate not to make this year’s All-Star team. However, given that he would have been Blake Griffin’s first rookie selection in 12 years, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
Magic guard Cole Anthony said of his teammate, “He was the No. 1 pick for a reason,”. Anthony also said that he proves it every time on the floor. Paolo is a great one in the locker room who knows how to play right and hard. “He’s special and I’m glad he’s a teammate of mine,” he added.
Future Stars
Duncan, Miller, Stoudemire, Rose, Brogdon, Simmons, and Barnes—seven of the previous 25 Rookie of the Year winners—made the playoffs as rookies. A rookie’s development is certainly aided by being on a winning team, but it can also limit game time and opportunities to stand out.
Playing for a losing team offers more opportunities but has its own problems with player quality and confidence among the issues for draft picks. Winning Rookie of the Year has proven to be no guarantee of success, but there’s no doubting the talent on this list. They are the NBA stars of the future.
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