NBA Rookie Rankings 1.0: PorzinGAWD isn’t messing around
This rookie class has given the team at Upside and Motor a lot to be excited about so far. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor have lived up to the billing and Kristaps Porzingis is on the verge of breaking the internet. There have been some other fun surprises, too, such as undrafted rookie T.J. McConnell and 27-year old rookie Nemanja Bjelica.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the first instalment of our Rookie Rankings.
Rookie Rankings
| Name | Points | Rebounds | Assists | Minutes |
| 1. Karl-Anthony Towns | 16.1 | 10.5 | 1.1 | 29.1 |
| The top pick has been spectacular. He is second among rookies in scoring and first in blocks and rebounds. This Wolves team is already pretty darn good but they could be scary in a couple of years. | ||||
| 2. Kristaps Porzingis | 11.6 | 9.0 | 0.7 | 24.7 |
| You know things are going well when you’ve earned the nickname PorzinGAWD two weeks into your professional career. Already an internet hero for his ferocious put back dunks, Porzingis has impressed with his tact, charisma, basketball savvy and nose for the basketball. He was a tenth of a second from hitting a game-winning 3-pointer the other night in Charlotte, too. Perhaps more impressive than his ability to hit the 3 in the clutch was his awareness on the play. Porzingis was supposed to set a down screen to free up Melo but recognized Cody Zeller cheating down in anticipation of the screen and smartly stepped back for an open shot. | ||||
| 3. Jahlil Okafor | 20.6 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 33.7 |
| Okafor looks like a potential cornerstone in Philly. He’s been simply awesome offensively, showing not only a rare blend of strength and technical precision in the post but also a really impressive face-up game. | ||||
| 4. Emmanuel Mudiay | 13.1 | 4.1 | 6.3 | 30.8 |
| Hand this man the keys and let him drive the bus! He’s having some trouble taking care of the basketball but his poise, resourcefulness and tenacity have people taking notice. Jason Kidd recently declared that he thinks Mudiay will have a better career than he did. Mudiay is second among rookies in minutes and first in usage rate. | ||||
| 5. Nemanja Bjelica | 8.8 | 7.6 | 3.0 | 29.3 |
| Bjelica does a lot of things really well. He’s an excellent floor spacer, he rebounds well, and his passing and ball handling ability allows him to serve as a versatile point forward when the opportunity presents itself. He’s third among rookies in minutes played and he’s already established himself as a player who will be on the floor when the game is on the line. | ||||
| 6. T.J. McConnell | 5.1 | 4.6 | 8.3 | 29.0 |
| While he’s not as good of a shooter or athlete, McConnell has the ability to probe the court while keeping his dribble alive in a way that reminds you of Steve Nash. He is the classic “extension of the coach on the floor” kind of player, who has a propensity for setting up his big men in positions to succeed offensively. | ||||
| 7. Justise Winslow | 7.2 | 4.7 | 1.4 | 28.4 |
| The numbers don’t match the production here. Winslow is already a very good defender and an integral glue guy on a surging Miami squad. | ||||
| 8. Stanley Johnson | 7.6 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 21.2 |
| Johnson hasn’t been the fantasy sleeper that some were hoping for but his tenacity and competitiveness are as good as advertised. Coach Van Gundy thinks that Johnson has the potential to be a elite defender once he learns how to better anticipate the game. Don’t be surprised if Johnson rises in these rankings in the weeks ahead. | ||||
| 9. Jerian Grant | 6.9 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 21.4 |
| Between taking a chance on Porzingis and swapping Tim Hardaway Jr. for Grant on draft day, Phil Jackson is looking like a very smart man. Grant is a talented play maker who could find his way into the starting lineup sooner rather than later. | ||||
| 10. D’Angelo Russell | 9.3 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 25.1 |
| Russell hasn’t performed as well as the guys surrounding him at the top of the draft but he’s also up against two massive obstacles in the form of Kobe “Why yes, I will take this shot” Bryant and Byron “Who gives a shit about player development?” Scott. Kobe’s back injury is helping with that a bit, but it’s clear that Russell’s confidence is shaken right now. |
Honorable Mention
Willie Cauley-Stein: Inconsistent but he’s already turned in some impressive showings. Going to be an elite defender.
Julius Randle: Not technically a rookie, but he kind of is. I thought his size and bull-in-a-china-shop mentality would hurt him at the pro level. I was wrong.