The 2014 draft was touted by some as "the best since 2003," the class that brought LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony in the top 5 alone. This year's draft was headlined by Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid and Jabari Parker, all of whom came into the draft touted as franchise player material.
But then, third overall pick Joel Embiid got hurt, and is out for the season. Then the same thing happened to seventh overall pick Julius Randle. Then it happened to second overall pick Jabari Parker. Then fourth overall pick Aaron Gordon had foot surgery. Ninth overall pick Noah Vonleh has struggled with injury, too. So has sixth overall pick Marcus Smart.
An absurd amount of the talent from the 2014 draft class has fallen to injury. It would be unfair to the injured guys to call this class disappointing already, but this season has not featured the rookie excitement some hoped for.
Still, a number of standouts from this year's class remain standing. Next year might be a better barometer for the 2014 class as a whole, but let's sum up what we have seen so far.
Andrew Wiggins, G/F, Timberwolves
An insane level of hype followed Andrew Wiggins as a top high school recruit and No. 1 pick out of Kansas. Wiggins then went on to become part of the biggest NBA story of the summer, when he was traded to Minnesota for Kevin Love. Between all these headlines, Wiggins' name was everywhere before he ever played a minute in the pros.
Through the first month of the season, it was unclear what kind of rookie season he would have. He showed tendencies to disappear on offense, a habit Wolves coach Flip Saunders did not care for. When it happened, Wiggins would take a seat.
It seems Saunders' message put Wiggins on the right track. Wiggins has scored more than 20 points eight times in January, averaging 19.7 points per game in the month.
Nikola Mirotic, F, Bulls
It's not always easy to gauge how well a European prospect will fare in the pros, even after a campaign as successful as the one Mirotic had for Real Madrid. Still, it's easy to see what scouts saw in him when he was picked in the first round in 2011. Even at that point, Mirotic wasn't a sure thing. It was his final couple years overseas that really got Bulls fans excited.
There is a short explanation for what he has done for the Bulls: he can shoot. But that's far from the entire story. He also has an underrated handle for a power forward and uses it well to make the occasional drive.
Nerlens Noel, F/C, 76ers
Anyone forget that Nerlens Noel is technically a rookie this season? At one point, the most talked about Sixers rookie was 2014 second-round pick K.J. McDaniels, but Noel has started to channel into his inner rim protector of late. In doing so, he has helped the Sixers make out of the last place gutter.
Among rookies, he's leading in rebounds, blocks and steals, and is in the top 20 in the entire league in the latter two categories. More importantly, he isn't playing like he's fresh off a season-ending knee injury. He has a way to go offensively, but is quickly making strides, at least in terms of comfort and touch around the basket. Sixers fans need reason to believe GM Sam Hinkie's roster implosion plan has hope. Noel has provided a glimpse of that.
Elfrid Payton, G, Magic
There were several fans of Payton's around draft time, and for good reason. Coming out of Louisana-Lafayette, he was noted for his speed, quickness, passing and lockdown defense. He's going through all the same growing pains as the rest of the rookie class, but is also showing off a lot of the skills that got him drafted in the first place.
He got off to a really slow start shooting the ball. Even now, he's shooting just 41.6 percent, but considering where he started, Magic fans are not complaining. He has improved his shooting every month so far in his young career, and his confidence is showing. It's bringing out the other parts in his game, too. The more defenders have to respect his shooting ability, the easier it will be for him to show off his impressive court vision.
Jusuf Nurkic, C, Nuggets
The Nuggets clearly like their 20-year-old center, enough to part with former starter Timofey Mozgov (though, the two first-round picks was attractive regardless) to give Nurkic some more run. So far, he's looked like an undeveloped kid, just exiting his teen years, playing against professionals. That said, he still looks like he belongs in the NBA.
Very few rim-protecting centers with Nurkic's size possess the ability to shoot from the perimeter. He's also an excellent rebounder, with improved footwork in the post. He's far from a finished product, but the quickly-rising trajectory he's on has Nuggets fans excited. He's a supremely confident player (see gif in link), and if his work ethic is on an equal level, we'll be seeing lots of him.
K.J. McDaniels, G/F, 76ers
Early in the season, it looked as though K.J. McDaniels would be in contention for Rookie of the Year consideration. He rebounded the ball at an excellent rate for a 6-6 wing, scored well (albeit on the 76ers), and had a motor that made him a fan favorite in Philly.
The past couple months, though, he has hit a wall. Whether it's the rookie wall, or simply McDaniels finally coming back down to earth, it's troubling to see. He's shot below 36 percent since December, is less effective from beyond the arc and is turning the ball over. Part of the problem for McDaniels is his increased minutes, but he's still trying to get back to the excellent play we saw from him in November.
Tarik Black, F/C, Lakers
Wait, wasn't Tarik Black released by Houston this year? How is he in the top 10? There's two parts to that answer: For one, between a slew of injuries, the bottom half of this list might get a bit underwhelming.
Still, Black has been a breath of fresh air, if nothing else due to his high effort. He's a straight workhorse, and is typically the stronger guy in a one-on-one matchup. He's a good rebounder and defender and knows only to shoot the ball when it's more or less a gimme.
Of all the guys on this list, Black has the lowest ceiling, but he also may have already found his niche in the NBA. That can be just as valuable.
Marcus Smart, G, Celtics
Marcus Smart's nickname would be "Flash," if it weren't already taken by Dwyane Wade. Like much of the top 10, he has struggled with nagging injuries all year, but there have been games, or at least flashes this season when Smart has looked like a future All-Star. He has the potential to be a lockdown defender, and his athleticism and speed with the ball in his hands should make him a dangerous offensive player as well.
Smart still isn't a great perimeter shooter, and his overall field-goal percentage doesn't help his ranking either. He's skilled and developed, and knows what his body can and can't do, but he's still a project from an Xs and Os standpoint. He has yet to learn when to take the right shot, when to make the right pass, play off of screens and other things a full-time point guard absolutely needs to know. It's unclear whether he'll fully get there, but if those flashes are any indication, it will be a fun ride regardless.
Zach LaVine, G, Timberwolves
Like Smart, LaVine is struggling to pick up on basic duties that a full-time NBA point guard needs to be successful. LaVine was not supposed to play this much right away, especially at point guard. Because of a bad ankle injury to Ricky Rubio, and a lack of depth at point guard, the Wolves are forced to use LaVine more than expected.
A few things are clear: LaVine can shoot and jump insanely high, and he can be a decent on-ball defender when he chooses to give effort on that end of the floor. But LaVine is not a point guard, and doesn't choose to be a good on-ball defender nearly enough. When Rubio gets back and LaVine finally has a chance to sit back and learn the NBA offense (maybe play a little shooting guard?), things might be better for him. A stint in the D-League might help him, too.
Bojan Bogdanovic, F, Nets
Bogdanovic's minutes have steadily decreased as inured vets have started to come back, but there's a good chance he sticks around as a rotation player in the NBA for a long time. That is, if he can find a way to get the ball falling into the hoop again. He's shooting under 30 percent from deep, but averages three attempts from deep per game. He isn't a great rebounder, passer, or defender, so if his shot isn't falling, there isn't a ton for him to contribute.
Still, it's easy to see what Nets management sees in him. He's a versatile wing player who can handle the ball. His shooting should eventually make its way back to the league average. He has a decent first step by league standards, and is a decent team defender. But that's part of the problem: Bogdanovic, at his best, is probably just an average NBA player. He's below that when struggling to do what he does best.