This week's 2020-21 Kia Rookie Ladder Top 5:
(All statistics as of Monday, January 24)
1. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Season stats: 15.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Last week's stats: 16.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Last week's ranking: 1
Draft pick: 3rd overall
Isaiah Thomas and Candice Parker analyze Evan Mobley's rise this season.
We'll step aside and let our NBA colleague Channing Frye give his thoughts on Mobley's rise. As a member of the 2006 NBA Draft, the former center/forward knows a little bit about Mobley's position. Fry said: "For a young man like this, it's crazy to grasp the timing in his own way, whether he's moving shots or changing defenses. "I watch a lot of Cavaliers' games. For me, Mobley is everywhere. When you think he's going to make more of the mistakes a rookie should make, he's like a veteran. He's really good at facing the basket and attacking for other big men, and that's how they can deal with two other 7-foot players. For me, his aggressiveness towards the basket is incredible. He always wanted to be able to dunk in front of others. Now, what he was going to do was obviously his strength, but this kid was special, and I hadn't seen such a person in a long, long time. ”
2. Cadcannin, Detroit Pistons
Season stats: 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists
Last week's stats: 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists
Last week's ranking: 2
Draft Pick: 1st overall ranking
Cade Cunningham scored 34 points against the Nuggets.
Cunningham hasn't been to the top spot on the NBA's Best Rookie list yet, but it's highly likely if he continues to perform like he's done recently. Based on Cunningham's recent great performances, this means that the competition for the NBA's best rookie is becoming increasingly fierce. Let's not forget that he was probably missed for a month due to an ankle injury in preseason. In his last seven games, Cunningham has averaged 17.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 35.9 percent three-pointers per game. He had 34 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, four blocks and two steals against the Denver Nuggets, but that's not in this week's stats, but only 14 players in league history have reportedly achieved (or exceeded) such totals in a single game.
3. Scotty Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Season stats: 14.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists
Last week's stats: 15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Last week's ranking: 3
Draft pick: 4th pick
In last week's game against the Wizards, Scotty Barnes scored a career-high 27 points.
Barnes had a career-best 27 points and eight rebounds against Washington, nine points against the Trail Blazers, and missed a game with a swollen right wrist against Charlotte. After that game against the Wizards, the rookie from Florida State University won praise from rival Bradley Beale. "He's special," Bill said. "He's always been a special player. His game is simple and efficient. ”
4. Josh Gidi, Oklahoma Thunder
Season stats: 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists
Last week's stats: 11.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists
Last week's ranking: 5
Draft pick: 6th pick
Recently, Gidey explained to reporters why he's getting more comfortable as a shooter: "At the beginning of the year, I was a little worried about what people would think and things like that. But now I don't think about it anymore. I just kept shooting. ”。 Last December, the Australian two-legged defender shot just 38.3 percent from the field and 22.5 percent from three-point range. This month, his numbers were 44.3 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively, which brought his average of 13.1 points per game (8.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists) in January. He adapted too much and stopped "thinking too much" for the rest of the game, while Gidey's passing talent was well on display from the start.
5. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Season stats: 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Last week's stats: 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists
Last week's ranking: 4
Draft pick: 8th pick
Wagner's recent three-point shooting percentage dropped to a low — in 10 games up to last weekend, he shot 29 three-pointers but only hit five. (And the three-point shooting percentage is 56%). His january numbers are down from December, when he was named Best Rookie. Wagner's three-point shooting percentage dropped from 19.5 points and 40.4 last month to 14.3 points and 18.8 percent this month. Still, the 6-foot-9 forward is the Magic's best scorer, scoring more than 10 in 40 games and 10 more than 20.
6. Herbert Jones, New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 9.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Last week's stats: 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists
Last week's ranking: 6
Draft pick: 35th pick
7. Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers
Season stats: 13.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Last week's stats: 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists
Last week's ranking: 8
Draft pick: 13th overall
Road trip: Averaged 18.6 points per game, shooting 50.7% from the field, returning to the starting lineup.
8. Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls
Season stats: 7.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists
Last week's stats: 13.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists
Last Week's Ranking: No ranking
Draft Pick: 38th overall
As a starter: 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 64.2% shooting, 54.2% three-point shooting.
9. Jaylen Sargas, Orlando Magic
Season stats: 12.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists
Last week's stats: 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists
Last Week's Ranking: No
Ranking draft pick: 5th pick
After injuring your right thumb, you can feel presence despite the fact that your shot is affected.
10. Jaylen Green, Houston Rockets
Season stats: 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Last week's stats: 5.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Last week's ranking: 7
Draft pick: 2nd pick
Last week, he shot 12.5 percent from the field and 11.1 percent from three-point range.