NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings

Who will be the NBA’s Rookie of the Year? 

It’s been a strong draft class.  Guards Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas and Brendon Knight have grown with their teams, and forwards Kenneth Faried, Kawhi Leonard and Chandler Parsons are blossoming into future stars.

So, here's a look at the NBA's top five rookies.

Kyrie Irving, Point Guard

Irving is far and away the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. Early on this season, the electrifying Ricky Rubio provided a challenge, but when he was injured, Irving all but secured this award.

Cleveland’s budding star displays everything you want in a starting point guard.  He has good size and should learn to defend his position well.  He also has good length and athleticism; he is not Derrick Rose mind-blowing in this area, but it won’t hold him back.  Most important, he has become a cerebral playmaker, able to pass the ball at will and jump-start Cleveland’s offense.

Irving has also put up star-level statistics, even in his rookie season.  He averaged 18 points, nearly six assists, four rebounds and a steal.  More importantly, he put those numbers up efficiently, which is very rare for an NBA rookie.  He shot .468 from the field, .873 from the line, .414 from three-point range and put up a player efficiency rating of 21.23. Those are all strong numbers for a star players’ prime, so Cleveland fans should be ecstatic that Irving is that efficient out of the gate.  He has a very bright future ahead of him in the NBA.

Ricky Rubio, Point Guard

He will finish the season on the injured list, but Rubio is an electrifying young player.  Before his injury, he had the Minnesota Timberwolves in playoff contention and was a strong pick for Rookie of the Year. Rubio is the NBA’s most dynamic young playmaker, capable of doing things with the ball that most basketball players can only dream about in their sleep. 

Rubio averaged 10 points, eight assists and four rebounds while forging a bond with Kevin Love, Minnesota’s MVP-level power forward.  His eight assists were particularly impressive for a rookie.  However, he is not yet a complete player.  His percentages are terrible, 35 percent from the field and only 34 percent from three-point range, which suggests he is one of the NBA’s worst mid-range shooters.  This keeps Rubio from being an efficient player. To reach his potential, he will have to work hard to become a league-average shooter. Other than that downside, his NBA future is extremely bright.

Kawhi Leonard, Forward

Leonard is already a polished role player and could become a star.  He is a member of the San Antonio Spurs’ rotation and plays minutes at shooting guard, small forward and even power forward.  For more than 20 minutes per game, he has played to league-average efficiency and helped the Spurs to an exceptional record.  Over time, he should develop into a starter and a poor man’s Andre Iguodala due to his athleticism and defensive versatility.

Kenneth Faried, Power Forward

Faried plays with relentless energy and is the best rebounder in the draft class.  He took down seven rebounds in 20 minutes per game, so if he becomes a starter next season, watch out!  Faried also plays with efficiency, putting up almost 10 points with decent percentages and a player efficiency rating of 21.97.  He is clearly one of the most important parts of the Denver Nugget’s rotation.

But, Faried plays only 20 minutes per game, which has limited his total production this season.  He is also a relatively one-dimensional player.  He rebounds and defends well but has not displayed much of an offensive game or any skill moves.  Faried will be very helpful, but he is not yet a complete player.  

Isaiah Thomas, Guard

He’s the little engine that could!  Thomas is barely 5’9” (on a good day), but he plays with ferocity and a strong desire to win at all costs.  He was not originally slated to start but, once he got the chance, he has refused to let it go.  More importantly, he plays with a good efficiency level and is learning how to involve teammates better.  Thomas should only get better over time, though he may not be a long-term starter in the NBA.