We’re past halfway through the NBA season, and already there is so much to talk about.
The Boston Celtics saw head coach Udoka suspended for the season due to misconduct, but Joe Mazzulla has stepped in, and they are looking better than ever.
The odds NBA suggest the Celtics are the current favorites for the title, having lost to Golden State Warriors in last year’s finals. Guard Malcolm Brogdon has played a huge part in that success, and now Boston fans dream of a fifth Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. However, the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, and Phoenix Suns will have something to say about that.
The current MVP frontrunners include Stephen Curry, Donovan Mitchell, Jaysun Tatum Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
2023 NBA Rookies
The Rookie of the Year is also shaping up to be a close contest, with plenty of candidates staking a claim at the halfway stage. Here’s our round-up of the season’s best Rookies so far as they look to follow in Scottie Barnes footsteps and get their hands on the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy.
🏉Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
Draft pick: No. 4 overall
After a slow start to the season, Murray has found his feet and has the best three-point percentage of all rookies who have at least 100 attempts from a distance. His form has seen him win the Western Kia Rookies of the Month for December, and become a key part of Sacramento’s success so far.
Head coach Mike Brown said of Murray, “…The sky is the limit for him,”. “I’ve gone at him pretty hard, and he doesn’t get too high or too low. He stays even-keeled. He looks me in the eye. He responds back to me with what he’s feeling and/or thinking. And for a young guy, that’s remarkable.”
🏉Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons
Draft Pick: No. 5 overall
A look at Ivey’s highlights reel tells you he’s going to be an NBA superstar someday, and the 20-year-old made a promising start to the season. Cade Cunningham and Ivey looked good together on the court, and there were flashes of the rookie’s power and ability to drive to the hoop. But come November, Ivey has struggled.
NBA Rookie of the Year honors look like a stretch right now, but there’s plenty of time to recapture that early-season form and make a late run. One thing’s for certain, however, Jaden Ivey is destined for greatness.
Rookies of the Year Winners:
2022 Scottie Barnes Toronto Raptors
2021 LaMelo Ball Charlotte Hornets
2020 Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies
2019 Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks
2018 Ben Simmons Philadelphia 76ers
2017 Malcolm Brogdon Milwaukee Bucks
2016 Karl-Anthony Towns Minnesota Timberwolves
2015 Andrew Wiggins Minnesota Timberwolves
2014 Michael Carter-Williams Philadelphia 76ers
2013 Damian Lillard Portland Trail Blazers
🏉Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
Draft pick: No. 6 overall
With 31 games left in the regular season, the Indiana Pacers rookie, Bennedict Mathurin, passed Hall of Fame shooting guard Reggie Miller for the most points off the bench by a rookie in franchise history, with 816.
Mathurin has all of the qualities a player needs to be a star both for the franchise and in the league and is proving offensively explosive. Speaking about Mathurin, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said
“He’s a strong-willed guy who’s a nasty competitor that can really score. And he’s getting better and better”.
🏉Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Draft pick: No. 1 overall
Not since the Philadelphia 76ers Ben Simmons in 2018 has the No. 1 overall draft pick won Rookie of the Year, but Paolo Banchero is on course to do just that. The rookie is averaging 20.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game so far this season, including scoring 20-plus points in seven consecutive games.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pounder was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December, and was unlucky to miss out on this year’s All-Star team. However, he would have been the first rookie in 12 years to make the cut since Blake Griffin, so no big surprise there.
Magic guard Cole Anthony said of his teammate,
He was the No. 1 pick for a reason,”. “He proves it every night on the floor. He plays hard. Plays the right way. Super skilled. Good dude in the locker room… He’s special, and I’m glad he’s a teammate of mine.
Future Stars
Only seven of the past 25 Rookie of the Year winners – Duncan, Miller, Stoudemire, Rose, Brogdon, Simmons, and Barnes – made the playoffs in their rookie years. Being on a winning team sure helps a Rookie develop, but it can also limit game time and a chance to stand out.
Playing for a losing team offers more opportunities but has its own problems with player quality and confidence among the issues for draft picks. Winning Rookie of the Year has proven to be no guarantee of success, but there’s no doubting the talent on this list. They are the NBA stars of the future.
