Here Are The 15 Best NBA Rookies

Out for the first half of his rookie season after knee surgery, the anticipation for Zion Williamson’s debut reached levels we hadn’t seen since LeBron James in 2003. In his debut, Williamson scored 17 consecutive points in the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs. With pogo sticks for legs and the strength to knock defenders over like bowling pins, Williamson has unique skills that have translated well in his abbreviated time in the association.

Though Ja Morant is likely to take home the Rookie of the Year award, Williamson has proven himself as the top first-year player in a short amount of time. He averaged 23.6 points in a shade under 30 minutes in the 19 games he played this season. One can only imagine what the phenom will do with a full training camp and a solidified role.

The point guard position is the toughest position to learn in the NBA for incoming rookies. That wasn’t the case for Ja Morant who has dominated throughout his rookie season. The Murray State guard leads all rookies in assists (6.9) and is second in scoring (17.6). He is the leading factor in the Memphis Grizzlies surprising the NBA with a 32-33 record and control of the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff race.

Morant’s blazing speed, off the rails, handles, and slick passing is only a part of the package. Morant has shown a better than advertised jump shot and is only 20 years old. The likely winner of the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year, pencil him in for a slew of All-Star appearances in the future.

Clarke was expected to be a solid player, but he’s overachieved in his rookie year as a quality two-way player. Clarke’s shooting splits are off the charts. The forward is shooting 62.3 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from three. That level of efficiency is unheard of for a rookie. On defense, Clarke has proven himself as a good defender of the pick and roll and can switch onto smaller players.

Picked 21st overall and acquired in a draft-night deal by the Grizzlies, Clarke has been the ultimate sleeper pick for Memphis. At the age of 23, he has a bright future as a complementary piece off the bench to fit alongside Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr.

Undrafted in 2018 out of Oakland, Nunn’s stock took a major hit due to a domestic violence assault guilty plea while he was at the University of Illinois. After a stint spent in the G-League last year with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Nunn has found a home with the Miami Heat.

Third in rookie scoring (15.6 points), Nunn became the starting point guard for Miami and has been a surprise contributor for the Heat. With a shooting percentage of 36.2 on 362 three-point attempts, Nunn is a quality secondary scoring piece to build around star Jimmy Butler in Miami’s offense. Though he’s not the prototypical point guard playmaker, Nunn has established himself as one of the more explosive scorers in the league.

A medical redshirt during the 2018-19 season, Porter has all of the talents to become a significant contributor in the future. Projected to be a top pick coming out of high school, back problems caused Porter to fall all the way to 14th in the 2018 NBA Draft. 

Porter is on a loaded roster that features a crowded frontcourt that included Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, and Jerami Grant. Porter hasn’t been able to fully showcase his skills as Denver has eased him along this season, but he’s flashed the athleticism, shooting ability, length (6’10” and seven-foot wingspan) and versatility that teams were salivating over. His 25-point outburst against the Indiana Pacers in January was an eye-opener. Porter’s potential stardom could push Denver over the top in the franchise’s quest to compete for a championship.

Undrafted in 2019, Davis has found a home with the Toronto Raptors. He gambled on himself in the draft, refusing to be drafted in the second round and signing a two-way contract. Holding out hope for a guaranteed contract, Davis eventually signed with the Toronto Raptors after a strong Summer League showing. At the age of 23, Davis’ play has been a revelation. 

Displaying the capabilities of a strong 3-and-D player on the wing, Davis has a bright future Toronto surprised the league, staying in the thick of the Eastern Conference Playoff Picture. Part of that is a deep roster, and Davis has been one of the major surprises around the league. He’s shooting 39.6 percent from three this season and with his combination of athleticism and skill, he should have a long career.

The 2019-20 season was a nightmare for the Golden State Warriors. An NBA Finalist in five consecutive years and a team that never lost more than 25 games in a season in that stretch, the Warriors reached 25 losses before the start of the new calendar year. One bright spot in the season of despair was rookie Eric Paschall. 

Selected 41st overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Paschall is a bonafide scorer. Standing just 6’6”, Paschall is a throwback tweener forward with an ability to post up and knock down the midrange jumper. Next season when the Warriors have their full squad back, Paschall will likely be an impact player off the bench.

From the beginning, Washington has been a solid and steady presence for a Charlotte Hornets club in the early stages of a rebuild. Recording 27 points and seven three-pointers in his NBA debut, Washington’s perimeter jumper has been a revelation. Though he won’t wow you with eye-popping feats of athleticism or brute physical force, the 6’8” Washington will have a long career if he keeps up his productivity. In his rookie season, Washington has knocked down 37.4 percent of his three-point attempts and he’s been one of the better rebounding rookies.

One of the better shooters in last year’s draft class, rookie Tyler Herro has made a major impact in Miami. Not afraid of the moment, Herro has the confidence to pull up from anywhere and he’s already had a series of clutch moments for the Heat. Sure, there are questions about Herro’s defense against top-notch competition, but he’s already proven himself as a strong NBA rotation player.

Sixth in scoring (12.9 points) for the egalitarian Miami offense, Herro is a solid option off the bench with his ability to shoot from outside. It’s perfect for a Heat team in desperate need of a three-point shooting last year. Plus, he might be the best-dressed rookie. You can catch Herro usually posted up on the NBA style league fits account.

Expected to see limited minutes during this season, the 20-year old Jaxson Hayes stepped into a bigger role due to a multitude of injuries in New Orleans’ frontcourt. An athletic big that can run the floor, Hayes is one of the most intriguing prospects in the pros currently. A solid rim protector and rim runner out of the pick and roll, Hayes was eighth in the NBA in true shooting percentage (67.5 percent).

A football player during his formative sports days, Hayes began to prioritize basketball after a growth spurt in the middle of his high school years. The 6’11” center is a part of New Orleans’ deep pool of youthful talent and is sure to become an athletic nightmare for the opposition.

A defensive ace, Thybulle’s length, and versatility is just one piece of a jumbo Philadelphia 76ers lineup that features no rotation player under 6’5”. Known at Washington for his ability to pile up stocks (a combination of blocks and steals), Thybulle has continued to be a disruptor on defense in the pros. Armed with a seven-foot wingspan, Thybulle leads all rookies in steals (3.5 steals per 100 possessions) and it’s not particularly close.

The 20th overall pick in last year’s draft, Thybulle’s main weakness is the lack of an offensive game or identity. He can’t create off the dribble, but his three-point shot (35.2 percent) has proven to be solid enough to keep him on the court. If he ever adds consistency and volume to his perimeter jump shot, Thybulle will be the perfect two-way piece to fit alongside Philadelphia’s star tandem of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

The seventh overall pick by the Chicago Bulls, Coby White gets shots up. He’s top-40 in the NBA in field goal attempts per 100 possessions this season. Before the season was suspended, White had found his groove, averaging 24.7 points on 46.8 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from three in his last 10 games. 

At times, White’s penchant for jacking up long-distance shots and his limited vision as a passer is a problem for the Bulls’ offense. White’s explosive and electric creativity on offense does make him seem better fitted as a super-sub in the spirit of fellow tweener guards Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford. If he’s going to be a starter, he’s going to have to look to improve his playmaking and also tidy up on the defensive end.

Barrett is one of the more divisive rookies in recent memory. The ability to get to the free-throw line and create shots for himself off the dribble were tools Barrett had upon his arrival in New York. Still, Barrett struggled for much of this season with a high-usage and inefficient game. A poor shooter, Barrett shot the ball at a 32 percent clip from three, and 61.4 percent from the free-throw line. 

Still, there’s hope that Barrett can turn it around. He was put into one of the worst situations of any rookie in New York where the Knicks’ spacing is nonexistent. Playing in a crowd in the paint and playing with ball-dominant vets like Julius Randle and Marcus Morris was not ideal for Barrett. It was a contributing factor in his struggles. If (and it’s a big if) the Knicks can upgrade the team around Barrett, there is some hope for the future.

Reddish got off to a rough start as a rookie. Through the first two months, Reddish only converted on 32 percent of his overall field goal attempts. This included a ghastly 26.1 percentage from the three-point line. 2020 has been a bad year, but not for Reddish. Since the start of the new year, the former Duke Blue Devil shot 39.7 percent from three and scored in double figures in 18 of his last 27 games.

Reddish has slowly started to figure out his place on the court, and has played strong defense all season. With Trae Young’s small size defensive limitations, a wing that is versatile and capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor is a necessity for the Hawks. If Reddish continues to develop, he can become the perfect perimeter complement to Young in Atlanta’s rebuild.

The first-ever Japanese-born player to be drafted in the NBA, Rui Hachimura has been solid for the Washington Wizards. Slotted at the power forward position, Hachimura is sixth in points (13.4) and second in rebounds (6.0) among all first-year players. The 6’8” forward has been weak on the defensive end and limited as a three-point shooter. Hachimura has piled up his points in the paint and from midrange. 

The Gonzaga product will have to improve his shooting range and defense to prove himself as the frontcourt cornerstone to play with Washington’s all-star backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal.