It’s been more than a week into the NBA season, and it has certainly been exciting. Surprising starts from some teams, superstars dominating games, and new faces in the league giving us a preview of their wonderful potential. Yes, let’s talk about rookies!
This rookie draft has been hyped as one of the best in the past years headed into the season. Let’s see if there is some truth to all the hype. Here are some of the rookies who have caught our attention with their impressive starts.
Editor's note: The stats shown below are updated as of Nov. 3, 2021
Evan Mobley doing it all
Averages: 13.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.4 bpg, 49.4% FG, 77.8% FT
Evan Mobley has been nothing short of awesome. He has been big (he’s 6’11”, after all) for the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, the third overall pick has been the best big man for the Cavs so far. And in this day and age of small ball, the Cavs’ ability to start three seven-footers has been largely because of Mobley’s versatility on defense.
The Cavs have the luxury of switching Mobley out to defend guards without creating any mismatches. It’s funny to watch when guards try to isolate him on a perceived mismatch and fail. Mobley has terrorized guards and big men alike with his length and quickness on and off the ball. He’s leading the entire league in contested shots per game at 18.4.
On offense, he has shown a good touch from the outside and good moves in the paint. He’s a good assist man and has been excellent off the pick-and-rolls—scoring on drop passes, deep seals, and alley-oop dunks. Mobley is so versatile, ranking in the Top 5 in all-rookie statistical category leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
I know it’s just a few games in, but this guy has been one of my favorite rookies to watch and is my favorite to win Rookie of the Year.
Scottie Barnes proving critics wrong
Averages: 18.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.7 spg, 0.6 bpg, 55.1% FG, 70.8% FT
Remember the time when people criticized the Toronto Raptors for getting Scottie Barnes as the fourth pick overall in the draft? Well, Barnes has surprised everyone with a good preseason and an even better start.
The biggest question mark was his scoring ability. But just a few games in, his 18.1 points per game is enough for him to lead all rookies in that department. He scores in a variety of ways, with no specific play designed for him to score or isolate. He gets his points in the flow of the offense—scoring off cuts, driving against taller players (he plays the PF position), backing down shorter guards, hitting pull-up jumpers in the perimeter, and getting putbacks. He leads all rookies in rebounding and is relentless on both ends. He has shown an ability to bring down the ball and start the offense and, at the same time, defend taller players or fast guards.
The only question is once Pascal Siakam gets back, will his minutes and production get affected? I think we can see the Raptors going more with Siakam at the 5 to get Barnes his playing time. Barnes has proven that he is part of the Raptors’ present and the future.
Chris Duarte showing he is indeed NBA-ready
Averages: 17.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.8 3pg, 0.9 spg, 43.5% FG, 92.3% FT
When Chris Duarte was drafted 13th overall, analysts dubbed the 24-year-old the most NBA-ready rookie. Duarte immediately showed why, going off for 27 points in his very first game as a starter for the Indiana Pacers.
He looks calm and composed for a rookie. He is showing that he’s the one of the best shooters in the draft, currently leading all rookies with 2.6 threes per game and hitting free throws at a 91-percent clip. He can score in a lot of ways: off cuts and in catch-and-shoot situations. He attacks close-outs with drives to the basket or pulls-up for a jumper. He has hit double figures in all of Indiana’s games and has earned the trust of head coach Rick Carlisle (who doesn’t just give rookies playing time).
The question is what will happen to Duarte’s playing time once players like Caris LeVert and TJ Warren come back from their injuries. We shall see, but Duarte has certainly proven he is ready.
Josh Giddey, from down under, shows some upside
Averages: 11.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 5.9 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.7 bpg, 44% FG, 63.6% FT
The Oklahoma City Thunder have entrusted their starting point guard position to this 19-year-old rookie from Australia, and he has proven why that’s a good thing.
Giddey leads all rookies with 5.7 assists per game. He has good court vision and has delivered incredible passes to his teammates—drop passes, alley-oops, one-hand cross court skip passes off the dribble, forward passes off the break, you name it!
If you have watched OKC games, you can count even two to three passes where he should have gotten assists, but his teammates just missed open shots. Giddey is particularly deadly on the pick-and-roll. He’s also lethal leading the break in an open court situation and gets to the basket for a good finish. He uses ball screens well, knows how to set up his man, and is not in a hurry using these ball screens, which is a common problem for young guys.
Once he gets to the paint, he uses his 6’8” height advantage to see over the defense to pass or shoot his highly effective one-hand floaters. He is a very good rebounder as well, and it’s just a matter of time before he collects his first triple-double in the NBA. The Thunder are hoping that Giddey follows the path of fellow NBL graduate and last year’s Rookie of the Year, LaMelo Ball.
Jalen Green has green light to shoot
Averages: 14.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg, 37.8% FG, 64.7% FT
Jalen Green is definitely one of the most-watched rookies among Filipinos. Partly because of his Filipino roots, but mainly because of his exciting game. Green is another reason why you have to get League Pass, guys!
Green has a good combination of athleticism and shooting from the outside. Both of which he has exhibited in a couple of games already, particularly in his third game of his career against the Boston Celtics. In that game, Green hit eight 3s (setting a Houston Rockets rookie record) and had two rim-rattling, head-on-the-rim dunks that made the game exciting.
Green is excellent in catch-and-shoot and open-court situations. He will even get better once he figures out how to finish inside the paint, which he can do with his speed and quickness. He just needs to adjust to the tall and physical defenders who meet him inside. He is only shooting at 35 percent from the field, but once he settles down and doesn’t rush as much, he can improve on that easily.
Other rookies to watch out for:
Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic)
I honestly went back and forth between discussing him or Jalen Green more in-depth. The eighth pick has surprised everyone, starting at small forward for the Orlando Magic and averaging 13.9 ppg (on 49% FG) and hitting two 3s a game (on 44% 3-point attempts).
Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic)
Jalen Suggs has put up good numbers: 3.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 4.0 apg. However, he hasn’t shot the ball well at 30 percent and has committed a lot of turnovers with 3.3 per game. He should be better as he adjusts to being a point guard in the NBA.
Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets)
The rookie big man from Turkey has shown tenacity on the boards, aggressiveness on drives, and is not afraid to mix it up inside using strength and good footwork. Alperen Sengun is the leader in steals among all rookies (2.4 spg) and leads the league in words said to the ball during free throws.
Davion Mitchell (Sacramento Kings)
Who loves defense? Davion Mitchell does! This guy is a bulldog on D. He is earning his nickname of “Off Night,” giving any guy he defends big problems on having a good night.
Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
The No. 1 pick had to deal with an ankle injury, causing him to miss the first week and a half of games. Now healthy, we are looking forward to him catching up on his fellow rookies and proving to everyone why he was drafted first.
Wow, that’s a lot of good rookies. I think we will be talking about this rookie batch more as the season progresses. I have a feeling that these rookies will show that all the draft hype is real and well-deserved. You gotta love the NBA!
