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The 2016 rookie class has seen its ups and downs early on in the season, but a handful of first-year NBA players have stood out.
Dec 14, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) drives to the basket against Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Toronto Raptors won 123.114. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
It’s always fun heading in to the new NBA season and seeing rookies get their chance at the next level. Sometimes it works out in the first year and others it takes a season or two to find their stride.
The 2016 rookie class has showed out so far this season, but has seen a few stragglers early on.
You don’t know what you’re going to get. A scorer in college doesn’t necessarily translate to a scorer with lock-down defenders guarding them.
On the flip side, a defensive star in college might have trouble keeping the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook in front of them.
It’s common to see ups and downs throughout a season but there has been a handful of rookies that have been pretty consistent through the first couple months of the NBA season.
Some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut are Andrew Harrison of the Memphis Grizzlies, Kris Dunn of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Dario Saric of the Philadelphia 76ers and Buddy Hield of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Here is a list of the top five rookies so far this season.
Dec 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) dribbles to the basket against the Los Angeles Lakers at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Lakers 113-80. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
5. Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
The rookie out of New Mexico State University hasn’t dazzled anyone with his numbers on the offensive side of the ball just yet. Pascal Siakam averaged 16.5 points per game in his two-year tenure at NMSU, but is only averaging 5.6 points per game this season.
He averaged 9.7 rebounds per game at NMSU and is only averaging 3.8 rebounds per game for the Raptors. You might be asking yourself, “How and why is this guy in the top five rookies then?”
Glad you asked.
Siakam’s ability on the defensive end has helped the Raptors to an 18-7 record, behind only the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. He is second among rookies in blocks per game with 0.60, which equates to 1.54 per 48 minutes.
Siakam is only getting 18.8 minutes per game, but if he continues to hustle and not demand the ball to be effective, he can flourish.
The biggest reason why Siakam made this list is because of the trust he has built with the Raptors’ organization. He is getting nearly 20 minutes a game on a playoff contending team.
If he can find his stride on the offensive end and continue to be a lengthy defender, Siakam could see his minutes climb as the season rolls on and in to the playoffs.
Dec 1, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) advances the ball during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
4. Malcolm Brogdon, Milwaukee Bucks
Malcolm Brogdon, a rookie out of Virginia, has proven his worth on the defensive side of the ball. His defensive ability has transitioned well from the college to the pros, but he has seen his offensive efficiency fall off tremendously, which is to be expected for some rooks.
Brogdon is currently fifth among rookies averaging 0.96 steals per game and fourth in assists per game (2.8). He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at UVa.
He brings young talent to the already youthful Milwaukee Bucks and has a chance to be a defensive anchor down the road. Giannis Antetokounmpo has stolen the show in Milwaukee, but he will eventually need some help.
Currently, Brogdon is averaging 7.7 points per game heading in to the last couple of games before the turn of the calendar. This ranks him fifth among rookies behind Brandon Ingram, Dario Saric, Jamal Murray and Joel Embiid.
In college, he was more of a two-way player. He averaged 18.2 points per game as a senior, so his offensive efficiency has declined quite a bit.
Brogdon still needs some polishing, but with a young group around him, he should fit right in with the Bucks.
Dec 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram (14) goes to the basket and scores as Toronto Raptors center Lucas Nogueira (92) defends at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Lakers 113-80. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
3. Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Brandon Ingram hasn’t made an impact from the very beginning like some of rookies have. He is currently coming off the bench for first-year head coach Luke Walton and the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the former No. 2 pick, expectations were sky-high and being in Los Angeles, that just heightens the pressures for the 19-year-old former college standout.
Ingram has slowly found his groove for the Lakers and is seeing quite the workload. He is averaging 26.8 minutes per game, putting him behind only Memphis Grizzlies guard Andrew Harrison among rookies.
He hasn’t been able to take advantage of these minutes yet, but if he keeps getting the opportunity, it’s hard to think Ingram will struggle for much longer.
In his one and only year at Duke, Ingram averaged 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He had his game compared to Kevin Durant while at Duke, but has been far from that so far. Ingram is currently averaging 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
Granted, it is way too early to know if Ingram will have a successful NBA career, but he’s got all the tools.
His length makes him extremely entertaining to watch. The 6’9″ small forward provides length for a relatively small Lakers frontcourt.
Dec 2, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Houston Rockets forward Corey Brewer (33) guards Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) in the second quarter at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
2. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggts
Former Kentucky Wildcat standout Jamal Murray has had a mostly seamless transition into the NBA.
Murray comes off the bench for the Denver Nuggets behind Will Barton at the shooting guard position, but it would not be surprising to see Murray work his way into the starting rotation soon.
Murray is second in rookie scoring, tallying 9.8 points per game. The Nuggets are waiting for a star to emerge. Murray has the ability to be that star.
Wilson Chandler currently leads the team with 17.2 points per outing, but the Nuggets are still looking for a star to shine.
Kenneth Faried has proven he can be that star on both sides of the ball at times, but his offensive ability is very limited. He is only averaging 9.0 points per game so far while leading the team with 8.3 rebounds per game.
Murray’s game fits in well in the Mile High City. His slasher-type mentality gives space for Chandler and Danilo Gallinari to work on the perimeter. He is shooting a mere 38.7 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
Murray is averaging just north of 22 minutes per game so if he keeps getting his chances, Murray could be that star that the Nuggets desperately need.
Nov 27, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) scores past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) and guard J.R. Smith (5) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
1. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
The clear frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, Joel Embiid has proven that the wait was worth the pain.
The former Kansas Jayhawk has been balling out this season, something that the Philadelphia 76ers desperately needed and wanted. “Trust the process” was a slogan coined by former general manager Sam Hinkie that Embiid is turning into the living embodiment of as he turns into a star.
He played one year at Kansas and didn’t dazzle anyone with his stat line. Averaging 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, the third overall pick in the 2014 draft had high hopes in his first season in Philly.
A broken foot sidelined Embiid his first two seasons. However, since getting the nod from doctors at the beginning of this season, he has not looked back.
Embiid is leading all rookies with 17.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. He has proven to be an absolute beast when given the chance.
Oh yeah, did we mention that the 76ers are wanting to limit his minutes? He is only getting 23.8 minutes per game and the team has done a good job of sticking to his minutes limit.
Even in crunch time, if Embiid has reached his minutes per game limit, the team has stayed strong in sitting him through those games.
This is great for his health in order to assure that he doesn’t have any more setbacksm but if he is given 30-plus minutes a game, The Process could absolutely dominate.
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