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Anthony Edwards roared to the top of the NBA Rookie of the Year power rankings in LaMelo Ball's absence. His performances gave the impression that he would bag the Rookie of the Year award even if Ball came back. Not only did Ball return from a season-ending injury, but he is back to his usual show-stopping ways. His return has brought excitement back into the NBA Rookie of the Year race.
Lamelo Ball led 8 of the 10 recorded statistics among rookies and was the runaway winner for most of the season. But since his time on the sidelines, other young guns have picked up the pace. Players like Isaiah Stewart, Cole Anthony and Isaac Okoro are worth mentioning as they've had impressive rookie campaigns.
NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings: Through 20 weeks of action
Unfortunately, one of the major contenders for NBA Rookie of the Year, Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton, has been ruled out for the rest of the season following a knee injury.
Haliburton was one of the few rookies lighting up the race and many analysts called him "a veteran in a rookie's body" given his poise and calm during tricky situations. However, his absence has made other rookies fancy their chances.
On that note, let's look at the NBA Rookie of the Year Power rankings through 20 weeks of action in the 2020-21 NBA season.
#1 LaMelo Ball
Stats: 28.8 MPG | 16.0 PPG | 6.1 APG | 5.9 RPG | % - 44/36/75
Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking: 2nd (↑1)
Everyone is giving Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan props for drafting LaMelo Ball. Ball has wowed everyone in the NBA with his flashy passes and scoring ability. Many analysts believe that LaMelo is already the best Ball brother in the league. Fans can't get enough of his highlights and LaMelo Ball is back to his usual savvy ways since returning from injury. He recently grabbed three steals in less than a minute in the game against the Pelicans.
There is no doubt that LaMelo Ball should be the NBA Rookie of the Year. Players like Draymond Green, LeBron James, Trae Young and several others have acknowledged his game. He is averaging 16.8 points, 6.5 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game this past week.
#2 Anthony Edwards
Stats: 31.9 MPG | 18.9 PPG | 2.9 APG | 4.8 RPG | % - 41/32/77
Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking: 1st (↓1)
One of the major reasons to watch a Minnesota Timberwolves game is to admire the rookie, Anthony Edwards. Also known as 'Ant Man', his thunderous dunks and rim-running plays are a sight to behold. He has evolved into one of the Timberwolves' main scorers and has taken his game up a notch ever since being introduced to the starting lineup. Analysts have called Edwards 'Dwyane Wade 2.0', referring to how his game mimics a young version of Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade.
He recently dropped 42 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on 17-22 (77%) shooting from the field, including 8-9 (89%) from three-point range. His remarkable 42-point scoring performance was a career-high, which has now been broken by him twice this season. He also has the highest career high amongst all rookies.
#3 Jae'Sean Tate
Stats: 29.4 MPG | 11.2 PPG | 2.5 APG | 5.4 RPG | % - 50/29/69
Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking: N/A
A player who went undrafted and then played overseas, Jae'Sean Tate is making his name in the NBA. The 25-year-old is one the most efficient shooters on the struggling Houston Rockets, with over 50% shooting from the floor. Injuries to most of the Rockets' roster have boded well for the rookie, who now has an opportunity to showcase his talent to the coach. He is 8th in points per game, 4th in rebounds and 3rd in steals (1.3 SPG) among rookies.
Jae'Sean Tate has featured in the NBA Rookie of the Year power rankings for a while now. He is averaging 13.4 points, 4.2 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game this past week. Tate is also an amazing defender and he usually gets tough defensive assignments such as guarding Luka Doncic and Stephen Curry. The Houston Rockets are +7 points better when he is on the floor.
#4 Saddiq Bey
Stats: 26.8 MPG | 11.9 PPG | 1.3 APG | 4.6 RPG | % - 40/38/85
Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking: 4th (-)
A silver lining in the Detroit Pistons' dismal campaign has been the rise of rookie Saddiq Bey. He has improved on every aspect of his game throughout the season, most impressively in his three-point shooting. Bey tends to get hot from distance and has already broken Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson's rookie record.
Pistons coach Dwayne Casey spoke about Saddiq Bey's game and how he wants the rookie to be more aggressive.
"It’s kind of like you want him to be a little more reckless, more aggressive...But he’s such a conscientious player, a conscientious kid that he doesn’t want to make mistakes. And doesn’t."
He is averaging 17 points and shooting 42% from beyond the arc on over 8 attempts per game in the past week. Bey has also elevated his game in cleaning up the glass as he has been grabbing 7.3 boards per game in his last few outings.
#5 Immanuel Quickley
Stats: 19.6 MPG | 11.7 PPG | 2.1 APG | 2.2 RPG | % - 40/39/89
Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking: 5th (-)
Immanuel Quickley wasn't even the New York Knicks' first Draft selection. He was selected 25th overall after Obi Toppin but rapidly rose to fame. He is shooting 39% from downtown and has hit a few logo shots this season. Quickley plays very few minutes in an up-and-coming New York Knicks team, but whenever he gets on the floor, he doesn't disappoint.
Along with LaMelo Ball, Quickley might be the only other rookie to feature in the NBA playoffs this year. However, he doesn't have nearly the same pressure to perform as Ball and probably won't win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Nevertheless, he has the highest net rating amongst rookies and is also a decent defender. He dropped 18 points in his last game on 4-8 shooting, including 3-5 from beyond the arc.
Also Read: NBA Playoffs 2021: Analyzing Golden State Warriors' playoff chances
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