NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings: Unicorns unleashed

So much for the 2023 NBA Draft class.

Right now, it's impossible to deny Chet Holmgren the top spot. The Oklahoma City Thunder are a contender. Holmgren has been every bit as good as advertised, operating in various capacities on offense and completely erasing the rim on defense. The wiry 7-footer is averaging 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.6 blocks on .596/.524/.800 splits in 28.6 minutes per game.

He's a buttery 3-point shooter. That ludicrously high success rate won't hold, but Holmgren's volume will keep defenses stretched thin. When he gets run off the line, Holmgren is a multi-faceted threat. He can get all the way to the rim off the dribble, he's a heads-up passer on the move, and he's even a pull-up threat in the mid-range. When deployed as a screener, Holmgren is an elite vertical threat for Josh Giddey and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to weaponize at the rim.

Oftentimes, OKC is running lineups with five legitimate ball-handlers — which includes Holmgren. He can switch on defense as well, offering virtually unencumbered schematic versatility for Mark Daigneault and the OKC coaching staff. He's the perfect modern five for the Thunder's uniquely malleable lineups. He does all the important big man things as a generational shot-blocker and rim-runner, but he can also function as a perimeter weapon.

The Thunder will continue to win regular season games. At 3-2, it's too early for sweeping takeaways, but OKC has the feel of a postseason team. Holmgren doesn't have the same offensive freedom as Wembanyama (whose freedom will only expand from here), but he's in the perfect spot to play efficient, winning basketball. He will benefit from the gravity of OKC's offensive engines while simultaneously benefitting them with his stretchy skill set.

In the end, it's Holmgren's defense that lands him unequivocally in the No. 1 spot (after one week, mind you). He's already hyper-polished as a rim protector, making every rotation and covering tons of ground with his light feet and 7-foot-7 wingspan. He's a candidate to lead the NBA in blocks and compete for Defensive Player of the Year this season. So is Wemby, frankly, but that's the nature of today's NBA. It's Unicorn City.