NBA Rookie of the Year ladder: Chet and Wemby trade blows, Ausar on the rise

The NBA Rookie of the Year race is full steam ahead. It's way too early for definitive statements, but it would appear that we are in for a classic two-horse race. It's only fitting that said race involves two completely absurd 7-foot-plus athletes who are challenging our very understanding of the NBA big man. It would seem we can't escape the recent MVP debate formula, no matter what the award is.

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren have been the unavoidable focus of the awards conversation so far, but there are several rookies making a splash right now. While a few of the expected powerhouses have struggled out of the gates — Scoot Henderson is shooting 34.5 percent from the field — there are rookies starting for contenders and making a genuine winning impact three weeks into the season.

Here's a look at the landscape as it sits today, with the understanding that it is very early in the campaign and changes are inevitable, from one through five.

NBA Rookie of the Year power rankings: Week 2

Honorable mentions: Brandon Miller, Marcus Sasser, Jordan Hawkins, Keyonte George, Bilal Coulibaly

Cason Wallace has been pitch-perfect as the Oklahoma City Thunder's Swiss Army Knife sixth man. The No. 10 pick was billed as NBA-ready, but he has exceeded even the highest expectations out of the gate. The Thunder have a lot of guards on the roster, but Wallace has comfortably carved out 20-25 minutes every night because he's too good to keep off the floor.

Wallace played point guard at Kentucky, and the general expectation was that he would fit into a combo-guard role in the NBA. OKC is taking it to the next level, though. Wallace has been part of three, even four-guard lineups. Mark Daigneault continues to exercise every attribute of Wallace's skill set. He's spotting up in the corners, he's running pick-and-rolls, he's setting screens, he's finishing on duck-ins at the rim. Wallace has been the ultimate plug-and-play weapon, contributing amply on both ends of the floor — even when the basic numbers don't leap off the screen.

Across seven games, Wallace has averaged 8.0 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. There are rookies with more robust counting stats, but Wallace is operating at the peak efficiency level for a 6-foot-3 guard. He's slashing .688/.545/1.000 right now. Those numbers aren't sustainable, but Wallace has been an elite paint finisher for his size and an absolute marksman on spot-up 3s.

OKC will continue to derive a lot of value from Wallace's connective traits. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and even Chet Holmgren will all take more front-and-center roles in the Thunder offense, but Wallace is making quick decisions in the flow of the game, defending his tail off all over the floor, and finishing plays when called upon. Wallace is on track to be one of the NBA's best role players, with a ceiling that stretches even higher.