With the third quarter of the 2017-18 NBA season nearly complete, we know the Warriors are once again the title favorites, the Chris Paul-James Harden combination definitely works and the Cavs still love a bit of drama after a flurry of moves at the trade deadline.
What we don't know is who will win the Rookie of the Year award. Two months ago, it was essentially a one-man race — Sixers star Ben Simmons had a firm grasp while a handful of rookies were competing for runner-up.
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However, Donovan Mitchell took over for a Jazz team in desperate need of a scorer and playmaker to the point that some believe he is the current favorite to win the award. Mitchell’s winning performance at the 2018 Slam Dunk Contest certainly did not hurt his chances.
The 2017 draft class (and one holdover from the 2016 class) has turned out to be one of the deepest we have seen in quite some time — and given NBA fans a fun topic of debate for the stretch run. At minimum, there are five rookies worth discussing, even if Simmons and Mitchell are clearly in a separate tier.
Let’s take a closer look at the Rookie of the Year conversation, starting with the two biggest contenders for the award...
The (slight) frontrunner: Ben Simmons, Sixers
Simmons is having a rookie season for the ages. The 6-10 point guard out of LSU has drawn comparisons to Magic Johnson not only for the similarities in size and mobility, but also for his court vision. Simmons has become a highlight machine with his uncanny passing ability.
Simmons is averaging 7.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 34.8 minutes per game, leading all rookies in those categories. He is also second in points per game (16.7) and third in player efficiency rating (19.16).
What makes his rookie season so amazing is that he is having immense success with an old-school style. Simmons' outside game is essentially nonexistent. He has not made a single 3-point basket this year on 10 attempts and is shooting 56.9 percent from the free throw line. Teams dare him to shoot from the outside, but he has still been able to consistently get to the rim and shoot 53.3 percent from the field.
The Sixers hold the seventh seed in the East and have won eight of their last 10 games. Simmons' remarkable rookie season has had a lot to do with Philadelphia’s improvement.
The fan favorite: Donovan Mitchell, Jazz
Mitchell has made this a two-man race after a monstrous two-month stretch. He was able to grab back-to-back Rookie of the Month awards in the Western Conference while leading all rookies in points with 19.6 per game. That average comes with a 16.80 player efficiency rating (sixth among qualified rookies), and Mitchell’s usage rate of 29.0 is 19th in the entire league right behind Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis.
What makes Mitchell’s rookie year so impressive is that he has become the primary scorer for a Jazz team that is competing for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Losing Gordon Hayward in the offseason left the Jazz without a source for offensive creation when everything breaks down. Mitchell has somehow filled that void in his first season.
Mitchell was a highly-rated prospect coming out of Louisville, but no one could have predicted the numbers he has put up this year. We give a narrow edge to Simmons for his full season of work, but there's a fair argument for Mitchell in the top spot.
Don't forget about him: Jayson Tatum, Celtics
Tatum has made Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge look like a genius. The decision to trade the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft was roundly questioned, but it seems that Ainge knew what he wanted all along, as Tatum has fit in perfectly with the Celtics roster.
Tatum’s numbers do not necessarily jump off the page. He is averaging 13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Both Simmons and Mitchell have more eye-popping stats and highlights than Tatum, but their roles require them to produce offensively every night, whereas Tatum is not the primary ball handler on his team. (He shouldn't be when Boston has an elite creator like Kyrie Irving on the floor.)
However, Tatum has started all 62 games (most among rookies) for the Celtics this year, and he is a valuable contributor on a team expected to compete for the Eastern Conference title. There is something to be said for Tatum playing — and playing well — on a team competing for a championship despite the loss of Hayward to a brutal injury in the season opener.
Honorable Mentions
Lauri Markkanen, Bulls
Markkanen came of Arizona with some immediate pressure placed on his shoulders. The No. 7 overall pick in last year's draft already faced questions about his defensive ability and aggression, and on top of that, he became the centerpiece of the Jimmy Butler trade on draft night.
But give credit to Markkanen — he has shut down the naysayers with a fantastic rookie season. He is averaging 14.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 34.7 percent from beyond the arc and becoming the fastest player in NBA history to reach 100 made 3-pointers. He is second among all rookies with 13 double doubles (Simmons is blowing everyone away with 23).
In any other year, Markkanen may be the frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year race. It just so happens that he has to compete with Simmons and Mitchell.
Kyle Kuzma, Lakers
Kuzma is the one rookie that has come completely out of nowhere. The 27th overall pick out of Utah was an afterthought in a draft that saw the Lakers take Lonzo Ball at No. 2, but chants of "Koooooz" have become popular at Staples Center.
Kuzma has quickly overshadowed Ball and become one the Lakers' go-to scorers. Kuzma is older than most rookies, as he spent four years in Utah, but his extended stay in college allowed him to develop an NBA body that was ready to contribute right out the gate. Kuzma’s line of 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game has impressed.
Simmons and Mitchell are the clear favorites as the end of the season draws nearer. With both the Sixers and Jazz in playoff contention, the Rookie of the Year race looks like it will come down to the wire with two worthy candidates attempting to push their respective teams into the postseason.