NBA Power Rankings Week 2: Analyzing the League's Rookies
It's been another week of action-packed NBA basketball and these rookies are starting to find their niche into their respective teams' offenses.
Some rookies are folding, while the others are shining. We've got some players that came out of nowhere into the ranks, and some that are dropping right out of the ladder.
Let's see which rookies shined the brightest after the New Year.
Rookies No. 25-20
1 of 525. Isaiah Thomas: G, Sacramento Kings 9.8 MPG, 4.1 PPG, 0.9 APG, 0.8 TOPG
I see Isaiah Thomas as more of a flash player without the frills—the lightning without the thunder. Thomas has got the handles and quickness to blow by defenders with ease, but he looks lost once his 5'11" body gets into the paint with seven-foot beasts.
He played 28 minutes against Denver and only put up four points, while somehow accruing more turnovers than assists. He's got a lot of maturing as a player to do before he can really get some solid minutes.
24. Chandler Parsons: F, Houston Rockets 15.0 MPG, 5.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG
I've been semi-impressed with Parsons' production over the past three games. He's been able to grab boards in solid minutes on the court. He also scored 11 points against the Clippers.
I haven't seen enough of him to make a full diagnosis yet, though.
23. Klay Thompson: G, Golden State Warriors 18.4 MPG, 5.5 PPG, 1.3 APG, 1.4 TOPG
I'm not too sure what the deal is here with Klay Thompson, but he's got to be more productive. He's not going to get minutes over Monta Ellis—it's just not going to happen—but he can possibly earn a few more minutes here and there if he just picks up his production and puts the ball in the basket.
Thompson's shooting 40 percent from deep on the season, and 46.7 percent since the 31st. Can he turn it around?
22. Jeremy Pargo: G, Memphis Grizzlies 19.4 MPG, 5.9 PPG, 3.1 APG
Pargo had some nice games when Mike Conley was nursing an ankle injury, but he's returned to ghost mode on the bench now that the starter is back. He wasn't super productive off the bench anyway, so I don't think we'll be seeing much of him throughout the season.
Especially not after two scoreless games this week. It's horrible, but I'm more interested in seeing Josh Selby get some minutes.
21. Ivan Johnson: F, Atlanta Hawks 10.8 MPG, 3.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG
Ivan Johnson had a huge game against a Wade and James-less Miami Heat, making more hustle plays than any other Hawk on the court. But since then, hasn't been given the same playing time and hasn't put up the same numbers.
Johnson gives the Hawks a real toughness that they desperately need, and if they're going to bring something new to possibly make a playoff run this year, Johnson's got to get some more PT.
Rookies No. 20-15
2 of 520. Alec Burks: G, Utah Jazz 12.3 MPG, 6.0 PPG, 1.1 APG
I STILL want to see more of Alec Burks from the Utah Jazz. He still hasn't been given consistent minutes, and I think a few games of 20 or more minutes will give him the confidence he needs to put up points in bulk.
Still, he's got to fight Raja Bell and C.J. Miles for PT, but I think this rookie's got what it takes to crack the starting lineup and eventually become a premier scorer in the NBA.
19. Josh Harrellson: F, New York Knicks 18.8 MPG, 4.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG
Harrellson by far had his best game on the 31st when Amar'e Stoudemire was injured, recording his first ever double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. He's since seen more playing time and been a more productive player for the Knicks.
He doesn't score in bulk, but he knocks down the occasional three and grabs boards at a decent rate.
18. Terrel Harris: G, Miami Heat 15.2 MPG, 5.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.4 APG
I was very impressed with Harris' ability to grab rebounds when he snagged 14 boards without LeBron James or Dwyane Wade suited up. Still, in 44 minutes of play, he only scored nine points, but double-digit rebounding for any guard is a check-plus.
17. Bismack Biyombo: C, Charlotte Bobcats 14.0 MPG, 2.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.4 BPG
I really didn't buy the "Baby Dwight Howard" comparison when I saw the initial mock drafts, but this guy can really play. For some reason, he's not getting minutes in Charlotte, but whenever he's on the floor he's blocking shots and crashing the boards.
If you void the game he played against the Knicks (four minutes of play), Biyombo's averaged 4.5 points, 4.25 rebounds and two blocks in 16 minutes per game since the new year.
I really want to see him get more PT alongside Kemba Walker for some sick oops, because he also has some underrated athletic ability.
16. Jimmer Fredette: G, Sacramento Kings 23.8 MPG, 8.6 PPG, 2.4 APG
I'm a huge Jimmer fan, so it pains me to see him go through this rough stretch of games to start his NBA career. He looked sharp in the preseason with his breakout 21-point game, but he just hasn't been the same since.
After the new year, Fredette's shot a combined 16-of-44 (36.4 percent) from the field and an even worse 8-of-21 from his specialty, downtown.
I'm praying that he doesn't turn into an Adam Morrison-esque bust, but the former College Basketball Player of the Year is looking like just that. Maybe the coaching change in Sacramento will help him?
15. Chris Singleton: G, Washington Wizards 22.8 MPG, 4.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Singleton got his first start on Sunday against the Timberwolves because of an injury to Rashard Lewis, and he could've played a lot better. His defense, naturally, was great, but he shot uncharacteristically poor at 1-of-7 from the field for only three points.
He probably just had an off game. Singleton is a solid player, and I think he'll rebound from this slump nicely.
Rookies No. 14-6
3 of 514. Kawhi Leonard: F, San Antonio Spurs 19.1 MPG, 6.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG
Leonard had a monster game against Oklahoma City, recording his first career double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two steals in 31 minutes Sunday night. He's a high-energy, athletic forward, something the Spurs don't have many of, and coach Pop will continue to use him wisely.
But if Richard Jefferson keeps killing opponents from deep (20-of-31 since the New Year), it'll be hard to imagine the rookie continuing to get this kind of playing time.
13. Enes Kanter: PF, Utah Jazz 14.0 MPG, 4.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG
The only reason I have Enes Kanter at No. 12 is because he's a rebounding machine. He doesn't need the ball to be productive, and that's a plus for any player. Granted, he's not a great shot blocker, but we really haven't seen enough of him on the court to label him as a weak interior defense man just yet.
It'll be hard for him to get minutes over Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Derrick Favors, but he's doing everything right in the time that he's been given.
12. Derrick Williams: F, Minnesota T'Wolves 19 MPG, 7.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG
I really, REALLY want Rick Adelman to start giving D-Will some consistent big minutes, just to see what he's got riding the bench. When he played 30 minutes against the Wizards on Sunday, he lit them up for 14 points, shooting 4-of-7 from three and grabbing seven rebounds.
Still, the T'Wolves are SUPER deep at the forward with Love and Beasley both vying for minutes, but if they could find some way to get all of them some minutes, the T'Wolves, along with Rubio's court vision, could cause some wreckage in the future.
11. Brandon Knight: G, Detroit Pistons 26.8 MPG, 11.1 PPG, 3.0 APG, 3.1 RPG
With Rodney Stuckey out with a groin injury, Knight was able to show Pistons management a glimpse of exactly why they drafted him. The Kentucky alum dropped 19 points in 40 minutes, but he shot 5-of-13 from behind the arc and grabbed six rebounds.
Then again, it was against the extremely porous Knicks defense, so does it really count for anything?
Regardless, he's a solid rebounder for his size—Knight grabbed nine rebounds in 37 minutes against the Sixers as well—but he isn't a pure PG, and his scoring's got to come up some if he really wants to earn minutes over Stuckey.
10. Jon Leuer: Forward, Milwaukee Bucks 16.0 MPG, 5.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 0.7 BPG
Leuer did exactly what I thought he'd do with a bit more PT: score and grab boards. In 22 minutes of play, he scored 11 points and grabbed six boards. He turned the ball over three times—something that never looks good on a stat sheet—but in all, Leuer's steadily climbing the rookie ladder.
9. Greg Stiemsma: C, Boston Celtics 14.0 MPG, 3.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.2 BPG
When Jermaine O'Neal was out with a hamstring injury, it was rookie Greg Stiemsma who filled in. And when Stiemsma got the start, he did not disappoint; he scored 11 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting night, grabbed seven rebounds and even blocked two shots in only 21 minutes of action.
And the next game, when O'Neal returned, Stiemsma didn't attempt a shot, but snatched five boards and blocked a shot in 12 minutes. For some reason, his minutes continued to decline, but I fully expect this Wisconsin product to see plenty of PT for the rest of the season.
8. Tristan Thompson: F, Cleveland Cavaliers 18.4 MPG, 7.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.6 BPG
Tristan Thompson is another player who I'd like to see get more playing time. He's done great things when given decent minutes (16 PTS, 9 REB and 2 BLK in 26 MIN vs. CHA), but he just hasn't gotten consistent enough minutes to really win his coach's heart over.
I still think starting both Thompson and Antawn Jamison is the best look for the Cavaliers.
7. Kemba Walker: G, Charlotte Bobcats 19.5 MPG, 10.0 PPG, 3.0 AST, 0.6 SPG
I am a firm believer in Kemba Walker, and it pains me to see him be so inconsistent. He dropped 17 points to start the New Year off, but turned around and dropped two and seven points in the next two games. Then he comes back and drops a career-high 19 points on the Hawks, but shoots 3-for-10 for six points against the Pacers.
Walker's inconsistent, and so are his minutes. I think experimenting with a random start over D.J Augustin sometime this week could prove to be beneficial for both the team and Walker's confidence.
6. Norris Cole: G, Miami Heat 23.2 MPG, 10.9 PPG, 3.9 APG, 1.6 SPG
Cole's slightly simmered down after that 20-point outburst he had against Boston, but he's still been putting up some impressive numbers on a talent-stacked team. He's averaging 11.3 points and five assists in the month of January, so I believe his numbers will continue to slowly rise as his position becomes defined in Miami.
He had a pretty decent stat line Saturday against NJ (31 MIN, 9 PTS, 6 AST, 3 STL, 3 REB), so we'll probably see him continue to rise this season.
Top 5 Rookies
4 of 55. Iman Shumpert: G, New York Knicks 29.3 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 3.5 APG, 3.5 RPG, 2.0 SPG
Week of January 2nd, 2012
After coming off of that scary knee injury, Iman Shumpert stunned the Knicks with back-to-back impressive performances and earned his first start against the Pistons on Saturday.
He's also improved what many thought his biggest weakness was—three-point shooting—shooting 4-of-6 from downtown against the Bobcats. Maybe it was just a fluke, because he only made 1-of-5 attempts against Washington, but Shump looks really good out there on the court.
If he continues to get the playing time that coach D'Antoni's been giving him, there's no reason why he can't continue to climb the rookie ladder.
4. MarShon Brooks: G, New Jersey Nets 23.4 MPG, 13.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 TOPG
Week of January 2nd, 2012
MarShon Brooks has shown a scoring touch that can only be improved with more playing time. He's stepped straight into the role of an off-the-bench scorer and looks to take that starting spot over DeShawn Stevenson very soon.
Granted, Brooks doesn't provide the lock-down defense that the tattoo artist does, but the Nets desperately need scoring and that's something that the rook can definitely do.
Look for Brooks' numbers to jump high in the coming weeks.
3. Markieff Morris: PF, Phoenix Suns 25.4 MPG 11 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 50% 3PT
Week of January 2nd, 2012
Markieff Morris gets props, not only for shredding my Portland Trail Blazers from deep in their second loss of the season, but for being a superb rebounder in the playing time that he was given.
Morris nearly recorded three double-doubles this week, coming one shy of double-digit rebounds against the Blazers and the Warriors. More impressively, he shot 3-for-4 from downtown three times this week.
I know his twin brother Marcus is cheering from his D-League bench seat.
2. Ricky Rubio: PG, Minnesota T'Wolves 27.7 MPG, 9.4 PPG, 6.7 APG, 3.6 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Week of January 2nd, 2012
Every time Ricky Rubio gets his minutes, he does some serious work on the court. You can argue that he's gotten his numbers against weak teams, but the new Spaniard is the NBA's second most impressive rookie thus far.
He's not a super scorer—he never was—but what he does so well is distribute the ball so that the rest of his teammates in their sweet spots. If Rick Adelman is smart, as we all know he is, Rubio will be the starting PG for the foreseeable future.
1. Kyrie Irving: PG, Cleveland Cavaliers 26.9 MPG, 15 PPG, 5.1 APG, 3.9 RPG, 3 TOPG
Week of January 2nd, 2012
Again, more props to Kyrie Irving for dropping 21 on my Trail Blazers—in a LOSING effort. He's been all that the Cavaliers could have asked for and more, assuming the primary offensive option role, as well as facilitating and distributing the ball fairly well.
As his playing time increases, so will his numbers. My one bone to pick with him is how sloppily he takes care of the ball. I'm sure coach Byron Scott's already gotten on him after that seven-turnover game against Minnesota, but hopefully he cleans that up as the season progresses.
All rookies go through growing pains.
Week 2 NBA Rookie Power Rankings
5 of 5| Player | Team | GP | CHG | |
| 1. | G Kyrie Irving | CLE | 8 |  |
| 2. | G Ricky Rubio | MIN | 8 |  |
| 3. | F Markieff Morris | PHX | 8 | |
| 4. | G MarShon Brooks | NJ | 8 | --- |
| 5. | G Iman Shumpert | NYK | 4 | |
| 6. | G Norris Cole | MIA | 9 | |
| 7. | G Kemba Walker | CHA | 8 | |
| 8. | F Tristan Thompson | CLE | 8 | |
| 9. | C Greg Stiemsma | BOS | 6 | |
| 10. | F Jon Leuer | MIL | 8 | |
| 11. | G Brandon Knight | DET | 8 | |
| 12. | F Derrick Williams | MIN | 8 | |
| 13. | F Enes Kanter | UTAH | 8 | |
| 14. | F Kawhi Leonard | SAS | 9 | |
| 15. | G Chris Singleton | WSH | 8 | --- |
| 16. | G Jimmer Fredette | SAC | 9 | |
| 17. | C Bismack Biyombo | CHA | 8 | |
| 18. | G Terrel Harris | MIA | 8 | |
| 19. | F Josh Harrellson | NYK | 8 | |
| 20. | G Alec Burks | UTAH | 7 | |
| 21. | F Ivan Johnson | ATL | 5 | |
| 22. | G Jeremy Pargo | MEM | 8 | |
| 23. | G Klay Thompson | GSW | 8 | |
| 24. | F Chandler Parsons | HOU | 7 | |
| 25. | G Isaiah Thomas | SAC | 9 | |
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