That Pine Fresh Smell: Jimmer and 10 Rookies Who Could Be 6th Man of the Year

Every NBA player wants to start from day one, but a lot of rookies will be better coming off the bench. 

The amount of time on the floor varies from player to player, but being named a starter puts an enormous amount of pressure on an athlete. When that person is a rookie, it could hurt future development.

Fortunately, this NBA rookie class has plenty of players that can still make a positive impact for their team, even off the bench.

These 10 players have not started a game yet this season, but they could be good enough to win the Sixth Man of the Year award.

MarShon Brooks, New Jersey Nets

The New Jersey Nets have a long way to go to be competitive, but MarShon Brooks is the type of player that can help them get there.

Brooks is second on the team with an average of 13.7 points per game. He looks like a steal from the last NBA draft.

The guard trails only top overall pick Kyrie Irving in scoring among rookies this season.

If he can continue this type of production, he might not be on the bench for too long.

Norris Cole, Miami Heat

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh make the headlines in South Beach, but Norris Cole is quickly making himself known.

The point guard from Cleveland State was the No. 28 pick in the draft, but he is now fourth on the Miami Heat in scoring with 11.7 points per game.

Against the Boston Celtics, Cole scored 20 points to lead the Heat to a 115-107 victory. 

Mario Chalmers remains the starter due to his ability to pass, but Cole provides a burst of offense whenever he is on the floor.

Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kyrie Irving will remain the highest-profile rookie on the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Tristan Thompson will be a big factor for the team's success this season.

With Antawn Jamison in front of him, the power forward probably will not start anytime soon, but he is still receiving plenty of playing time.

Thompson is second on the team with 5.2 rebounds per game and has scored less than nine points only once this season.

So far it seems that the Cavaliers made a good selection with the fourth overall pick. 

Brandon Knight, Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons have a very balanced attack, with six players averaging double-digit points.

Rookie Brandon Knight is one of those players, despite averaging only 22 minutes off the bench.

Knight broke out in a big way against the Cleveland Cavaliers last week with 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting.

The Pistons are set at guard with Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey, but the former Kentucky player will get plenty of playing time behind these two veterans. 

Jimmer Fredette, Sacramento Kings

Jimmer Fredette will most likely not take the starting spot from last season's Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, but he can still be a force in Sacramento this season.

He is one of only five rookies who average at least 10 points per game, and he is second on the Kings in assists.

Fredette currently shoots 36 percent from three, and that number can still go up. The BYU grad shot 41 percent from deep in the last two years in college, and he could remain a sharpshooter throughout his career.

Kemba Walker, Charlotte Bobcats

Kemba Walker was a top-10 pick in the 2011 NBA draft, but he has the potential to be one of the best rookies in this class.

He has incredible quickness and his ability to get to the basket will help him score, even when he is not shooting his best.

The Charlotte Bobcats can use help scoring, as D.J. Augustin can only do so much.

Markieff Morris, Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns will lose a lot of games this season, but Markieff Morris will get plenty of chances to shine on the court.

Unlike his brother Marcus, Markieff did not have to adjust positions in his transition to the pros and is very good in the low post.

He trails only Enes Kanter with 5.4 rebounds per game among rookies, and is the fourth-highest scorer on the Suns.

Hakim Warrick currently comes off the bench and leads the team in scoring, but the team might need to adjust the starting lineup within the next few weeks.

Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves

It took two years from the time Ricky Rubio was drafted to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but so far he seems worth wait.

The point guard leads the team, as well as all rookies, with 6.4 assists per game. It is early in the season, but Rubio is also shooting 50 percent from behind the arc.

Minnesota has three point guards that contribute between Rubio, Luke Ridnour and Jose Juan Barea, but Rubio has been the one finishing the games on the court.

It might not be too long before he takes the starting job as well.

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

In college, Kawhi Leonard was a star on a small team, but now he can be a role player on a great team.

The small forward will probably not put up huge statistics, but he has the total package that will help the San Antonio Spurs throughout the season.

He currently gets more rebounds per game than Tim Duncan and is sure to improve on his 5.8 points per game.

Leonard will need to step up with teammate Manu Ginobili going down with a broken hand.

Derrick Williams, Minnesota Timberwolves

Derrick Williams has not been too productive in his first couple of games in NBA, but the second overall pick of the draft will explode before the season ends.

The forward from Arizona is already one of the most athletic players in the league, and he matches that with an ability to shoot well from deep.

Williams has made 51.7 percent of his shots this season, and the rest of his numbers should improve as he becomes more comfortable with playing time.