NBA Awards Watch: James Harden takes charge

Rookie of the Year

1. Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves – Andrew Wiggins is the cream of the crop. That fact has been known for some time, but with a 30-point explosion against James Harden and the Rockets on Monday night, it was driven home yet again. That performance came on Wiggins’ 20th birthday, but even at that young age, he leads all rookies in scoring (15.6 points per game) and minutes (34.7 per game) while maintaining respectable efficiency. He has a long way to go toward consistent excellence, but Wiggins is one of the bright young stars of the NBA.
2. Nerlens Noel, Philadelphia 76ers – The Sixers continue to uproot player after player in an attempt to stay atop the tank rankings, but Nerlens Noel is helping to make them competitive. Philadelphia’s offense is undeniably unwatchable, but the Sixers are playing defense at a league-average level (102.3 points allowed per 100) and Noel is the biggest reason (aside from Brett Brown) for that performance. The former Kentucky big man has some serious problems offensively (44.9% FG, for one), but he is rebounding and blocking shots, and that matters a great deal.
3. Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic – Elfrid Payton isn’t equipped to score at the NBA right level, and I won’t argue that point. He is averaging just 8.0 points per game in more than 28 minutes, and with ugly shooting numbers (42.5% FG, 19% 3-PT, 54% FT), his current ceiling is limited. However, Payton stuffs the stat sheet with 5.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game, and he already competes at a high level defensively. It remains to be seen if Payton can add a passable jump shot to his arsenal, but if he can, look out.

Next: Most Valuable Player