NBA Draft 2019: Way too early Rookie of the Year rankings

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on against the Michigan State Spartans in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 20: Darius Garland is interviewed after being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Pellegrino/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers

Garland played just five games for Vanderbilt before a knee injury ended his freshman season. However, he had been a hot name on draft boards over the past few weeks, potentially even jumping up to the Knicks at No. 3. In the end, he fell to the Cavaliers at No. 5 and he’ll be in an ideal position to put up the kind of big numbers that can help build a Rookie of the Year campaign.

Finishing, defense and playmaking are all concerns for Garland but he has excellent handle and he’s one of the best shooters in this draft, particularly off the dribble. He and Collin Sexton will share responsibilities handling the ball and Kevin Love will provide plenty of space for both to attack the basket. The Cavaliers probably won’t win a lot of games next season but Garland will likely put together some eye-popping scoring titles and become a fixture on SportsCenter.

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