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It’s also based on the development of similarly young teammates and a new backcourt partner in rookie Jaden Ivey, projected to be a dynamic tandem for the next 10 years. The excitement around the Pistons isn’t just that Cunningham will improve individually – there’s room for that in his 41.6% shooting (and 31.4% on 3-pointers). Among active players, only LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Cunningham reached that threshold as rookies. Take a close look at the numbers Cunningham put up last season: 17.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.6 apg. It’s no wonder Barnes was invariably mentioned as a key element in every chatter about a Kevin Durant to Toronto trade. His ball skills allow him to fill a point-forward role as well. He is part of coach Nick Nurse’s side which is made up of variable defenders, measuring 6ft 9 and capable of defending any of three or four positions. The Florida State product not only impressed with its production – 15.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.5 apg – but also with its versatility. 4 when Jalen Suggs sat there in most mock drafts. With that in mind, here are 16 NBA sophomores who are ready to shine this season (in alphabetical order):īarnes wasn’t just the ROY - he was a surprise, he was snapped up by the Raptors at No. Despite this change, three or four players were snubbed each week. As it became clear just how remarkable the newcomer’s talent level and contributions were, the weekly Rookie Ladder here on NBA.com made an unprecedented adjustment: We added two rungs from 10-12 to keep track of deserving new guys. The Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes beat out the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley and the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham for Kia Rookie of the Year, but the race at the front was close and all three had convincing cases.īut this wasn’t a top-heavy harvest. This development from season one to season two could have a significant impact on the balance of power in the NBA in 2022-23 given how deep the 2021 class was last season.

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With a lot of experience, some familiarity with the league and a better sense of where they fit in and how to help their teams. And one of the best things about NBA rookies is that the best of them come back as sophomores.

The best thing about freshmen is that they become, as an old college coach used to say, sophomores. In the coronavirus-shortened season, his game developed as he averaged 12.4 points per game and a career-best 38% from three, as well as strong defense on the perimeter.Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham were among the rookies who delivered in 2021-22.

In the 2019 offseason, Ball and several other young Laker players were traded to the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis. His three-point shooting rose slightly to 33%, but his assists numbers went down, largely due to sharing playmaking duties with LeBron James who had just signed with the Lakers. He only played 47 games in his second season. His playmaking continued to develop, but there were lingering concerns about his inconsistent 3-point shooting and his injury history. Despite these successes, the young Laker team struggled and he missed 30 games due to injuries.īall’s second season also brought some highlights and some areas for concern. In November of his rookie year, he became the youngest player to record a triple-double. In only his second game, he scored his career-high with 29 points. As a rookie, Ball played in 52 games, starting 50. Lakers’ president of basketball operations, Magic Johnson, declared Ball to be the future face of the Lakers franchise. Ball was drafted amid much fanfare by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 2nd overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
