NBA Awards Watch: The Andrew Wiggins breakout

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Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (23) blocks Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

Rookie of the Year

Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves – Andrew Wiggins is here. The number one overall pick is in the midst of a full-fledged breakout, even if his team is mired in scoreboard disaster, and Wiggins is showing all the signs that made him a “can’t miss” prospect. The 19-year-old has scored 20 points or more in six out of seven games, and in the small sample size of January, Wiggins is averaging 22.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game on 49/42/80 shooting. Is he that good at this point? Probably not, but Wiggins is the complete package when you consider his already above-average defense, and for a rookie to pair this type of production on that end with improving offense and devastating athleticism is borderline unfair. He’s the best player in this class, and nearly everyone would agree, but he is also the Rookie of the Year, and that isn’t always the same thing.
Nikola Mirotic, Chicago Bulls – Last week’s leader hasn’t done anything to “lose” the crown, but Mirotic simply can’t boast the opportunity that Wiggins can. The Bulls are loaded up front and that only allows Mirotic to average 18.6 minutes per game, keeping his overall production low (8.3 points, 5.2 rebounds) and making the 23-year-old reliant on elite shooting numbers (38% from three) for a ROY case. I would really like to see Mirotic with a larger opportunity, but he’ll have to “settle” for being a key bench piece for a title contender. I think he’s okay with that.
Jusuf Nurkic, Denver Nuggets – I was flat-out wrong about Jusuf Nurkic. When Denver acquired the 280-pound big man in a draft day trade with Chicago, the focus was largely on the other piece, former Michigan State guard Gary Harris, and Nurkic’s game did not appear to fit the NBA style of play. However, the 20-year-old is making a case for increased playing time in Denver, averaging 9.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game (in only 17.4 minutes) over his last 10 contests, and the Nuggets may have unearthed a franchise-level center outside of the lottery. That’s the definition of a steal.

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