Selecting the NBA All-Rookie Team

Second Team

Guard – Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics – As the season has progressed, Smart has taken on a bigger role in Boston and he has impressed at times. The former Oklahoma State guard lands among the top five rookies in the NBA in terms of win shares, with a lot of that production coming on the defensive end, and he is already a swarming defender on the ball. Smart’s strength defensively gives him significant upside, and if he can improve his shooting (36% FG, 33% 3-PT this season), the Celtics will get a nice return on their sizable first round investment.

Guard – Jordan Clarkson, Los Angeles Lakers – The former Missouri guard got off to a slow start this season, appearing sparingly before the All-Star break, but since being inserted into the starting lineup on a full-time basis, Clarkson has done solid work. He is averaging 16.0 points, 5.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game since the break, and if not for two incredibly strong rookie guards in front of him, his resume would stack up toward first team honors. There is some intrigue as to whether Clarkson is actually this good or whether the freedom (and lack of options) in Los Angeles provides him the opportunity to excel, but at this point, he may be the best value in the 2014 draft.

Forward – Bojan Bogdanovic, Brooklyn Nets – Bogdanovic isn’t your typical rookie in that he is 25 years old, but the swingman from Bosnia has played a meaningful role on a team that is scratching and clawing toward a playoff spot. It would be nice to see some improvement in Bogdanovic’s shooting (33% from three), especially from a player who needs to make shots in order to succeed, but Lionel Hollins continues to trust him (74 games played, 23.4 minutes per game), and Bogdanovic has responded.

Forward – K.J. McDaniels, Houston Rockets – We have to remember that this is a season-long award. Yes, McDaniels has played only 24 minutes since being dealt to Houston at the trade deadline, but prior to that, the former Clemson swingman looked like a lock for first team honors. His offense has been spotty at best, including a 39.5% clip from the floor and 28.9% from long range, but McDaniels has performed very well defensively and his ability as a shot-blocker (1.1 per game in just 22 minutes) is impressive for his size. The experiment in Houston hasn’t worked out for K.J. McDaniels, but on the whole, he still had a strong rookie campaign.

Center – Tarik Black, Los Angeles Lakers – The consensus around the NBA was disbelief when the Rockets allowed Black to walk away midseason, and the big man has performed well in the Los Angeles. The 6-foot-11 center from Kansas has played only 18.5 minutes per game on the year, but his efficiency has been strong (57% TS, 14.4 PER, top-3 in win shares) and that makes up for the spotty deployment. Much like his teammate, Jordan Clarkson, some of his production could be a mirage in association with the franchise’s current direction, but Tarik Black has the tools to carve out a nice career.

Next: Elfrid Payton