Despite Spurs’ difficulties, Victor Wembanyama reclaims the top spot on the Kia Rookie Ladder.
As the Spurs look for victories, the first overall pick stays brilliant. Regardless of the high hopes for their future careers, very few NBA rookies are held accountable for their quick success in wins and losses. The teams with the greatest draft designs usually end up with the most problems, more than any twenty- or twenty-one-year-old can handle.
However, there should be some difference made by elite rookies. The best have made their teams into immediate contenders; consider David Robinson (+35), Larry Bird (+32), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (+29 wins).
Undoubtedly, the addition of a promising prospect shouldn’t make a team worse. However, Victor Wembanyama and his 3-19 San Antonio Spurs are currently operating under that situation.
A little history
- For the sake of simplicity, we will only consider Rookie of the Year winners—those who performed well enough in their first seasons to be considered for that honor. Of the 32 players (two tied) who have played over the last 30 years, only four came from teams that finished with fewer than 20 wins.
Spurs are expected to win 11 games.
The 2014 -15 Minnesota Timberwolves led by Andrew Wiggins had the fewest wins of any team that had won the ROY award since 1993-16. The other three under 20 are Michael Carter-Williams (19 in 2014), Emeka Okafor (18 in 2005), and Elton Brand (17 in 2000) of Chicago.
- There are only two more sub-20 winners if you go back 33 years and 34 players to Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest rookie for whom the award is named. Walt Bellamy’s New Yorker team in 1960–61 and Sidney Wicks’ Portland team in 1971–72 both had eighteen victories.
What’s at stake
- Yes, it is still early. It would only take San Antonio to go 17–43 to reach 20 wins and prevent Wembanyama from joining this team.
The Thunder, led by Chet Holmgren, are the other leading candidate for ROY, but they have already won 15 games, which is more than the Spurs could win the entire season. If OKC keeps up its current pace, it would finish 56-26 and secure the top playoff seed. and create a chasm that is too wide for voters to ignore.
Additionally, each of the previous eight ROY winners contributed to their team’s improvement in the inaugural season. Gain on average: 12 wins. To get better than their 22-60 record from the previous season, the Spurs would have to finish the season 31-29.
Latest ranking
(All stats through Tuesday, Dec. 12)
1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Season stats: 18.8 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, Last Ladder: 2, Draft pick: No. 1
The Spurs youngster moves up to the top of the Ladder after five straight double-doubles and two flashy games against the Bulls (21 points, 20 rebounds) and Rockets (15, 18 points). His first start at center, where he has made just one of his last twelve 3FGAs, should be his main focus. That 20-20 game occurred during that game.
2. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Season stats: 17.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, Last Ladder: 1, Draft pick: No. 2 (2022)
Holmgren’s numbers were dismal this week, averaging 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, with the exception of blocks (3.7). His plus/minus difference with Wemby was indeed +271. However, he was most likely at his best on Instagram.
3. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
Season stats: 14.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, Last Ladder: 3, Draft pick: No. 2 overall
In seven consecutive games and all but two of his 19 appearances, Miller has scored ten or more points. After watching the Hornets forward on Monday, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra was full of praise for both him and his coach Steve Clifford.
4. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
Season stats: 12.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, Last Ladder: 4, Draft pick: No. 18
In December, the NBA-decreed top rookie in the East for October/November is averaging 14.5 points and shooting 51.5%. In 24 minutes, he scored 18 points against Charlotte before fouling out.
5. Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Season stats: 11.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.2 apg, Last Ladder: 6, Draft pick: No. 16
topped all rookies last week in both assists and scoring. And with 120 assists, he has more than the combined total of the other two rookies. Against OKC on Monday, the Texas product equaled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s stats of 30 points and 7 assists.
The Next 5:
6. Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Season stats: 10.6 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, Last Ladder: 5, Draft pick: No. 5
Whether or not he scores, the rookie for the Pistons always finds a way to help.
7. Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks
Season stats: 9.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.2 apg, Last Ladder: 8, Draft pick: No. 12
Shooting 80.4% (37/46) since Thanksgiving, league-best 73.7% overall.
8. Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 8.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, Last Ladder: —, Draft pick: No. 7
Bigger role, better results so far in December (12.5 pp, 6.0 rpg).
9. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
Season stats: 8.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.4 apg; Last Ladder: 10, Draft pick: No. 19
Rank among rotation rooks: 11th ppg, 5th rpg, 9T apg, 3rd 3FG%.
10. Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Season stats: 6.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.2 apg; Last Ladder: —, Draft pick: No. 52
Defense is the surest way for a No. 52 pick to a) start and b) impress.