Welcome back to our weekly NBA rookie rankings. In this week’s edition, the top three spots remain the same as last week, and a familiar face drops out. Rookies have one last push to earn a spot as one this season’s best. Remember to check back with us every week as when rank this year’s rookie class.
1. Joel Embiid, Center, Philadelphia 76ers
The only thing stopping Embiid these days is himself. Against the Houston Rockets last Friday he finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. He has separated himself as being the best rookie this year. His game is polished similar to a veteran and he still has plenty of room to improve. When his minutes restriction is officially waived, the rest of the NBA should be very afraid.
2. Malcolm Brogdon, Guard, Milwaukee Bucks
Brogdon continues to fill up the stat sheet for the Bucks. Last Saturday against the Boston Celtics he finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and five assists. He is hovering around top-10 in the entire league for three-point field goal percentage (41.4 percent). Overall he is shooting 43.3 percent from the field, which is currently ninth-best for the entire rookie class. The way it looks, Brogdon will have a nice future in the NBA if he keeps up his play.
3. Dario Saric, Forward, Philadelphia 76ers
In five games last week, Saric finished four of those in double figure points. In a win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday he scored 17 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out six assists. Throughout the season, he has developed into a good all-around player. Even though he does not excite as much as Embiid, he has helped turned a failing franchise into a competitive one.
4. Marquese Chriss, Forward, Phoenix Suns
Chriss continues to improve as the weeks go by. Although he does not stand out in one particular category, he ranks in the top-10 in many. He is seventh among rookies in scoring, sixth in rebounding, and fourth in both blocks and field goal percentage. Against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday he scored 20 points and had six rebounds. He looks to be foundation piece for a young Suns team. Hopefully he can keep up his play and give Suns fans hope for the future.
5. Andrew Harrison, Guard, Memphis Grizzlies
With the underwhelming play of other rookies last week, Harrison takes the fifth spot in this week’s rankings. In the month of January he shot 40 percent from the field, which is much better than his season average of 31.7 percent. He is currently second in the rookie in assists and fourth in steals. Although he will likely not become a star in league, he can be a solid rotational player for years to come.
Honorable Mention: Brandon Ingram, Buddy Hield, and Pascal Siakam