NBA 2019-20: Rookie of the Year Power Rankings Week 9

Modified Nov 08, 2022 11:44 GMT

Zion Williamson is yet to make his NBA debut after being selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the number one pick in the 2019 Draft. Following an excellent year at Duke, the 19-year-old entered the league as the most talked-about teenager since LeBron James back in 2003, and the Pelicans man was viewed as a virtual lock to win the 2020 Rookie of the Year Award.

However, New Orleans haven't set a date for Williamson's return, and it appears increasingly likely that the forward will miss out on being named Rookie of the Year in his debut season. Williamson's absence has allowed several other rookies to battle it out to be crowned the season's best young player, and here we take a look at the latest power rankings heading into Week 9 of the 2019-20 season.

#5 De'Andre Hunter - Atlanta Hawks

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Since being selected fourth overall in the 2019 draft, De'Andre Hunter has struggled for consistency. But there is no doubting his talent.

Over the past week, Hunter has struggled in defeats to the Lakers and Bulls, although the 22-year-old was excellent against the Heat and the Pacers.

Against Miami, Hunter connected with 11 of his 17 attempts from the field, and also recorded 5 three-pointers on his way to posting a career-high 28 points. Then against the Pacers, Hunter finished with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Evidently, Hunter will need to add consistency to his game if he is to make a push for the Rookie of the Year Award. He is currently averaging 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, and is someone to keep an eye on over the coming months.

#4 Eric Paschall - Golden State Warriors

After a breakout month in November, Eric Paschall's stats took a big dip following D'Angelo Russell's return to fitness at the start of December. The 23-year-old has managed just 10 points in his 36 minutes on the court over the past seven days. After muted performances against the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, Paschall has missed consecutive games due to a pelvis injury.

Paschall's standing in the Rookie of the Year race continues to dip, although he is still averaging 16.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 30.9 minutes per contest. If the forward can adapt his game to thrive alongside the ball-dominant Russell in the coming weeks, he will remain firmly in the race.

#3 Rui Hachimura - Washington Wizards

Rui Hachimura's form has been excellent throughout December, and the 21-year-old has enjoyed another solid week. The Japanese star started Week 8 by recording a double-double in Charlotte against the Hornets, before adding 10 points against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Hachimura also made a fast start to the game against the Pistons on Monday night as he connected with 3 of his first 4 shots, although the rookie had to leave the game early due to a groin contusion.

The Wizards have yet to provide an update on Hachimura's condition, but the forward has been the most impressive rookie throughout December. He has even managed to increase his season averages to 13.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

While he could now miss a few games through injury, Hachimura will only continue to get better as the season progresses. It is hard to envision him falling out of the race to be named Rookie of the Year.

#2 Kendrick Nunn - Miami Heat

After consistently producing solid performances over the first two months of the season, Kendrick Nunn's breakout game came last week against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Miami Heat rookie recorded a career-high 36 points, finishing 14-of-26 from the field. Nunn also contributed six rebounds, four assists and one steal during his 42 minutes on court, and his defense was also widely praised during subsequent games against the Lakers, Mavericks and Grizzlies.

Through 27 appearances, Nunn is now averaging 16.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. The undrafted rookie is also contributing to a contending Miami team, which is sure to help elevate his status in the Rookie of the Year sweepstakes.

#1 Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant missed much of Week 7 due to back spasms. However, the 20-year-old remains the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year title after successfully overcoming the injury over the past seven days.

Against the Phoenix Suns, Morant was restricted to just nine shots as he recorded 13 points. After missing Memphis' home game against Milwaukee, Morant dropped 18 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists on the Wizards.

On Monday night Morant put in his best performance since returning, as he recorded 20 points against Miami while missing just five of his 14 attempts from the field. Morant also recorded 10 assists to finish with a fourth double-double of the season.

Through 21 appearances, the point guard is averaging 18.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.