Right around this time last week, I had just finished my most recent version of the weekly rookie ladder articles, and I was not feeling confident heading into the final week. I think Cleveland Cavaliers big Evan Mobley is the clearcut favorite for the Rookie of the Year. Still, I wondered whether NBA.com writer Steve Aschburner would have him there in the last ladder. Well, as it turns out he did.
With the NBA regular season out of the way, Aschburner ranked his top rookies of the 2021-2022 NBA season. With Mobley atop the ladder, which is where he was for most of the season, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes comes in a close second. Barnes was fantastic this year for Toronto, and will continue to help them in the playoffs. I’ve said multiple times in these articles, I was all the way out on Scottie Barnes before the 2021 NBA Draft. Well, I was wrong and Barnes had a stellar season.
In third place was the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. Cunningham has sky-high potential, and could be the best player from this rookie class in the coming years. However, injuries hampered him throughout the season, so we didn’t get to see him play truly healthy for more than a few games. Rounding out the final top five of the rookie ladder are Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic and Jalen Green from the Houston Rockets.
Wagner has been criminally underrated this entire season. He was a constant on a Magic team that has a chance to be special next season. After a strong performance following the All-Star break, Jalen Green finished on the fifth rung. Personally, I think it still should have gone to Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder, but I can get more into that later.
Aschburner referred to the names above as his All-Rookie 1st Team. But, some great players with bright futures still made their way into the article via the second team. The first name on the second-team sheet has to be Josh Giddey. The point-forward from down under was having a stellar season until injuries prematurely ended it. He is definitely a player to watch next year. If he improves his all-around defensive game, he might be able to take a huge leap in 2022.
Following Giddey are two other constants in the ladder articles this season, Herbert Jones and Ayo Dosunmu. Jones was great throughout the year for the New Orleans Pelicans, and Dosunmu also played a major role in the Chicago Bulls getting back to their winning ways. Rounding out the final 10 are Bones Hyland of the Denver Nuggets and Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors.
Both players showed out during the second half of the season, and next year could be a huge year for both players. With Stephen Curry aging, and Klay Thompson constantly injured, Steve Kerr might have to start finding ways to get Kuminga the ball next year. Here are Aschburner’s 1st and 2nd Team All-Rookie squads.
All-Rookie First Team:
Evan Mobley, Forward, Cavaliers
Scottie Barnes, Forward, Raptors
Cade Cunningham, Guard, Pistons
Franz Wagner, Forward, Magic
Jalen Green, Guard, Rockets
All-Rookie Second Team:
Josh Giddey, Guard, Thunder
Herbert Jones, Forward, Pelicans
Ayo Dosunmu, Guard, Bulls
Bones Hyland, Guard, Nuggets
Jonathan Kuminga, Forward, Warriors