One year ago, NBA fans watched one of the weakest rookie classes in recent years as injuries took their toll on some of the top draft picks and left Minnesota Timberwolves’ forward Andrew Wiggins to run away with the Rookie of the Year award. Fast-forward to this season and it’s been a huge bounce-back season for the rookies. It’s early but it’s already to the point that this could be the best rookie class in a decade. Here’s why:
Towns Is A Monster
Minnesota could very well have last year’s ROY winner and this year’s ROY winner on its roster right now as Towns has emerged as a top candidate throughout the first couple of weeks of the season. The 2015 first-overall pick has averaged 15.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game through his first 11 contests. He is a big reason why the Timberwolves are hovering around the .500 mark to this point. Towns has the talent to become one of the best big men in the NBA and he is clearly ready for the spotlight as a rookie that has made a monster impact early on this season.
Mudiay’s Transition
There was a lot of talk about Emmanuel Mudiay as the most pro-ready rookie at the top of this year’s NBA Draft class and he has provided support for that theory early on as the starting point guard for the Denver Nuggets. Mudiay has averaged 12.0 points, 6.4 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals, 1.1 threes and 1.0 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game for the Nuggets this season. He has helped the Nuggets to a surprising 6-5 start. Mudiay still has to cut down on his turnovers but he has proven that he is ready to contribute at a high level as a 19-year-old. Denver has to feel lucky that he fell to them at seventh-overall in this year’s NBA Draft.
Okafor’s Dominance
The Philadelphia 76ers’ recent draft history left a lot of question marks about what to make of Jahlil Okafor’s potential for his rookie year after he was selected third-overall but he has started all 11 games for them this season and has been absolutely dominant. Okafor has averaged 19.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 assists in 33.7 minutes per game. While he still has a lot of work to do to refine his defensive game, there is no denying his dominance at the offensive end. Okafor is already slotted ahead of Philadelphia’s last two top picks in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid and his play only adds to the argument for this year’s rookie class as the best in years.
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Winslow’s Window
The Miami Heat were thrilled when Justise Winslow fell to them at No. 10 overall and he has delivered for them as a rookie that has played at a high level at both ends of the floor. Winslow has averaged 7.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.7 minutes per game. It’s so early in his career but he’s already become one of the Heat’s defensive stoppers. Winslow won’t get the same hype as Towns, Mudiay and Okafor but he has certainly been excellent early on for the Heat.
Don’t Forget Porzingis
Porzingis was the butt of a ton of jokes when the Knicks took him with the fourth-overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft but who’s laughing now? Porzingis dropped 21 points and 11 rebounds while collecting a couple of threes and a block on Tuesday night, wowing the crowd at Madison Square Garden. He has made his critics eat their words with his performance so far as he has averaged 12.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 25.3 minutes per game through 12 contests. Porzingis was viewed as one of the true wild cards of this year’s rookie class and while New York will bring him along slowly, there is no doubt about his considerable talent as a monster big man that can do it all for the Knicks. Porzingis has exceeded early expectations and is one more reason why this year’s rookie class has looked like the best in years early on.
