Although it was initially believed that the freshman class of 2022 He could have fewer numbers than in previous years, but the passing of the games helped dispel that belief. After the month of January, the intense fight that will take place for the Rookie of the Year. Some of them are even starting to look like the best franchise values under reconstruction and others to comply key roles in emerging groups.
With that in mind, the wording nba of Sports news choose his five favorites for Rookie of the Year end of December. The grading system is very simple: 1st gets 5 points. the 2nd, 4; and so on.
Click here to see the votes and positions
#5 – Jaylen Williams
- Statistics in January: 13.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists
The Oklahoma City Thunder may have gotten the steal of this Draft. The Santa Clara-trained winger has been one of the men responsible for his team’s rise amid the Play-In battle, and he took a major step forward in January.
Williams has been warning since November that he has the potential to be a scorer to watch for years to come. Although his percentages still leave a lot to be desired, especially threes (31.1%), he has performed like never before in January. The OKC player had three different 20+ point performances, including 24 against the Hawks with 68.8% accuracy.
Add to that a very interesting vision of the game in terms of advantage reaction, Oklahoma may have hit a diamond in the rough.
#4 – Walker Kessler
- Statistics in January: 10.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks
This late First Round pick who came to Salt Lake City as part of the Rudy Gobert trade could prove to be a big hit for the franchise. Kessler he makes correction and having a low profile his virtue. An interior without much fanfare but its ceiling is huge, almost as tall as it is (2.16).
The Georgia native has a chance to join a true legends roster if he can finish with a double double with 2 plugs. To achieve this would be the first since then Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Nealwhich puts the enormity of his rookie season into perspective.
It’s always easier to land in the league as an insider than an outsider, but not so much when it comes to a defensive profile like Kessler. A figure who averages more blocks than Joel Embiid, Evan Mobley or Rudy Gobert.
#3 – Keegan Murray
- January statistics: 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.9 steals
Quietly but steadily, Keegan Murray is steadily climbing his way up these particular rookie rankings. The #4 pick in the latest Draft is playing at a level that really threatens Bennedict Mathurin’s second spot, especially considering how regular he is proving to be.
Murray is right now one of the best shooters in the nba, with the added benefit of being a beginner. Among all those who averaged more than 5 shots from long range this season, the Kings player is the 7th best with 42.2%. Number higher than others in the same volume range than Jamal Murray (39.2%), Brook Lopez (37.6%) or Devin Booker (37%).
#2 – Benedict Mathurin
- January Stats: 19.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists
Established as the main alternative candidate, Mathurin had a more than positive month in January. The 20-year-old has taken advantage of Tyrese Haliburton’s absence to take on more responsibility for the Pacers, and the results have been positive. Positive from an individual perspective, after Rick Carlisle’s men closed the first month of 2023 with a 4-11 record, all told.
Aside from the first 8 games in October, January was the best month of Mathurin’s short NBA career. He has seen his minutes increase as well as his offensive relevance, which has led to a surprising increase in his success rate, making him 44.7% compared to 39.4% in December.
#1 – Paolo Bansero
- January Stats: 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists
The favorite, the player who is expected to break all the records for the Orlando Magic and who is starting to explore his limits. Banchero is steadily walking toward Rookie of the Year, and only an injury could derail or jeopardize what seems a sure thing at the end of this campaign.
All this while Banchero is on pace to join Carmelo Anthony and Luka Doncic as the only players this century to average over 20 points, 6 rebounds and 1 steal in their rookie year. The forward is on the radar in a record scoring campaign, an intense MVP battle and a great game every night.
votes and positions
seats
| pos. | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| a | Paolo Bansero | twenty |
| 2 | Benedict Mathurin | 16 |
| 3 | Keegan Murray | 10 |
| 4 | Walker Kessler | 6 |
| 5 | Jaylen Williams | 5 |
- Also receiving votes were: Jaden Ivey (2) and Jeremy Sochan (1)
voting
| pos. | Augustine Aboy (@AboyAgustin) | Sergio Rabinal (@S_Rabinal) | Juan Esteves (@JuanEstevez90) | Leandro Fernandez (@FernandezLea) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | Paolo Bansero | Paolo Bansero | Paolo Bansero | Paolo Bansero |
| 2 | Benedict Mathurin | Benedict Mathurin | Benedict Mathurin | Benedict Mathurin |
| 3 | Jaylen Williams | Keegan Murray | Keegan Murray | Keegan Murray |
| 4 | Walker Kessler | Walker Kessler | Jaylen Williams | Walker Kessler |
| 5 | Keegan Murray | Jeremy Sohan | Jaden Ivey | Jaden Ivey |
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
