The 2017-18 NBA season will tip-off shortly and while pretty much all the sizzle is tied up in the established stars occupying new homes this season, that doesn’t mean that the new blood entering the league won’t be making headlines of their own.
Here’s a list of the ten most impressive rookies heading into the new season:
1. Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers
Admittedly, this ranking is based a little bit from all the hype surrounding him— whatever you think of LaVar, the dude is a world-class hype man— but there’s also real ability here.
Yes, Ball’s jumper form is crooked-looking but he shot 41.2 per cent from distance in college with it so there’s something right there. And while it looks like it hasn’t completely translated to the NBA level his playmaking skills look to have made the jump just fine, as he averaged a rookie-best 6.0 assists per game in the pre-season.
This is going to be a bad Lakers team, but Ball should at least make them fun to watch as he’s very adept at getting everyone involved in any given play.
2. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Last year’s No. 1 overall pick saw what should’ve been his rookie year completely nulled because of a foot injury. Now, Simmons is healthy and ready to show people why he was receiving LeBron James-like comparisons with his combination of size, speed, handle and playmaking ability.
His jump shot remains a bit of a work in progress, but Philly sees him as more of a point forward who can complement this year’s No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz as an extra ball-handler and facilitator for star big man Joel Embiid, anyway.
3. Dennis Smith Jr., Dallas Mavericks
Of everyone on this list, Smith is probably the most likely to make the highlight reel on a repeated basis. An explosive leaper, Smith is a six-foot-three combo guard with flashes of Steve Francis (minus the bad attitude) and better defensive potential.
He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in his lone season at NC State and has shown plenty of promise in the the pre-season. Smith’s athleticism has allowed him to get away without much of a jumper at times as he’s progressed from AAU to college, so that might hurt him a little at the NBA level, but that bounce is something you can’t teach, so shot-blockers beware, this kid’s coming to light you up on Twitter.
4. Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers
You might be thinking to yourself, “Who?” Well, for those uninitiated, while Ball has stolen his fair share of headlines in L.A., Kuzma might actually be better right now.
Remember all those assists Ball’s averaging in exhibition play? A good portion of those have come from the 22-year-old Utah product Kuzma who averaged a rookie-best 17.3 points per game in the pre-season. He was also named the Summer League Championship MVP with a 30-point, 10-rebound performance, to boot.
Being a three-year college guy, Kuzma’s ceiling may not be as high as others on this list, but there’s no doubt the kid knows how to play right now and that’s something that the majority of rookies still need to figure out.
5. Josh Jackson, Phoenix Suns
Speaking of players who could still use some polish…
Jackson’s an unbelievably talented player and could very well end up being the best player from this draft class, but he’s also very raw. The No. 4 overall pick has the length and athleticism that has him pegged to be an NBA star but he likely still needs to fill out a little more and become a more adept outside shooter— particularly because Phoenix wants him to fill the all important stretch-four role.
Still, for all that he needs to work on, he’ll have his flashes of brilliance and that’s good enough for the work-in-progress Suns for now.
6. Malik Monk, Charlotte Hornets
Maybe it’s because he isn’t the multi-positional freak other top prospects are, but Monk feels a lot like a forgotten man in the 2017 class. This despite the fact he was named SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Player of the Year, and set a Kentucky Freshman scoring record with his 47 points against North Carolina. He is an absolute deadeye three-point shooter, a skill that, you know, might be valuable in today’s NBA.
Monk is considered by many to be a darkhorse Rookie of the Year candidate, but he already averaged 15.6 points per game and 2.6 three-pointers made per contest in the pre-season, so should he really be flying under the radar? With Kemba Walker attracting all sorts of attention when he turns the corner and gets into the lane, Monk will be taking (and making) a ton of wide-open threes. Don’t sleep on him.
7. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
If not for the fact he’s just six-foot-two, everyone would know who Mitchell is. Unfortunately for the 21-year-old Louisville shooting guard, he is undersized for his position and lacks the natural point guard skills need to play the one.
Regardless, however, the Jazz did good in drafting Mitchell 13th overall. His size is an issue with his underdeveloped playmaking skills but he can do just about everything else well, with his defence standing out above all other abilities. Mitchell’s athleticism helps make up for his size and this is best shown of defence as his quick feet and bulldog attitude keeps just about everyone in front of him.
8. Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls
Who is seven-feet and shot 38.9 per cent from three in the pre-season? This kid.
Markkanen is the ideal stretch-four, a legitimate big man with amazing range and accuracy. Like other similar players (think Ryan Anderson or Bulls teammate Nikola Mirotic) defence and rebounding will be a bit of an issue for the Arizona standout, but when you can stroke it like he can at that size there’s little not to like heading into the season.
9. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
Blessed with size, length, athleticism and absolutely outrageous quickness, Fox looks like the total package for the Kings at point guard. The jumper isn’t there yet— particularly from three— but when you can make one crossover move and just be in the lane that’s not all that important.
An encouraging sign for Sacramento is that Fox appears aware of his weakness. In the pre-season he averaged 10.3 points per game on 52.0 per cent shooting, doing the majority of his damage with layups and what appears to be a well-developed floater.
An added bonus for the Kings: If his Twitter account is any indication, it looks like Fox is also a huge fan of Dragonball Z, so you know he understands the value of putting in time in that hyperbolic time chamber.
10. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Whereas every other player on this list will benefit in some way by being on a bad team this season, Tatum will have the unique opportunity to flourish on a team that figures to be a championship contender.
It’s one thing to put up big numbers for a club that’s playing for nothing, but Tatum has the potential to be a key contributor for a Celtics team that features plenty of star power with the likes of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward on the roster.
With so much attention on the scouting report being paid to Boston’s stars, Tatum could find a nice niche for himself and put respectable numbers of his own this season by just playing his normal game. There will be no pressure on him, really, so all he has to do is play and he should find success because there’s no real discernible weakness in his game other than the need to bulk up a little.
As a wing player he gives you exactly what you want, he’s long, athletic enough, can shoot the ball, is a smart cutter and can play defence. Not a bad deal for Boston, considering that’s exactly what they need with the departure of Jae Crowder.
Honourable mentions: Markelle Fultz (PHI), Milos Teodosic (LAC), John Collins (ATL).
