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1. Joel Embiid (20.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 24.1 PER)
Far and away the most talented rookie from the 2016/2017 season, Joel Embiid was not able to stay on the court long enough to finish the season with Rookie of the Year honors. Regardless, Embiid proved that he was by far the most talented and impactful rookie from last season, becoming just the sixth rookie since 2000 to average 20+ points per game, joining LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Tyreke Evans.
2. Buddy Hield (10.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 11.8 PER)
Although Hield adjusted to life in the NBA a little slower than some of his contemporaries, a mid-season trade that sent him to the Sacramento Kings seemed to light a fire underneath him. As a member of the Kings, Hield averaged 15 PTS and 4 REB while shooting 48% from the field and 43% from the 3-point line. Expect an even bigger role for the Bahamian shooting guard this season as he has a lot of support from Kings owner, Vivek Ranadive, who genuinely thinks he will be the next Stephen Curry.
3. Dario Saric (12.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 12.8 PER)
Unfortunately for Saric, he found himself in the rare situation of being teammates with another top prospect, Joel Embiid. However, as the season progressed it became clear that Saric was also one of the top talents of the 2017 rookie class. With Embiid being shut down early in 2017, Saric used the opportunity to showcase his talents, scoring 10+ points in 22 straight games. It will be interesting to see how 76ers head coach Brett Brown will used Saric this coming season, given the team’s depth at forward.
4. Brandon Ingram (9.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 8.5 PER)
Brandon Ingram did not have the rookie season that we all expected he would have. From start to finish, the entire year was underwhelming, however, there were flashes of the player that he may one day become. Despite his struggles Ingram did finish the year strong, scoring double figures in 16 or the last 17 games of the season – albeit, that streak came after a 0-point dud in early March. With Lonzo Ball joining Ingram in Hollywood, he’ll benefit from playing with a gifted passer and a young man who will absorb most of the limelight.
5. Jamal Murray (9.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 11.9 PER)
Jamal Murray quietly put together a solid rookie campaign in Denver last season. He wasn’t talked about often, but Murray had an impressive start to his NBA career. The log-jam of guards that Denver had at their disposal didn’t help his progression, and it doesn’t look any less jammed this season. Gary Harris, Emmanuel Mudiay, Will Barton, Jameer Nelson and Malik Beasley will all be gunning for playing time at either guard position.
6. Marquese Chriss (9.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 12.3 PER)
Marquese Chriss has all of the tools to be a star in this league – electric athleticism, a wicked shooting touch from distance and a lethal combination of size and agility. At 6’10” and 233 lbs., Chriss has the skillset to play all three frontcourt positions. Given the lack of front-court talent on this Suns squad, you can expect Chriss to see some minutes at both forward positions, as well as some center.
7. Malcolm Brogdon (10.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 14.9 PER)
Although he won rookie of the year, at 25 years old Brogdon’s ceiling just isn’t as high as some of the other young talent on this list. Despite this, Brogdon is still one of the more talented guards on this list. Capable of playing both guard positions, the extremely efficient Brogdon has by far the best leadership and intangible qualities of any rookie from this past season.
8. Skal Labissiere (8.8 PPG, 4.9 APG, 0.8 APG, 16.8 PER)
Skal has a big opportunity ahead of him this season with the departure of DeMarcus Cousins. After barely playing early in the season, Skal really finished his rookie campaign strong averaging 11 PTS and 6 REB over the last 25 games. With a unique combination of skill, length and athleticism, there is a good chance that Skal earns the starting spot over Willie Cauley-Stein, and with that responsibility, Skal can really make a lot of noise this year.
9. Willy Hernangomez (8.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 19.0 PER)
After being one of the most surprising rookies of the 2016/2-17 season, Hernangomez goes into his Sophomore year with a lot more expectation. With Carmelo Anthony now a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, a lot of minutes will be freed up in New York’s front court, and given the current state of the Knicks, development of young talent should be of the utmost importance. This bodes well for Hernangomez and he should be starting beside Kristaps Porzingis, creating one of the best young big-man pairings in the league.
10. Jaylen Brown (6.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.8 APG, 10.3 PER)
After a rough rookie season, Jaylen Brown has a lot of room to grow offensively. At times it seemed that he was thinking too much with the ball and he couldn’t get into much of a rhythm as the season progressed. With the recent roster changes, specifically the addition of Gordon Hayward and Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown will still have a lot of competition for minutes – but his high-level perimeter defense should help him hold onto a spot in the starting lineup.
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