This year’s Rookie of the Year race has been one of the more interesting ones in recent memory, and for a variety of reasons, ranging from highly-favored candidates such as Julius Randle and Jabari Parker going down early with season-ending injuries, to the emergence of players out of nowhere such as Jordan Clarkson and Nikola Mirotic. Andrew Wiggins has held the top spot for nearly all of the season ever since, but it’s not to say that he didn’t receive a good challenge over the last several weeks from Nerlens Noel and Mirotic. Still, Wiggins has hung on for the top spot, with some surging play of his own down the stretch.
1. Andrew Wiggins – SF – Minnesota
Season averages: 16.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 43% FG, 31% 3PFG, 75% FT, 2.1 TPG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1abgN1l9EX8
At this point now as the season winds down, it’s clear that Wiggins has earned this award. His production has been at a high level from the very beginning of the season, and despite some stellar play from other rookies below him down the stretch, one must consider the whole body of work. Wiggins has been producing at a high level longer than any other rookie this season. Besides, it’s not like he hasn’t had a good run to close the season out himself — Wiggins is averaging 19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game since the All-Star break, and has been putting up 20+ point games with regularity as of late too. This Timberwolves team is his moving forward, and it will be interesting to see his growth going forward next season.
2. Nerlens Noel – C – Philadelphia
Season averages: 9.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.9 BPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.7 APG, 46% FG, 60% FT, 1.9 TPG
There were plenty of people pulling for Noel to move ahead in the last few weeks of the season, but the point remains that while he is playing at an extremely high rate since the All-Star break, he hasn’t been doing it for the entire season. Still, what Noel has done this season is beyond impressive, leading all rookies in rebounds, steals, and blocks, while improving each week on the offensive end as well. His shooting, once a big hindrance to his game early in the season, has steadily improved, leading to increased scoring production, and a slew of double-doubles , 12 of which have come since the All-Star break. His defense speaks for itself, as his 1.8 steals per game is the most for any center in the NBA, and his post presence in the area of shot blocking is right up there with the elite big men of the league too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aOK9xUkAMg
Noel has a tremendous amount of upside. If he can improve his shooting even more in the summer, Noel could be looking at an All-Star appearance next season, in a league where dominant big men on both ends of the court are increasingly hard to find.
3. Nikola Mirotic – PF – Chicago
Season averages: 10.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.2 APG, 40% FG, 30% 3PFG, 79% FT, 1.1 TPG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JveP8yCak0
Some would argue that Mirotic is the most talented rookie of the bunch, and I might be tempted to agree with them. After a very good month of play in December, Mirotic suddenly found himself back on the bench, playing in garbage time, or if Pau Gasol needed a break for whatever reason. His defense had become a liability, and his shooting might have been even worse. But since late February. Mirotic has come back strong, and is playing his best basketball for a playoff contending team, something that no other rookie on this list can say. He leads all rookies in scoring per 36 minutes this season with 17.9, and actually leads the entire NBA in fourth quarters points since March 1 with 9.1 — and he’s doing it all as a bench player.
4. Elfrid Payton – PG – Orlando
Season averages: 9.1 PPG, 6.4 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 42%, 27% 3PFG, 55% FT, 2.5 TPG
The purest of all rookie point guards this season, Payton has been fun to watch. His dreadful shooting performances on both the floor and free-throw line were rather embarrassing for him early on in the season, but just like everyone else on this list, he has improved. Payton runs the Magic’s offense like a seasoned veteran, and is extremely comfortable with the ball in his hands. His confidence has grown with driving to the basket, although his long-range shooting leaves much to be desired, but that is certainly something he can work on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8hDexPPA2Q
Payton has turned it up a notch as the end of the season draws near, coming relatively close to a triple-double on a nightly basis as of late, and is averaging 2.6 steals in his last five games as well. Also, he hasn’t missed a free-throw since March 25, definitely good news for someone who was airballing foul shots and shooting under 50% from the line when the season began. All that to say, Payton is definitely the best rookie point guard this season.
5. Jordan Clarkson – PG – Los Angeles Lakers
Season averages: 11.4 PPG, 3.3 APG, 3.2 RPG, 44% 29% 3PFG, FG, 83% FT, 1.6 TPG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqy_ptKWYuQ
Clarkson got a late start this season, but he has made great use of his unexpected playing time thanks to the injuries that have decimated he Lakers. He has been seeing 23+ minutes per game since the end of January, and has been producing at a high rate ever since on a depleted team with nothing to play for. In the month of March alone, Clarkson averaged 15.8 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting a respectable 45 percent from the field. Once just a late-round draft pick who was only expected to add depth, Clarkson is now a big part of the Lakers plans moving forward.
Honorable mentions: Jusef Nurkic, Marcus Smart, Zach Lavine
