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Luka Doncic strolled to the 2019 Rookie of the Year award after a stunning first season in the NBA, although this year's rookie race is proving to be much more competitive. Zion Williamson was the clear favorite following his groundbreaking year at Duke, although the New Orleans Pelicans star has yet to make his NBA debut after suffering an injury in the days leading up to the season.
The 19-year-old could still get back into the race if he returns next month as expected, although his absence has provided the platform for several other rookies around the league to impress during the opening month of the season. So, as we head into Week 5 of the 2019-20 season, here are the five rookies that are currently in contention to be named Rookie of the Year.
#5 Coby White - Chicago Bulls
Coby White had made a solid start to life in the NBA, and the 19-year-old enjoyed his best week in the NBA to date as he put in a series of impressive performances. Heading into Week 4, White's highest-scoring game was an 18-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, although the teenager quickly broke the 20-point threshold for the first time by dropping 27 points on the New York Knicks.
The No. 7 pick hit seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as he outscored the entire Knicks team, and he followed up his breakout performance with 26 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. White is now averaging 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists in just 25.4 minutes per contest, and he could be rewarded with a bigger role in the coming weeks which would put him in a position compete for the Rookie of the Year award.
#4 Kendrick Nunn - Miami Heat
Like several other rookies around the league, Kendrick Nunn had started to fade following an impressive start to the season. However, the 24-year-old enjoyed his best week in the NBA as Miami recorded a 3-0 record. Nunn managed at least 20 points against the Pistons, Cavaliers, and Bulls, and his 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists performance against the Cavs was his best so far.
Through 12 games, Nunn is now averaging 17.8 points, 3.2 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals - and the undrafted guard is already a guaranteed starter under Erik Spoelstra. The Heat were believed to be targeting Chris Paul, although Nunn's performances are making a case for the Miami front office to stick with the current roster.
#3 RJ Barrett - New York Knicks
RJ Barrett's performances had cooled down since the first two weeks of the season, although the Duke product has rediscovered his stride over the past week. Against the Chicago Bulls, Barrett recorded 21 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals in what was arguably his best all-around performance of the season so far. He also dropped 22 points on the Charlotte Hornets while connecting with 50% of his attempts from the field.
Barrett's 3-point shooting has shown signs of improvement following a shaky start, and the 19-year-old has also benefited from New York's decision to reduce his minutes to a much more manageable 30 per night. Through 14 games, he is now averaging a respectable 15.8 points 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists - and he could eventually emerge as a huge threat to the other rookies attempting to be named ROTY.
#2 Eric Paschall - Golden State Warriors
After the Golden State Warriors got Draymond Green, D'Angelo Russell, and Willie Cauley-Stein back from injury, Eric Paschall's excellent start to the season appeared to be slowing down. However, after enduring frustrating performances against the Utah Jazz and OKC Thunder, Paschall has averaged 20 points and 5 rebounds per game over his past three appearances against the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and New Orleans Pelicans.
The 23-year-old is also shooting well over 50% from the field, and his 30-point performance against the Pelicans on Sunday means that he is the only rookie in the NBA with multiple 30-point games so far this season. With Russell picking up another injury, Steve Kerr has hinted that Paschall could take on an even greater role, and the young power forward could get even better over the coming weeks.
#1 Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies
Heading into the 2019 NBA draft, it was reported that some teams around the league viewed Ja Morant as a better prospect than Zion Williamson, and there is no doubting that the 20-year-old has excelled over the first month of the season. While the Grizzlies looked on course to be among the NBA's worst teams during the opening weeks of the season, Morant's performances have inspired wins over the San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz over the past week.
The dynamic point guard is now averaging 18.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.0 points per game and his game time are likely to increase as he is playing just 27.2 minutes per contest. Ultimately, Morant has been the breakout rookie of the season so far, and he could soon pull away as the favorite for the ROTY award.
