Class of 2015“For last year's words belong to last year's languageAnd next year's words await another voice.And to make an end is to make a beginning”- Little Gidding by T.S. EliotOne of the best things about the NBA and a not-so-insignificant contributor to its appeal is novelty. Every year, the top young talent from across America and in fact, the world, are pursued by teams for gawk-worthy sums of money.These young Turks represent the future of the NBA and truth be told, the evolution of the game of basketball itself. So it’s no small wonder that they’re so almost eerily scrutinized by fans, foes and front offices alike. The average age for NBA rookies is 20 years, and they need a steady head on their young shoulders to be able to perform appreciably in the face of pressure, pageantry and expectations. A while ago, we published a collection of the frontrunners for this season’s Rookie of the Year award.A little over a month into the season, let us see how the fledgling stars have fared:
#5 D\'Angelo Russell - Los Angeles Lakers
The rookie touted to be the Lakers best point guard since Magic Johnson has been underwhelming, to say the least. After drawing much flak for being complacent and letting the attention get to him, the 19-year-olds averages have crawled upwards, but upwards they have crawled.
This could be attributed to the heart-breakingly loyal Lakers fans, whose outcry that Russell was being underutilized has made coach Byron Scott relent and give the youngster more minutes on the court.
Season stats
Games played 17
Average minutes per game 27.6
Average points 10.5
Average rebounds 4.6
Average assists 3.1
FG percentage 40.4
3 Pt percentage 30.4
FT percentage 73.7
REMARKS: Patience. Russell is just one of the rusty gears in the splutteringmachine that is the Lakers. But it looks like he's gradually coming to life. There are no quick fixes for the NBA's most valuable franchise. They must have foresight and act accordingly.
#4 Emmanuel Mudiay - Orlando Magic
The Nuggets starting point guard has had a baptism by fire, unfortunately in a pond of silt. Hes averaged the second-highest minutes played so far, but hasnt produced proportionate dividends.
Mudiay has shown that hes more than competent on defense, but hes off-the-mark on the other end of the court. He averages fourth amongst the rookies in points, but his field goal and three-point percentage leave a lot to be desired.
Season stats:
Games played 18
Average minutes per game 30.1
Average points 12.1
Average rebounds 3.6
Average assists 5.8
FG percentage 32.1
3 Pt percentage 25.4
FT percentage 70
REMARKS: His other stats might be low, but the figure that jumps off the screen are his assists. Mudiay has to increase his field goal percentage, and though doing that might not put him in serious contention for the ROTY, it will more importantly, be a fillip for his team.
#3 Jahlil Okafor - Philadelphia 76ers
The young man touted to be the Rookie of the Year has repeatedly reaffirmed those opinions. Okafor, along with Porzingis and Towns, is averaging nearly a double double, with his rebounds just shy of the two figure mark. But that seems like it will climb. Shame that his teams tied the record for the worst start to a season at 18-0.
Okafors been in the news for reasons apart from his hardwood skills too, evidence the video below
Season stats
Games played 19
Average minutes per game 32.8
Average points 17.2
Average rebounds 8.1
Average assists 1.3
FG percentage 46
3 Pt percentage 0 (!)
FT percentage 67.1
REMARKS: The horse that everyone bet on is underperforming when it comes to shooting. He is more of a traditional big man and needs to become more versatile. But its his first year at the highest level and the expectations of him will bear fruit at some time.
#2 Kristaps Porzingis - New York Knicks
The advantage that the 20-year-old, 73 Latvian has over his peers is that hes had a bigger role to play in the Knicks outfit, even taking the reigns when team captain Carmelo Anthony was out due to illness.
The rookie with the most stoicdemeanour, perhaps after Justice Winslow, has a respectably efficient all-round game which will only evolve with time. Porzingis has risen to the occasion admirably and made the most of the opportunity hes been given. Whats that they say about the boiling water, the potato and the egg? Did they walk into a bar....?
Season stats:
Games played 18
Average minutes per game 28.0
Average points 13.7
Average rebounds 9.3
Average assists 0.9
FG percentage 42.5
3 Pt percentage 30
FT percentage 82.3
REMARKS: Personal opinion Porzingis has the opportunity to make the most impact amongst the Rookies and possibly be a dark horse in the moment of truth.
#1 Karl-Anthony Towns Jr. - Minnesota Timberwolves
The number one pick in this years draft has translated his prowess on both ends of the floor into decent numbers in the league that matters the most. His numbers may be lower than those of Phillys Jahlil Okafor, which brings us to another surprising figure, considering his obvious skill hes averaging just 28.7 minutes a game.
Perhaps the T-Wolves are playing it safe, what with starting center Nikola Pekovic still convalescing from reparative surgery for the Achilles tendon, hoping to keep the Big Kat in good shape for the long run. But its still early days, and there is a high probability of Towns being more active per game.
Here are his stats for the season so far:
Games played 18
Average minutes per game 27.5
Average points 13.9
Average rebounds 9.2
Average assists 0.8
FG percentage 50.7
3 Pt percentage 30
FT percentage 83.7
REMARKS: Towns success in his freshman year will hinge on how long he spends on the court. With Pekovic reportedly on the mend, the jurys still out on that.
Guess the Lakers players!
