The annual NBA rookie survey yields surprising results when it comes to Rookie of the Year voting.
The 2017-18 NBA rookie class might be the most hyped rookie class of all-time thanks to LaVar Ball. Some think there are at least three generational talents in the class, which doesn’t make sense because there can only be one generational talent at a time. But if any rookie class can re-write logic, it’s the one featuring LaVar Ball’s son.
Despite the hype surrounding Lonzo Ball, no. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, Jayson Tatum, and even forgotten rookie Ben Simmons, fellow rookies are looking elsewhere when it comes to Rookie of the Year.
NBA.com talked with 39 rookies for their annual NBA Rookie Survey. With 25.7 percent of the vote, Dennis Smith Jr. was voted as the player to win Rookie of the Year.
Picked ninth in the draft, Smith Jr. enters the season with a chip on his shoulder, feeling he should have been picked higher. Maybe this is his fellow rookies alleviating some of that anger. After all, they are the ones playing against him, not the executives that passed on him on draft night.
It should be noted that last year rookies picked Kris Dunn to win Rookie of the Year and the year before that they picked Jahlil Okafor. In fact, rookies have only picked this award correctly once in the 10 years of the survey. That was in 2007-08 when everyone picked Kevin Durant.
Smith Jr. also ran away with the “most athletic” category, finishing with 43.6 percent of the vote. Thunder guard Terrance Ferguson finished second with 12.8 percent.
Lonzo Ball finished second with 20 percent of the votes and Markelle Fultz came in third with 17.1 percent. Kyle Kuzma, Donovan Mitchell, and Ben Simmons tied for fourth with 5.7 percent.
While Smith Jr. was picked as the Rookie of the Year, everyone thought Lonzo Ball or Jayson Tatum would end up with the best career. The Lakers guard and Celtics forward received 18.4 percent of the vote in that category.
Next: NBA power rankings of suffering
Other categories:
Best Shooter – Luke Kennard (48.6%)
Best Defender – Josh Jackson (26.3%)
Best Playmaker – Lonzo Ball (71.8%)