The 2017-18 NBA season is fast approaching and we’re keeping an eye on Rookie of the Year favorites.
A new NBA season is around the corner and that means a fresh batch of new faces are entering the league. Every year, rookies provide franchises and fan base with boundless hope and promise in the lead up to a new year. This season, many of the players selected last June have a chance to make some real noise in the league.
The 2017 NBA Draft delivered one of the most talented crop of prospects to the NBA. There is plenty of superstar-level talent at the top of this class, and teams were able to snag rotation players all the way into the middle of the second round.
Clearly, there is a lot of hype for these incoming rookies to live up to, which should make the Rookie of the Year race in 2017 all the more fascinating to track. As the season approaches, there are definitely a few that have a leg up on their peers.
Winning Rookie of the Year is about three things: stats, opportunity and narrative. The player with the best stats will likely be named Rookie of the Year at season’s end. In order to get those stats the player needs the opportunity to get on the court and then to play through their mistakes as well. Finally, as it is an award voted on by the media, a good narrative is the cherry on top. Journalists can’t help themselves, but to root for a good story.
With there being so much talent in the 2017 NBA Draft — along with the number one pick from the 2016 NBA Draft being eligible for this year’s Rookie of the Year — there are more than five players capable of taking home this hardware. However, below are the five names that best combine the three criteria mentioned above as we prep for the 2017-18 season to tip off. The Rookie of the Year preseason favorites include the previous two number one picks, two ACC studs, and last but not least, Lavar Ball’s eldest son.