I have to commend NBA.com writer Steve Aschburner this week before we get into the full Rookie Ladder rankings following the All-Star break. Not only have Steve’s ladders been mostly in lockstep with my own for the majority of the year, but he hasn’t been afraid to highlight certain rookies at the right time of their rookie year.
I looked back on the most recent ladder Steve and I disagreed on, when he placed Cade Cunningham atop the ladder, after beating Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers, while having a triple-double. It was no doubt biased, and wrong, but now I actually like what Steve has done.
There’s no doubt this rookie class has a chance to be special, but we haven’t been able to see certain players due to injury or other reasons. So looking back on the week, Cunningham was coming off a great performance, which has been an unfortunate rarity this season. He’s dealt with injuries, and let’s be honest, his supporting cast has been lackluster at best. However, it was a milestone game for him, and he deserved some recognition.
Finally, we all know rookies like Jalen Green, Moses Moody, and James Bouknight didn’t have the best start to their careers, dealing with injuries or seeing little playing time, but Aschburner instead chose to highlight the good performances rather than the bad. So, kudos Mr. Aschburner, and once again, in this week’s rankings, we are back in lockstep.
With the ladder this week titled “where the award race stands heading into final stretch,” the rankings are pretty self-explanatory.
Again atop the ladder is Evan Mobley. After playing well over All-Star Weekend, the rookie is ready to take his pre-All-Star momentum into the season’s most important stretch. Looking up at him is a familiar face in Scottie Barnes. Just like Mobley, Barnes has been a key contributor to the Toronto Raptors’ hopeful playoff run down the stretch. Coming in on the third rung this week is Josh Giddey, once again.
In his last game before the break, he became the first rookie since NBA legend Oscar Robertson to have three consecutive triple-doubles, after pouring in 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
I would say the ladder’s most intriguing rookie heading into the second half, is fourth on the ladder this week, and it’s the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. He was named MVP of the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, and heads into the last stretch looking to prove his number one overall draft pick wasn’t a mistake.
Finally, maybe the least talked about rookie who’s having a great season, Franz Wagner, brings up the rear in fourth. He’s averaging over 15 points a game for a young and exciting Orlando Magic team, and he doesn’t look like he plans on slowing down anytime soon.
It was great to see all these young potential superstars play this past weekend, but Aschburner is right, the Rookie of the Year Award is Evan Mobley’s to lose.