The Toronto Raptors are one of the many teams who have benefitted from the excellent play of a sensational first-round rookie. Scottie Barnes is helping Toronto win just as much as Evan Mobley and Cade Cunningham and bolstering Cleveland and Detroit this season.
The Rookie of the Year race is starting to heat up. With some of the favorites for the award entering the league’s health and safety protocols, some of the mid-tier ROY candidates have made impressive charges to the top with the goal of unseating the two favorites.
There is still a ton of games left to play, but the Rookie of the Year favorites are starting to distance themselves. As these young stars continue to grow, they will start to prove their worth as long-term stars in this league.
With 2021 about to finally draw to a close, which players are starting to climb up this NBA Rookie Ladder? Barnes and Mobley have been at the top for most of the season. Will they be there once again?
NBA Rookie Ladder: Is Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes on top?
Mitchell has been his usual self over the course of December, but that’s helped make him one of the more consistent bench players in Sacramento. Mitchell’s perimeter defense makes him a perfect counterpart to De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton amid a chaotic situation in northern California.
Mitchell may have seemed like an odd pick to some given the logjam at point guard, but he’s done more than enough to cement himself as someone that should stay on the roster after the Kings remake it once again. Improving his interior finishing should be a goal for the rest of the season.
NBA Rookie Ladder: Alperen Sengun keeps impressing.
Sengun is only down this far on the list because of some standout showings from other rookies. Sengun’s 9.1 points per game is a very robust average, as his ability to consistently maneuver for easy points has helped Houston put up some more respectable offensive performances.
Sengun has already exceeded expectations, beating out an experienced veteran in Daniel Theis for a spot in the rotation. Sengun’s defense isn’t amazing right now, but he’s been good enough to help him in the starting lineup as he tries to mesh with Christian Wood in the Rockets’ frontcourt.
Green is finally back in the fold after an injury, and he’s rewarded Houston’s faith in his scoring skills by putting up back-to-back 20-point games in his first two games. Green is starting to be a better interior finisher, which could help him round into form and become a more consistent high-level scorer.
Green is never going to be an amazing defender, but he’s already starting to look more comfortable and confident on the offensive end. With Houston all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs, now is the time to let Green freestyle and figure out what he can and can’t get away with.
NBA Rookie Ladder: Don’t sleep on Herb Jones.
Jones was thrust into the Pelicans starting lineup due to Zion Williamson’s injury woes, but he’s played so well that he may not be removed when No. 1 is healthy again. Since December 17, Jones is averaging 13.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while playing some impressive defense.
Jones has been the best second-round pick in the 2021 class this season, as players like Dalano Banton and Ayo Dosunmu are all fighting for second place. Jones might not become a star, but he is a proven rotation player that is more than worth a nice new contract in New Orleans.
Duarte, recently placed on the COVID-19 list, remains one of the few bright spots in what has been a very disappointing year for Indiana. The Pacers guard is already averaging 13.2 points per game while establishing himself as a quality perimeter defender with a tremendous feel for the game.
Duarte has cooled off after a very hot start, and the continued insistence on making the Myles Turner/Domantas Sabonis pairing work has done a number on his stats. Duarte should bounce back once he returns to the floor, as his style of play is conducive to success in the modern NBA.
NBA Rookie Ladder: Josh Giddey keeps producing.
In each of his last five games, Giddey has recorded at least 10 points or 10 rebounds in every game. Giddey has three double-doubles and two-triple-doubles in his last five contests, further evidence that the Australian youngster is a unique talent that Oklahoma City can build around.
Giddey is still not a lethal offensive player at the moment, as he was held scoreless in his most recent game before ending up on the COVID-19 list. Once his jump shot starts to fall, Giddey will be a star in this league alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the Thunder backcourt.
Cunningham’s two-way skill was on display before he was placed in the health and safety protocol, as he continues to rack up the points and come up with key stops even though he isn’t playing with tons of consistent options alongside him in Detroit.
Cunningham, a former high school teammate of Barnes, is putting up 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, as Dwane Casey has given him full control of this offense. As long as he continues to be this proficient from a statistical point of view, Barnes may have some competition for the Rookie of the Year Award.
NBA Rookie Ladder: Franz Wagner is getting better.
With so many Orlando players out due to COVID-19 and No. 5 overall pick Jalen Suggs nursing an injury, Wagner was given the keys to the car. Over the last six games, Wagner is averaging 22.8 points per game, including a 38-point outburst in a loss against the Bucks.
Wagner looks to be the more effective player when compared to Suggs. Wagner is already capable of playing multiple positions, shooting from deep, and defending. His numbers may have been inflated due to the absences, but Wagner is a viable ROY contender.
Mobley is returning to action after his bout with COVID-19, putting him in a prime position to make a charge at the Rookie of the Year award. The USC alum is one of the main reasons the Cavs are a legitimate playoff team poised to make a very deep playoff run.
Mobley won’t overtake Barnes and Wagner in the scoring department, but he is already one of the best defensive players at any position in the East. That will be enough to keep him right near the top of the Rookie of the Year race as long as he avoids a major injury.
NBA Rookie Ladder: Scottie Barnes edged out Evan Mobley.
Barnes may have been sidelined for a long time due to the COVID-19 protocol, but he is still a favorite for the top rookie honor. Barnes is near the top of the list in both rebounds and points among rookies, and he’s done so while propping up a nonexistent Toronto bench.
After some iffy moments on defense, Barnes appears to have re-established himself as a quality on-ball player on that end of the floor. Scottie needs to be a bit more aggressive on offense, but it is very hard to find fault in his play in his NBA career so far.