Rookies 2018-19 NBA Season: Points per game Leaders (Early Look)

The 2018 NBA draft class is being considered one of the best in a long stretch of time. During the yearly draft process, the weakest teams are rewarded with better draft picks and truly, some men in this group house the potential to change the fortunes of an organization.

The following players have made the losing season for the teams that received them, worth the wait and frustration.

Though it might seem a bit too early to start counting totals and averages, it does seem fair to skim through the ones who have taken off in blistering fashion. The opinions and stats might change in the near future but we can always come back to how it all began for these ultra-talented youngsters.

Let's take a look at the top rookies from the 2018 class who have the highest points per game up until the instance this piece is being written.

#5 Jarren Jackson - 12.1 points per game

Jaren Jackson Jr. was the 4th overall draft pick by the Grizzlies.

Jaren was the Big Ten(oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the US) Defensive player of the year before he was picked by Memphis in the 2018 draft.

Jaren came off the bench to start the season but made his way into the starting lineup due to injury to JaMychal Green. Ever since then he has been a force on both ends of the floor collectively. He has started 8 out of the 10 games for the Grizz as of now and is slowly cementing his place on the opening lineup.

He's averaging 1.6 blocks(3rd on the rookie list) and 1.1 steals(2nd on the rookie list) per game, apart from scoring in double digits almost every night. He likes to attack the basket and the opposing bigs have usually struggled to guard him when he does so.

Although his defense ascends his age, the former Michigan State center has exhibited impatience at times. He's averaging 3.9 personal fouls a game, which is technically the second worst in the league. He has struggled shooting from the deep but that can be fixed in due course of time as in the meantime, his strong presence on the floor outweighs all his anomalies.

#4 Marvin Bagley Jr. - 12.8 points

Following Duke's NCAA tournament loss, Bagley declared for the 2018 NBA draft

Bagley played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils and was named a 2018 Consensus All American.

Marvin Bagley currently leads his rookie class in terms of 3-pointer percentage as he's converting half of his shots(50%) from deep. Apart from averaging 12.8 points a game, he's top five in blocks per game, rebounds per game and field goal percentage, amongst the rookie crowd.

In just his second professional game, he impressed many by dropping 19 points,8 rebounds, 3 assists as well as 3 blocks in a rout of the New Orleans Pelicans, showing that he can do it all and lead his team to a win too.

When asked who's the better player, him or Ayton, Bagley didn't hesitate with his response.

"I would say myself," Bagley said. "Obviously I have confidence in my game. I love Deandre like a brother, but, I'm gonna have to go with myself. I think I'm the better player."

Since the Kings & Suns are in the same division, we'll get to see a handful of matchups between Bagley & Ayton, and then maybe we can decide for ourselves.

#3 Deandre Ayton - 15.7 points per game

Ayton was selected with the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Suns.

Ayton was the recipient of the Karl Malone award before he joined the Phoenix Suns. The annual basketball award is given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate power forward.

So, the basketball universe had a fair idea about this prospect's physicality and dominance on the floor, and he hasn't disappointed.

After being named Pac-12 Player of the Year during his lone season at Arizona, he is leading the rookies in rebounding, averaging a majestic 10.8 rebounds per game(a step down from his college average of 13.8). He is one of those players who will add to the recent revolution of multi-talented bigs in the league, considering his 7-foot frame and 60% shooting from the field. Understandably so, he is currently leading his rookie class in field goal percentage.

His Player Efficiency Rating(PER) of 23.73 puts him amongst elite company as 13 of the 20 rookie centers ever to do so are Hall of Famers already.

Parallels are already being drawn from his style of play to that of LaMarcus Aldridge.

#2 TraeYoung - 18.6 points per game

Trae Young was selected by Dallas but traded to Atlanta for Luca Doncic.

Just 6 ft 2 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds, Young has clearly taken the league by storm since day one. Last month against the Cavaliers, he became the first rookie since Steph Curry to drop at least 35 points and 10 assists in a game. Riding on 13-of-23 shooting, he contributed 35 points and also added 11 assists.

When asked if he could break Curry's record of most threes in a game(13), his response was as follows:

"I would like to break it ... I definitely feel like I'm capable of breaking it. But that's a lot of 3s in a game. I ain't gonna lie."

Even with no exceptional size and strength, he was picked 5th overall for a reason. With averages of 27.4 points and 8.7 assists a game as a freshman, Young became the first player in NCAA history to lead the country in scoring and assists.

As of now, he leads all rookies in assists per game, dropping 7.83 dimes every game.

#1 Luka Doncic - 20.2 points per game

Luka Doncic recorded the first triple-double in Liga ACB in 11 years

The former Euroleague Champion & Euroleague MVP at just the age of 18, was picked 3rd overall in the 2018 NBA draft. Mark Cuban & the Dallas Mavericks took a chance, trading up in the summer’s draft to acquire the Slovenian in exchange for guard Trae Young.

And boy has it paid dividends in numbers!!

The Slovenian teenager has gelled immaculately into the system of the NBA, mainly because he's used to playing professional basketball with elders. He's averaging 6.55 rebounds a game and hosting a noble second best PER(Player efficiency rating) of 19.00 behind Ayton amongst the rookies.

LeBron James approves of the Slovenian phenom:

“I think European players develop faster than American players,” said James. “He’s been in the pro development stage for how many years – since he was 15, so I don’t think this is intimidating to him. I’ve seen it with Cedi (Osman) last year in Cleveland.”

He is surely setting the bar for Europeans in the NBA and has the talent to be one of the best, if not the best European player ever.