NBA Rookie Rankings: Chet Holmgren on Victor Wembanyama's heels for No. 1; Ausar Thompson continues to impress

Stephen Noh

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NBA Rookie Rankings: Chet Holmgren on Victor Wembanyama's heels for No. 1; Ausar Thompson continues to impress image

There was plenty of discussion on how good the 2023-24 rookie class was going to be, and the players haven't disappointed. With roughly 10 percent of the season done, there have been a number of standouts. 

Victor Wembanyama has of course taken up the bulk of the headlines, but don't let him distract from the depth of this fantastic rookie class. Chet Holmgren has been equally as impressive, and the likes of Ausar Thompson and Dereck Lively II are already making a big impact on their respective teams.

Here are the top five rookies thus far, along with some honorable mentions. 

All statistics current through Nov. 12, 2023

NBA Rookie Rankings

1. Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Stats: 19.7 PTS, 8.8 REB, 2.5 AST, 2.4 BLK, 1.1 STL

Best game: Nov. 2 vs. PHX: 38 PTS, 10 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL

Wembanyama has lived up to the hype thus far. He's already turned into an elite defender who opponents are afraid to challenge anywhere he's near them. In the rare instances when players have tested him, he's pinned the ball like an adult playing with a kid. 

O.G. Anunoby simply shook his head and laughed when asked why he tried to get that layup past Wembanyama. He's not alone — Wembanyama is fourth in the entire league in blocks per game. 

Offensively, Wembanyama has figured out ways to score (throw the ball up anywhere near him, and he's going to get up to finish lobs) despite working with less-than-stellar passing on his team. His jump shot has been a bit shaky, but he is able to get it off whenever he wants over defenders.

Wembanyama's consistency might not totally be there yet, but he has created highlights on a nightly basis and has been must-watch through his first stretch of games. 

MORE: These photos put Wemby's incredible height into perspective

2. Chet Holmgren, Thunder

Stats: 16.4 PTS, 7.6 REB, 2.6 AST, 2.3 BLK, 0.9 STL

Best game: Nov. 3 vs. GSW: 24 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST, 1 BLK, 1 STL

The debate between Holmgren and Wembanyama for this top spot is a lot closer than you'd think. Wembanyama is getting all the hype, but the Chetrosexuals (don't blame me, Thunder fans made the term up!) will tell you that Holmgren has been the far more efficient player on offense.

While Wemby gets praised for his guard-like ability, Holmgren has his own high-skill package. 

Some of those stellar efficiency numbers are due to a better fit for Holmgren, but he isn't getting nearly enough shine for averaging 16.4 points per game on 54.9 percent shooting from the field, 50.0 percent from 3 and 89.5 percent from the line. In a normal year, he would be a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year. He still might win the award over Wembanyama. 

Holmgren has been terrific defensively as well, blocking shots on par with Wembanyama. He has gotten overpowered by some of the bigger guys in the league like Nikola Jokic and Andre Drummond, but for the most part, he's held up playing as a pure center. 

MORE: Chet Holmgren's Rookie of the Year eligibility, explained

3. Ausar Thompson, Pistons

Stats: 11.2 PTS, 10.5 REB, 3.5 AST, 1.8 BLK, 1.2 STL

Best game: Nov. 5 vs. PHX: 14 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK, 4 STL

Thompson hasn't been able to shoot the ball, which was a concern for him coming into the draft, but he's been able to do everything else at an extremely high level. He narrowly missed a rare 5x5 game on Nov. 5, showing how he finds multiple ways to contribute. 

Thompson is a 6-foot-6 wing who has been playing like a 90s big man. He's leading all rookies in rebounding and offensive rebounding, blocking shots like a maniac and shutting down elite offensive players like Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant.

Thompson has been able to contribute on offense despite the lack of a jump shot by getting to the rim at will and throwing some nifty passes to keep the Pistons' offense moving. He's been one of the most fun rookies to watch. 

4. Dereck Lively II, Mavericks

Stats: 8.8 PTS, 6.7 REB, 1.0 AST, 1.1 BLK, 0.7 STL

Best game: Oct. 25 vs. SAS: 16 PTS, 10 REB, 1 BLK, 1 STL

Lively has come in as a starter and done exactly what he was supposed to do — finish lobs from Luka Doncic, protect the rim and rebound the ball. He's shooting an astounding 78.0 percent at the basket.

Lively's only taken one shot (a corner 3) outside of 10 feet this season, but he looks like he can be a solid starter in the league for a long time. 

5. Brandon Miller, Hornets

Stats: 12.8 PTS, 4.2 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.6 BLK, 0.4 STL

Best game: Oct. 30 vs. BKN: 22 PTS, 9 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK

Miller has had a good start to his rookie campaign, coming off the bench initially for the Hornets before transitioning to a starting role. He's had some playmaking flashes, keeping the Hornets offense rolling with extra passes. He's tried to get to his midrange jump shot a little too often, but when he does get to the rim, he's shown nice touch. 

Miller has also played pretty good defense on tough assignments this season, managing to stay in front of stars like Doncic. 

Scoot Henderson
(Getty Images)

Honorable mentions

Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: It hasn't been an ideal start for Henderson, who has missed games with an ankle injury and looked a little overwhelmed at times. But he is getting to the rim well, showing that his athleticism will translate, and he's leading all rookies in assists alongside Keyonte George.

Marcus Sasser, Pistons: Sasser has gotten some playing time on the Pistons and literally run with it. He had a four-game stretch, including performances with 26, 22 and 19 points. The No. 25 pick has given the Pistons good defense and terrific shot making. 

Jordan Hawkins, Pelicans: Hawkins exploded for 31 points against the Nuggets in his fourth career start, hitting seven 3s in that game. He was a great movement shooter in college, and that's extending to the pros.

Julian Strawther, Nuggets: Strawther hasn't been able to carve out regular minutes in the Nuggets rotation, but when he has played, he's been excellent. In one of his longest outings of the year, he dropped 21 points in 19 minutes against the Pelicans. 

Cason Wallace, Thunder: Wallace seemingly hasn't missed a shot in his rookie year. He's shooting a torrid 63.8 percent from the field and 52.6 percent from 3. He's also contributing defensively to the Thunder. He looks like he's going to be a solid starter for a long time. 

Rookie stats and leaders

For comprehensive rookie leaderboards, you can check out daily updated rookie stats here. 

  Player Average
Points Victor Wembanyama 19.7 PPG
Rebounds Ausar Thompson 10.5 RPG
Assists Scoot Henderson, Keyonte George 4.6 APG
Steals Jaime Jaquez Jr. 1.3 SPG
Blocks Victor Wembanyama 2.4 BPG

Stephen Noh

Stephen Noh Photo

Stephen Noh started writing about the NBA as one of the first members of The Athletic in 2016. He covered the Chicago Bulls, both through big outlets and independent newsletters, for six years before joining The Sporting News in 2022. Stephen is also an avid poker player and wrote for PokerNews while covering the World Series of Poker from 2006-2008.