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We are now more than three months into the 2019-20 NBA season, and basketball fans are finally about to get their first glimpse of Zion Williamson. Following an incredible year at Duke, Williamson was drafted first overall by the New Orleans Pelicans, and the 19-year-old was expected to ease to the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award. Nevertheless, a knee injury has sidelined Williamson for the first half of the season, and he now faces an uphill battle to be named ROY.
During Williamson's absence, a number of players around the league have been able to make a claim for the Rookie of the Year title, and as we head into Week 14 of the season, here we will examine the leading contenders to win the award.
#5 Darius Garland - Cleveland Cavaliers
While Darius Garland hasn't produced the same level of standout performances as some of the other leading Rookie of the Year candidates, the Cleveland Cavaliers star has been among the season's most consistent rookies. Since the turn of the year, Garland has recorded at least 10 points in every game that he has featured in, and the guard is now averaging 12.3 points per contest.
His playmaking skills have also shown signs of improvement, and during Cleveland's defeat to the Clippers, Garland recorded 10 assists for the first time in his young career. Admittedly, Garland is still taking some questionable shots and his field foal percentage remains under 40 percent, although the 19-year-old will continue to get more responsibility on a Cavs team that could lose Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love over the next few weeks - and his numbers will continue to improve.
#4 Eric Paschall - Golden State Warriors
Eric Paschall's numbers have been down since the return of D'Angelo Russell, although the 23-year-old enjoyed his best week since November as he finally adapts to his new role. During games against the Mavericks, Nuggets, Magic, and Trail Blazers, Paschall averaged 18.5 points while shooting well over 50 percent from the field.
Most notably, Paschall recorded 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists during Golden State's loss to Portland - and the power forward's three-point shooting continues to show signs of improvement. At the midway point of the season, Paschall is averaging 14.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in just 27.4 minutes per contest - and the Warriors certainly got one of the biggest steals of the 2019 draft.
#3 Tyler Herro - Miami Heat
Tyler Herro missed the first two games of the week due to a knee injury, and his minutes were limited during games against the Spurs and Kings. Nevertheless, during his 17 minutes on the court against Sacramento, Herro knocked down two of his four 3-point attempts while also coming up with three steals.
Admittedly, Herro has lost some ground on the other leading contenders over the past week, although the 20-year-old is still averaging 12.9 points per contest despite appearing from Miami's bench. Herro is also connecting with 38.7 percent of his 5.3 three-point attempts per contest - and the shooting guard will be hoping to make a greater impact this week following his return to health.
#2 Kendrick Nunn - Miami Heat
Kendrick Nunn has been among Miami's best performers during the first half of the season, and the 24-year-old was excellent during Week 13. Nunn opened the week by dropping 33 points in 31 minutes against the Spurs - in what was the best offensive performance of his young career. Nunn connected with 13 of his field goal 18 attempts - while also making five of his 7 attempts from beyond the arc.
Nunn also recorded 22 points against the Thunder and 25 against the Kings - and his field-goal accuracy has jumped to 46 percent. With totals of 16.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, Nunn remains a growing threat to the current frontrunner.
#1 Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies
Ja Morant has been the clear frontrunner for the ROY award since November, and the 20-year-old enjoyed another excellent week. Most notably, Morant scored 26 points against the Jazz while missing just one of his 11 attempts from the field.
Morant's playmaking skills were also demonstrated against the Rockets and Cavaliers as he dished out eight dimes, and his rebounding numbers also continue to trend in the right direction. Morant leads rookies in both points (17.9) and assists (7.0) - and the exciting point guard will be tough to catch over the final half of the regular season.
