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As soon as Zion Williamson declared for the NBA Draft earlier this year, many experts believed that it was a foregone conclusion that the Duke product would be named 2020 Rookie of the Year. However, after impressing during preseason with the New Orleans Pelicans, Williamson had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee - ruling him out for around two months.
The injury means that Williamson is unlikely to be in contention for ROTY, and this year's battle for the award is likely to be one of the most open races in recent memory. With more than three weeks of the 2019-20 season now played, basketball fans have now had a decent amount of time to assess the NBA's latest crop of talent. So, heading into Week 4 of the season, here are the latest Rookie Power Rankings.
#5 Rui Hachimura - Washington Wizards
Following his 23 point performance against the Houston Rockets on October 31, Rui Hachimura managed just 16 points over his next three games. This sequence included a 21-minute outing against the Indiana Pacers where he failed to get on the scoresheet - shooting 0-5 from the field.
Nevertheless, Hachimura's most recent outing was a bounce-back performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers as he recorded 21 points while missing just three of his thirteen shots. This leaves the 21-year-old averaging 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds through his first eight appearances in the NBA, and he has also shot almost 50 percent from the field. Admittedly, his three-point shooting is still a worry (25%), although the Wizards man should continue to get back on track over the next week.
#4 RJ Barrett - New York Knicks
The New York Knicks' awful start to the season got worse over the past week as they slipped to 2-8. Rumors are also swirling that a change in coach is coming, although RJ Barrett's performances have been good enough to justify the Knicks taking him with the third pick in the 2019 draft.
The 19-year-old is currently averaging 15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, although it should be noted that his performances have been in decline following his fast start. Despite averaging almost 15 field goal attempts per game, Barrett has only scored more than 20 points on one occasion since opening week, and he managed just three points in 35 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks in his last road game.
Nevertheless, Barrett has the talent to bounce back, and the teenager will benefit from the Knicks' favorable schedule over the next six days.
#3 Eric Paschall - Golden State Warriors
Injuries to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and D'Angelo Russell have been detrimental to the Warriors' season, and Steve Kerr's team is already out of the playoff race. However, the injuries have provided young members of the roster with precious minutes, and Eric Paschall continues to seize his opportunity.
Paschall has battled with a hip injury over the past week, missing Golden State's game against the Dallas Mavericks, although the 23-year-old was still among the Warriors' best performers. Through 10 appearances in his rookie season, Paschall is averaging 15.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game - and he is currently shooting over 52 percent from the field. While Paschall remains among the Rookie of the Year frontrunners, it will be interesting to see if he can keep his numbers up following the return of the ball-dominant Draymond Green.
#2 P.J. Washington - Charlotte Hornets
PJ. Washington was selected 12th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, and the 21-year-old made an impressive start to his NBA career as he scored 27 points on his debut against the Chicago Bulls. While Washington has yet to better that tally of points, he has remained a starter for the Hornets and his performances have been incredibly consistent for a rookie.
Through 10 games, Washington is averaging 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 steals, while his field goal percentage sits at an impressive 51%. Over the past week, he recorded five blocks against the Boston Celtics, before recording 15 points and 4 steals against the Philadelphia Sixers. The Hornets have drafted poorly over the past few seasons, although Washington already looks like a key part of Charlotte's ongoing rebuild.
#1 Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies
Plenty of rookies around the NBA have cooled down after excellent starts to the season, although Ja Morant continues to look like a future superstar. The 20-year-old started his third week in the NBA by dropping 23 points on the Houston Rockets - missing just six of his sixteen field goal attempts. Morant followed that performance up by scoring 26 points in as many minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and while he managed just eight points against the Orlando Magic, his playmaking skills were on show as he picked up seven assists.
Through nine appearances, Morant is averaging 17.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, and his accuracy from 3-point range sits at a surprisingly good 44 percent. Averaging just 27.1 minutes per game, there is a sense that more is to come from Morant this season, and he remains the frontrunner to be named Rookie of the Year.
