NBA Rankings: The Top 25 Rookies Thus Far

It's that time again, kids!

NBA rookie rankings. Again, Kyrie Irving and Ricky Rubio are atop the pack, but we've got some surprises here for you. There are some new additions to the crew this time around, as some players have begun to fall completely off of the map.

Jimmer Fredette, among others have disappeared off of the grid, while Portland's Elliot Williams has begun to establish himself as part of the rotation.

So let's press on and discuss the top 25 rookies to this point.

Rookies 25-19

25. Jon Leuer: F, Milwaukee Bucks 12.7 MPG, 5.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG

Leuer's played a total of 15 minutes in the past five games. It seems as though he may have fallen out of the rotation, once again.

24.Alec Burks: G, Utah Jazz 12.0 MPG, 6.1 PPG

Burks is a victim of a team stacked at the 2-guard. He seldom sees minutes behind C.J. Miles and Raja Bell, but he's productive when he does touch the court. Since Utah is looking like a lottery team, they should insert the rookie into the starting rotation just for fun, and see what he can do with extended minutes.

23. Lavoy Allen: F, Philadelphia 76ers 16.0 MPG, 4.8 PPG, 4.6 RPG

I haven't watched a lot of Lavoy Allen, and his stats over the past few games aren't so promising, but there's a reason this kid is getting minutes on a very good 76ers team. Can't put my finger on it. By the next rookie ranking, I'll have an in-depth analysis of his game.

22. Norris Cole: PG, Miami Heat 20.7 MPG, 8.1 PPG, 2.4 APG

Since Norris Cole cooled off from his hot start in Miami, he's sort of plateaued as Mario Chalmers' backup. Cole knows what he brings to the team (spot-up shooting when the defense double-teams LeBron or D-Wade), and he's not trying to do more than is asked of him.

21. Elliot Williams*: SG, Portland Trail Blazers 6.2 MPG, 3.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.3 APG

I'm issuing out the Blake Griffin rule for Elliot Williams. Griffin missed his entire rookie season after getting surgery on a broken kneecap, but came back the next season dominant as ever to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

Williams sat out the 2010-2011 season after undergoing surgery on his dislocated right patella, but for some reason, no one considers him a rookie. 

Regardless, he's a superstar in the making. Whether it's been his ridiculously high-flying dunks or his ability to create his own shot, Elliot Williams' future is glistening. With the chaotic locker room plaguing the Trail Blazers, Williams seems like one of the very few untouchable pieces in Portland next to LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum.

He only gets garbage time in games, but his Player Efficiency Rating at 18.9 is third highest on the team behind who else? Aldridge and Batum.

*Williams dislocated his shoulder in Portland's loss vs. Boston, and will miss the next few games because of it.

20. Brandon Knight: G, Detroit Pistons 32.0 MPG, 12.6 PPG, 3.5 APG, 3.4 RPG

His 11.4 attempts should not equate to 12.5 points per game. Brandon Knight's a very aggressive perimeter scorer, but his inefficiency issues are hard to look past. 

19. Ivan Johnson: F, Atlanta Hawks 14.1 MPG, 5.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG

Johnson's been filling his role off the bench for the Hawks as an enforcer. Not necessarily a shot blocker around the basket, but he brings a toughness to the court that Atlanta was lacking before. His numbers continually fluctuate from high to low, but he's a 10-and-5 guy, and probably won't go further than that.

Rookies 18-13

18. Markieff Morris: PF, Phoenix Suns 19.3 MPG, 7.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 38.6% 3PT

Four, three, two, one, zero. That's how many points, in chronological order, that Markieff Morris has scored over the past five games. While he came out of the gates red-hot, it seems as though this Morris twin has hit that rookie wall.

Still, he hasn't been demoted to the D-League like his brother, Marcus.

17. Klay Thompson: SG, Golden State Warriors 17.1 MPG, 7.9 PPG, 45.8% 3PT

Klay Thompson has strung together three consecutive double-digit scoring games, finding productivity in limited play time behind Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis. If the trade rumors come true, Thompson could soon see a bigger role in Golden State.

16. Bismack Biyombo: C, Charlotte Bobcats 18.1 MPG, 4.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.8 BLKPG

Biyombo posted a 10-point, 15-rebound, seven-block game in a rare Charlotte win over the Orlando Magic, and is second behind Serge Ibaka (5.58) in blocks per 48 minutes at 4.85. He's very raw offensively, but his defense and athleticism will always earn him minutes in the NBA.

15. Tristan Thompson: PF, Cleveland Cavaliers 19.9 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.2 BLKPG

For the No. 4 overall draft pick, Tristan Thompson sure isn't seeing the playing time that comes with it. I don't live in Ohio, so I don't get to watch the Cavaliers' games.

14. Tobias Harris: F, Milwaukee Bucks 11.8 MPG, 5.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG

Tobias Harris had seen a significant increase in playing time for a moment, but appears to be falling in and out of the rotation once again.

13. Iman Shumpert: G, New York Knicks 28.9 MPG, 9.8 PPG, 3.1 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.9 STLPG

On any other team, Shump would be a starter. A lock-down defender and an incredibly strong slasher. Iman Shumpert was a steal for the Knicks in the lottery.

But with Landry Fields and J.R. Smith, two more offensively savvy players than Shumpert, the rook's slowly losing his minutes, especially in Coach Mike No-D'Antoni's offense-only game plan.

He's the Knicks' best perimeter defender by far, yet D'Antoni only let him see five minutes on the court in their loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night, but firing their coach is a topic for another discussion.

Rookies 12-6

12. Enes Kanter: PF/C, Utah Jazz 13.9 MPG, 4.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG

There's a lot of things we don't know about Enes Kanter, mainly because no big man would see much playing time behind Al Jefferson and Paul Milsap. Once in the playoff mix, it appears the Jazz are headed for the lottery, yet again.

We know he's an excellent rebounder, but we have no idea if he can score in the low post, in isolation or if he's a pick-and-roll player. These are all things we should find out as the Jazz throw more play time at him towards the end of the season.

11. Nikola Vucevic: C, Philadelphia 76ers 17.6 MPG, 6.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 50.7% FG

Honestly, the only thing keeping Elton Brand in the starting lineup is tenure. According to ESPN's David Thorpe, despite playing 11 less minutes than Brand, "Vucevic scores more near the rim than the 12-year veteran. He's probably a better shooter too."

As Brand continues to fade away into nothingness, Vucevic will continue to develop into the solid player he's destined to become.

10. Gustavo Ayon: PF, New Orleans Hornets 19.9 MPG, 6.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.1 STLPG, 0.9 BLKPG

I haven't gotten a chance to watch Gustavo Ayon in action just yet, but from what I've read and heard, the kid's got a bright future. He's a solid rebounder, and though he doesn't get much run, he makes the most of time on the court.

9. Kemba Walker: G, Charlotte Bobcats 28.0 MPG, 12.5 PPG, 3.9 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.1 STLPG

Maybe it's just me, but I expected Walker to explode out of the gates as the franchise centerpiece for the Charlotte Bobcats, thus silencing those who've had problems with Michael Jordan's draft history, myself included.

However, it seems as though it's taking him a bit longer to catch on than I anticipated. He averages just over 11 attempts for under 13 points per game, and even worse, his team has the worst record (5-33) in the NBA. 

I don't believe D.J. Augustin and Kemba Walker are compatible, and until His Airness puts an adequate supporting cast around their young star, they won't move from their bottom-feeding standing in the East.

8. Kenneth Faried: PF, Denver Nuggets 19.3 MPG, 8.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.1 BLKPG, 60.2% FG

In every profession there's always a chance for someone to get that big break that puts his career in the fast lane. For Kenneth Faried, that break, unfortunately, was Danilo Gallinari's ankle injury.

With the increased PT Faried's seen, his numbers have shot up. The rook's averaging 12.2 points, 8.4 boards, 1.4 blocks and one steal in March's five games, using his ridiculous athleticism to make plays on the boards and in transition. 

As Gallo slowly matriculates back into the lineup, Faried will probably see less run, but he's still a valuable part of a competing Denver Nuggets team.

7. Derrick Williams: PF, Minnesota T'Wolves 20.1 MPG, 8.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG

With an injured Kevin Love (back spasms), Derrick Williams dropped a very impressive 22 points and 10 rebounds in a career-high 43 minutes of play. 

Williams has played best at power forward, taking bigger defenders off the dribble and to the basket, and has been the head of the bench that has led the T'Wolves into the playoff race for the first time in a long time.

It'll be very interesting to see what Coach Rick Adelman does if and when the T'Wolves move Michael Beasley.

6. Chandler Parsons: SF, Houston Rockets 26.5 MPG, 8.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.2 STLPG

Parsons doesn't do any one thing great, but he does a lot of things well and plays with a certain patience that you don't normally find in rookies. For a second-round draft pick to beat out his more-heralded, All-American lottery pick counterpart, Marcus Morris, and squeeze Chase Budinger out of the starting lineup is not something that should be overlooked.

I had the chance to watch Parsons play for the first time, and that patience is a key factor in his offensive game. Instead of shooting a contested corner three, the rookie head-faked and slowly attacked the basket, finding a hole to get to the rim. He's not a superstar, but Parsons has the ability to become a very solid player in the NBA.

Top 5 Rookies

5. Kawhi Leonard: SF, San Antonio Spurs 23.1 MPG, 7.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.3 STLPG

Much like Kenneth Faried, Kawhi Leonard earns his playing time making high-energy plays off the ball and crashing the boards. He even knocks down the occasional three (35.8 percent), but his production mainly comes off of transition dunks and offensive boards.

Leonard could pan out to have a Gerald Wallace kind of career, which does, in fact, mean a possible All-Star appearance (okay, maybe I got a bit carried away).

4. MarShon Brooks: SG, New Jersey Nets 30.5 MPG, 14.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 STLPG

Without Brook Lopez (ankle) and Deron Williams (calf) in the rotation, the Nets needed someone to step up and put more pressure on the defense.

And though the Nets would lose, MarShon Brooks was super impressive against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, scoring 23 points on 11-for-17 shooting, while adding in seven assists and five rebounds. 

The comparisons to Kobe Bryant are beginning to come true. Brooks knocked down an impressive five (yes, I counted) turn-around fade-away jumpers over solid defenders. This rookie's potential, alone, should be enough to keep D-Will around long-term.

3. Isaiah Thomas: PG, Sacramento Kings 21.0 MPG, 9.3 PPG, 3.2 APG, 

Isaiah Thomas has proven to be a short-term fix for the Sacramento Kings, moving Tyreke Evans to the small forward position. The Kings are running very small, but they play fast and get out in transition.

Thomas has stolen the spotlight from Jimmer Fredette by assuming the starting PG role in SacTown. Not too sure how long he can keep it up for, but his electrifying quickness and playmaking ability will keep him atop this list for weeks to come.

2. Ricky Rubio*: PG, Minnesota T'Wolves 34.2 MPG, 10.6 PPG, 8.2 APG, 4.2 RPG, 2.2 STLPG

While many believe that Ricky Rubio has hit the ever-so feared rookie wall, there's no doubt that his stats, European swagger and uncanny playmaking abilities are still there.

Rubio's got to work on his efficiency, just barely shooting 36 percent from the field and 34 percent from deep, but he's had a very productive rookie season thus far.

*Following the news that Ricky Rubio has been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a Torn ACL, he will not be featured in any further Rookie Power Rankings.

1. Kyrie Irving: PG, Cleveland Cavaliers 31.1 MPG, 18.3 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.0 STLPG, 40.8% 3PT

Kyrie Irving posted his second double-digit assist game in Cleveland's win over Oklahoma City Friday night, but the rookie has yet to post a double-double this season (he only finished with nine points).

Regardless, he's about as much of a shoe-in for the Rookie of the Year Award as LeBron James is to pass the ball with less than five seconds remaining in regulation... or overtime.