This rookie class already looks leaps and bounds better than last year's
Outside of Joel Embiid (who only ended up playing 31 games), last year's rookies were largely underwhelming.
Only one player (other than Embiid) averaged more than 11 ppg (Dario Saric at 12.8).
Rookie of the Year President Malcolm Brogdon only put up a line of 10.2-2.8-4.2 (pts-reb-assists) for the season.
So far this season, the rookies are lighting the league on fire.
11 rookies are scoring more than 10 points per game right now, including five at 14-plus. Two, Ben Simmons and Lauri Markkanen) are averaging double digit rebounds so far at 10. Simmons and Lonzo Ball are averaging near triple doubles at 16.4-10-7.4 and 11.5-9-9.
Let's talk about Simmons and Ball for a second.
Simmons looks like a star. Watching him at LSU, I just knew he was the type of player that would find much more success at the NBA level than in college. His game is just so much more suited to the pace-and-space game in the pros, and there are many more great shooters and smart cutters for Simmons to find with his near-LeBron level pinpoint passing and vision. He put up a triple-double in just his fourth game!
The big question surrounding Simmons has been his outside shooting, and that has come to bear so far in his game. He just doesn't shoot. He's put up just three 3-point attempts through five games so far (missing them all), but this hasn't really mattered so far. He's finding ways to get into the paint and score, and he is shooting well from the field overall at 48%. He'll need to work on his outside shooting eventually to maximize his potential, but he has been very impressive so far.
Lonzo looks... like a rookie. The circus that is LaVar Ball has heaped copious amounts of pressure, expectations, and scrutiny (whether fair or not) for the beginning of Lonzo's career. Outside of the Phoenix game, where Lonzo tallied 29 points (can you really even count the Suns in anything given everything going on in Phoenix right now), Ball has scored just 5.7 per game on 20% shooting and 7.7%(!) from three. Obviously he is terrible and let's all laugh because LaVar Ball said he was better than Steph Curry hahaha!
Most rookies struggle with shooting coming in, and Ball is no exception. His assists and rebounds have still been there and he's turned the ball over 3 times per game which isn't great but not horrible for a rookie that's had the ball in his hands as much as he's had so far. Lonzo's going to be great, just give him some time.
Other impressive rookies:
Lauri Markkanen, who is second behind Simmons in rookie scoring at 15.8 points and tied for first with 10 rebounds. He's drilling 40% of his 7.5 3PA per game so far. Maybe the Jimmy Butler trade won't turn out to be a horrible travesty for the Bulls after all! (just a normal travesty)
Jayson Tatum, who's scoring 14.2 and has stepped up nicely to try to fill the Gordon Hayward absence.
De'Aaron Fox, who is making 50% of his threes so far and averaging nearly a 14-5-5 ("Kameha" controversy notwithstanding).
Kyle Kuzma, who has looked like a steal of a late first round for the Lakers pick since summer league, is scoring 14.5 per game.
Conspicuously absent from this list is number 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz of the 76ers. The whole Fultz shoulder situation is weird, and I hope the Sixers just sit Fultz out for a while and let him get healthy. They basically forfeited five seasons to get their core group of guys, they need to be patient with them.
Thanks as always for reading!
Follow BtA on Twitter @NBABehindtheArc and Facebook for updates on all my posts, random thoughts during games, and probably stupid jokes.
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| Ben Simmons (USA Today Sports) |
Outside of Joel Embiid (who only ended up playing 31 games), last year's rookies were largely underwhelming.
Only one player (other than Embiid) averaged more than 11 ppg (Dario Saric at 12.8).
Rookie of the Year President Malcolm Brogdon only put up a line of 10.2-2.8-4.2 (pts-reb-assists) for the season.
So far this season, the rookies are lighting the league on fire.
11 rookies are scoring more than 10 points per game right now, including five at 14-plus. Two, Ben Simmons and Lauri Markkanen) are averaging double digit rebounds so far at 10. Simmons and Lonzo Ball are averaging near triple doubles at 16.4-10-7.4 and 11.5-9-9.
Let's talk about Simmons and Ball for a second.
Simmons looks like a star. Watching him at LSU, I just knew he was the type of player that would find much more success at the NBA level than in college. His game is just so much more suited to the pace-and-space game in the pros, and there are many more great shooters and smart cutters for Simmons to find with his near-LeBron level pinpoint passing and vision. He put up a triple-double in just his fourth game!
The big question surrounding Simmons has been his outside shooting, and that has come to bear so far in his game. He just doesn't shoot. He's put up just three 3-point attempts through five games so far (missing them all), but this hasn't really mattered so far. He's finding ways to get into the paint and score, and he is shooting well from the field overall at 48%. He'll need to work on his outside shooting eventually to maximize his potential, but he has been very impressive so far.
Lonzo looks... like a rookie. The circus that is LaVar Ball has heaped copious amounts of pressure, expectations, and scrutiny (whether fair or not) for the beginning of Lonzo's career. Outside of the Phoenix game, where Lonzo tallied 29 points (can you really even count the Suns in anything given everything going on in Phoenix right now), Ball has scored just 5.7 per game on 20% shooting and 7.7%(!) from three. Obviously he is terrible and let's all laugh because LaVar Ball said he was better than Steph Curry hahaha!
Most rookies struggle with shooting coming in, and Ball is no exception. His assists and rebounds have still been there and he's turned the ball over 3 times per game which isn't great but not horrible for a rookie that's had the ball in his hands as much as he's had so far. Lonzo's going to be great, just give him some time.
Other impressive rookies:
Lauri Markkanen, who is second behind Simmons in rookie scoring at 15.8 points and tied for first with 10 rebounds. He's drilling 40% of his 7.5 3PA per game so far. Maybe the Jimmy Butler trade won't turn out to be a horrible travesty for the Bulls after all! (just a normal travesty)
Jayson Tatum, who's scoring 14.2 and has stepped up nicely to try to fill the Gordon Hayward absence.
De'Aaron Fox, who is making 50% of his threes so far and averaging nearly a 14-5-5 ("Kameha" controversy notwithstanding).
Kyle Kuzma, who has looked like a steal of a late first round for the Lakers pick since summer league, is scoring 14.5 per game.
Conspicuously absent from this list is number 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz of the 76ers. The whole Fultz shoulder situation is weird, and I hope the Sixers just sit Fultz out for a while and let him get healthy. They basically forfeited five seasons to get their core group of guys, they need to be patient with them.
Thanks as always for reading!
Follow BtA on Twitter @NBABehindtheArc and Facebook for updates on all my posts, random thoughts during games, and probably stupid jokes.
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