NBA Draft 2013: Ranking Players with Best Chance to Win Rookie of the Year

Many teams in the upcoming 2013 NBA Draft will be looking to land an impact player that can turn an organization’s future around, improve postseason chances or potentially win it all.

There are plenty of playmakers in this year’s draft class that are sure to help their new teams but only one is going to win Rookie of the Year at the season’s conclusion.

Portland Trailblazers star Damian Lillard took home this year’s honors with ease after a very impressive season. Lillard played in all 82 games for Portland, averaging 19 points, 6.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds in 38.6 minutes per game.

So which draft prospect has the best chance at doing what Lillard did—or in a similar fashion—next season? Let’s take a look at the three soon-to-be rookies that have a strong chance at winning the 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

No. 3: Trey Burke, PG, Michigan

Projected Selection: Orlando Magic (No. 2 overall)

Trey Burke was a fantastic college player for the Michigan Wolverines and it’s likely that his success with transition to the NBA.

As a sophomore last season, Burke averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 assists per game, carrying Michigan through the NCAA Tournament and being named the National Player of the Year. He can make a shot from nearly anywhere on the floor but isn’t necessarily the best defensive prospect available.

The Magic should take the best player available once they’re on the clock, which is good for them considering only one player will be off the board. While Orlando could go in a lot of directions, Burke is a safe and smart pick.

Orlando desperately needs a star that can fill the void left by Dwight Howard and Burke can be that guy. He showed the world what he was capable of in college and there’s no question he wants to prove what he can do at the next level.

No. 2: Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas

Projected Selection: Charlotte Hornets (No. 4 overall)

Charlotte will likely take the best player on the board as long as it isn’t Burke. It’s still somewhat early to forget about Kemba Walker, who led the team in scoring and assists this past season.

That means the Hornets will likely be able to take Ben McLemore, the sharpshooter from Kansas. McLemore should be available at No. 4, depending on what happens with the first three picks in the draft, and would be a solid addition for Charlotte.

Charlotte needs to find another shooter that it can pair alongside of Walker and McLemore is that guy. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated even compared McLemore to Ray Allen, only more athletic, according to Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.

McLemore will enter the NBA with just a year of college experience under his belt, but he sure made the most of it. He averaged 15.9 points per game and shot 49.5 percent from the field in 37 games for the Jayhawks.

It would be rare to see McLemore shoot close to 50 percent in the NBA, but by scoring around 16 points per game—along with some other solid statistics—could earn him some hardware at the end of the season.

No. 1: Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

Projected Selection: Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 1 overall)

The Cavaliers were lucky to have won the NBA Draft Lottery and I doubt that they make the mistake of selecting anyone but Nerlens Noel with the No. 1 overall pick.

Noel is by far the most talented player in the draft and has a very high ceiling for the future. Cleveland does need a forward that can shoot, but adding Noel to the mix that already includes Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters would make for an impressive young group.

Noel is only 19 years old, but he’s been coached by one of the best in college sports in John Calipari. In his first and only season at Kentucky, he averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks in 31.9 minutes per game.

Most of Noel’s competition for the coveted award will be shooters. He has the opportunity to lead all rookies in rebounds and blocks. Not to mention, the guy can score from inside the paint and will most likely average double-digits in his first season.

A center hasn’t won Rookie of the Year in nearly a decade—Emeka Okafor in 2004-05—but there’s already a strong likelihood that Noel ends the drought in the upcoming seasons.

*Noel is expected to be out six to eight months after undergoing surgery on his torn ACL, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reported that Noel hopes to be back by Christmas. Should Noel return by that date, he would be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award.