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Everyone has been raving about how Ben Simmons is a generational talent, about why Lonzo Ball and his dad will take over the LA Lakers and how De'Aaron Fox will establish himself as the shining light with the Sacramento Kings.
Neither can people stop talking about the hornet's nest that LeBron James kicked over by claiming the New York Knicks have missed out on a top player like Dennis Smith Jr. The 20-year-old is currently proving LeBron right, having established himself as the Dallas Mavericks' starting point guard while absolutely dunking over anybody that stands in his way.
But how about the rookies who have been performing well under the radar this season? Here, we take a look at five of the talented youngsters.
5. John Collins (Atlanta Hawks):
My word, John Collins came out of nowhere! The 19th pick of the 2017 NBA draft went to the Atlanta Hawks and they picked Collins, who was not expected to enjoy such a stellar start to his professional career.
He has been very good in a very poor Hawks team, averaging almost 12 points per game, mostly off the bench. Whenever called upon, he has been brilliant and is already turning out to be a very reliable player too. This video against the LA Clippers is a brilliant example of his capabilities:
He has averaged more than 7.5 rebounds per game too, which is a pretty good statistic coupled with his PPG when you consider he's only playing around 23 minutes per game.
Luke Babbitt's injury allowed Collins an opportunity to prove his quality within a faltering Hawks side, one he has certainly taken thus far.
4. Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz):
While everyone has been talking about Lonzo, Fox or Dennis Smith Jr, one guard who has been quietly having a great start to his NBA career is rookie Donovan Mitchell.
He was the 13th pick of this year's NBA draft and was expected to earn decent minutes in a Utah roster who had just signed Ricky Rubio on as their main man.
Mitchell has still been starting regularly for the Jazz side this season, averaging 28 minutes per game and making 11 starts in 19 matches played thus far.
With a 37% shooting percentage from the field, he needs to improve his consistency to continue his encouraging form. Averaging at least 14 points every game, alongside three rebounds and assists too, he has quietly been productive.
With plays like these and the current minutes that the Jazz roster has to offer, Mitchell has only one direction to go and that is upwards. If his shooting improves over time, he could be a force to be reckoned with and potentially a dark horse in the race for this season's Rookie of the Year accolade.
3. Frank Ntilikina (New York Knicks):
Any rookie that is drafted by the Knicks has now a bar set to reach, courtesy of Kristaps "The Unicorn" Porzingis. Frank Ntilikina is the latest to be compared to this high and mighty bar. Having been picked over the fan favourite in Dennis Smith Jr, his announcement on draft night attracted boos and the French youngster has had to deal with lofty expectations ever since.
He has been scoring only five points per game, averaging just under 19 minutes and shooting only 25% from beyond the arc. Still, he has quickly established himself as a crowd favourite in his short spell, by making defence a fashionable asset once more.
Averaging just under two steals per game behind players like Paul George, who himself is a superstar veteran. When playing against Ntilikina, point guards have been struggling to convert their chances - only a 28% conversion rate, whilst the turnover percentage stands at 22% when the teenager is present. He has asserted his quality as a defensive pest for offensive players to deal with, though it's clear that he can improve significantly in terms of scoring points more regularly.
2. Lauri Markkanen (Chicago Bulls):
Another first-round pick, the Finnish rookie was drafted at number seven by the Chicago Bulls. Expected to be third in rotation of power forwards behind Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis, a heated bust-up between the pair led to an injury that Mirotic sustained while Portis received an eight-match suspension.
Immediately a starter by default, Markkanen has made good use of his chances centre-stage.
Lauri has made the starting spot at the Bulls his own, even after the return of Portis. He has been so good that Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg stated he'll remain Bulls' first-choice starter when Mirotic is fit and available once more. Averaging just under 15 points per game, 8.3 rebounds on average is also a commendable achievement to go with his scoring statistics.
His shooting has been excellent too, 50% from the field for a PF who also takes three-pointers is impressive to say the least. He has not looked back, instead pushing forward by grabbing the opportunity to start regularly with both hands - as a result, there's no reason why he cannot feature as a contender for Rookie of the Year too.
1. Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers):
"Where did Kuzma come from?" is a question probably every other roster is asking themselves. Kyle Kuzma was the 27th pick in this summer's NBA draft, selected by the LA Lakers.
The limelight was focused on Lonzo and father LaVar ahead of the draft, though Kuzma quickly established his ability during the Summer League and supporters could not get enough.
Kuzma has been averaging just under 17 points per game, leading the Lakers in the scoring charts. With an average of six rebounds or more per match, as well as shooting 50% from the field, he continues to develop and will improve as time passes with added experience.
His general skill level and ability to finish scoring chances is second to none on the Lakers squad, with consistent performances meaning he has become one of the first names on the starting sheet in recent weeks.
With moves like the one below, no-one can justify leaving him out of a starting five:
Ben Simmons has been heavily tipped to rule supreme for Rookie of the Year, but there's no reason why Kuzma - who plays in a weaker squad and continues to add a significant influence - cannot be in serious contention too.
Guess the Lakers players!
