After two weeks of NBA action, here are the five leading candidates for the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year.
5. Kristaps Porzingis, F, Knicks
Porzingis has made enough highlight reel plays to warrant more consideration, but he has work to do. Porzingis has fans excited because of how fluid he is despite being 7’3, but so far, his vaunted 3-point stroke hasn’t shown up. Still, 12 points and eight boards for a rookie at barely 20 years old is good stuff, and he’s going to get better from deep.
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4. Justise Winslow, G/F, Heat
Winslow is getting 27 minutes a night, more than many of the rookies in this class. His numbers aren’t eye-popping just yet – 6.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists – but as he gets more time on the floor, he will score with greater volume and be more efficient. If Winslow can raise his 3-point percentage (27.3 percent), he will rise up these rankings.
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3. Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, Nuggets
Mudiay has been both impressive and maddening at times. He’s averaging 11.8 points and 5.7 assists for the Nuggets in more than 30 minutes a night, but also more than five turnovers. Mudiay won his first battle with Lakers rookie D’Angelo Russell and the Nuggets have done right by him in giving him minutes despite his mistakes, and trading Ty Lawson so he can develop without looking over his shoulder.
Mudiay will be in the mix until the end of the year barring injury.
2. Jahlil Okafor, C, 76ers
Those who anointed Okafor the ROY before the season began based on the numbers he’d compile on a terrible Sixers team weren’t wrong. He’s averaging 19.3 points a night, which is very good for a first-year player. Okafor’s 5.5 rebounds per game are unimpressive, however, for a player his size (6’11) getting his minutes (34.3). The scoring is eye-opening, but he’ll need to do more, and improve defensively, to knock the top dog off his perch.
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C, Timberwolves
The top pick of this year’s draft is absolutely playing like it. Towns is scoring 15.2 points and pulling down 9.6 boards out of the gate, in addition to blocking three shots a night. He has been a tremendously impactful player, and his shooting range sets him apart from Okafor. He’s knocking down 52 percent of his shots from 3-10 feet out, and those shots make up 36 percent of his attempts. Towns is a special player.
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