Welcome back to our weekly NBA rookie rankings. We are already one month into the NBA season and quite a few rookies have made their presence known. Many look to be solid players on their teams for the foreseeable future. Remember to check back with us every week to see where we rank this year’s top rookies.
1. Joel Embiid, Center, Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid sits atop our rankings once again and it’s going to be awfully tough for others to dethrone him. He averaging 18.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, but what’s impressive is that he doing that in only 22.2 minutes a night. After being derailed by injuries, it’s good to see him playing well for a team that desperately needed a boost in confidence after the past few years.
2. Jamal Murray, Guard, Denver Nuggets
With injuries to the Denver backcourt, Murray has performed quite nicely in increased minutes. In four games last week, Murray scored 20-plus points in three of those contests. He is currently the best shooter in the rookie class, shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. If he keeps up his play, he will go down as a steal at number seven for the Nuggets.
3. Dario Saric, Forward, Philadelphia 76ers
With all the hype surrounding teammates Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, Saric has gradually worked his way up into being one of the top rookies. Being a point forward, he’s able to distribute the ball and stretch the floor, which is important in the way the game is played nowadays. Adapting to a new style of play is never easy, but Saric has showed he can make the switch and that will benefit him moving forward.
4. Brandon Ingram, Forward, Los Angeles Lakers
Ingram notched his first career start against the Golden State Warriors last week and performed well scoring 16 points and grabbing three rebounds. He is leading all rookies in fourth quarter minutes averaging 8.8 per game, which shows he is helping his team. His defense has continued to be stellar this season and as long as he stays consistent he will continue to find minutes on the court. I have a feeling he is on the cusp of having an offensive breakthrough performance, which would bode well for his confidence.
5. Malcolm Delaney, Guard, Atlanta Hawks
After playing five years overseas, Delaney had found his niche in the NBA. He’s currently averaging 5.9 points and 3.2 assists per game. Although he doesn’t provide high offensive numbers, his plus-minus of plus-127 ranks 10th overall in the league. He has provided the Hawks with a solid back-up to starter Dennis Schroder, and from what it looks like he will continue to improve as becomes more comfortable.
Honorable Mention: Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis, Jaylen Brown