NBA Rookie Rankings: Victor Wembanyama distances himself from Chet Holmgren; Brandon Miller rises to No. 3

This rookie class has a chance to go down as one of the best in recent history.

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are clearly at the top, but there is so much depth that settling on the 10 best rookies this year is a tough task. A lot has changed throughout the season, too. Holmgren came out of the gate strong, but Wembanyama has pretty handily surpassed him and looks poised to take down Rookie of the Year honors.

Here’s how the top 10 is shaking out with a third of the season left to play.

MORE: Updated MVP rankings: Can SGA catch Nikola Jokic?

Updated NBA Rookie Rankings

1. Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Stats: 20.7 PTS, 10.1 REB, 3.3 AST, 3.3 BLK, 1.3 STL

Best game: 27 PTS, 14 REB, 10 BLK, 5 AST, 2 STL (Feb. 12 vs. TOR)

Wembanyama has been unbelievable this season. His production started taking off after moving from power forward to center on Dec. 8. Since that date, he’s averaged 21.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He’s also been aided by the Spurs finally starting a point guard in Tre Jones, who is one of the only guys who has realized it’s virtually impossible to overthrow a lob to Wembanyama.

Wemby still isn’t shooting the ball from deep particularly well, but that is the only blemish on his resume. He’s shown great handle for a player his size, his passing has unexpectedly been among the best in the league for 7-footers and he’s been a good finisher at the rim.

Wembanyama is already one of the best defenders in the league. He would have a real shot at Defensive Player of the Year if he hadn’t been drafted onto the worst defense in NBA history. He’s leading the league in blocks, and players are already visibly intimidated by his crazy 8-foot wingspan. He’s absolutely lived up to the hype, and he’s going to be a generational talent.

MORE: These photos put Wemby’s incredible height into perspective

2. Chet Holmgren, Thunder

Stats: 17.1 PTS, 7.7 REB, 2.7 AST, 2.6 BLK, 0.7 STL

Best game: 36 PTS, 10 REB, 5 AST, 2 BLK, 2 STL (Nov. 18 vs. GSW)

Holmgren would be the Rookie of the Year in a normal season. He’s been the clear No. 2, helping to lead the Thunder near the top of the Western Conference.

Holmgren stepped right in as one of the best rookie big-man shooters that we’ve ever seen. He’s hitting 54.4 percent of his field goals, 40.3 percent of his 3s and 77.1 percent of his free throws. More surprising has been his shot creation. He’s been able to put the ball on the floor to set himself or teammates up for great looks.

Holmgren’s defensive impact has been enormous as well. His 2.6 blocks per game ranks No. 4 in the league. He already has a good understanding of rotations, and he’s been a big reason why the Thunder have been a top-four defense this year.

MORE: Chet Holmgren’s Rookie of the Year eligibility, explained

3. Brandon Miller, Hornets

Stats: 16.5 PTS, 4.0 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.5 BLK

Best game: 35 PTS, 6 REB, 2 BLK, 1 AST, 1 STL (Feb. 4 vs. IND)

After a cold start to the season, Miller has been the best rookie not named Wembanyama or Holmgren. The Hornets got a lot of grief for passing on Scoot Henderson at No. 2 in the draft, but that looks like the right move thus far.

MORE: How Brandon Miller is proving draft doubters wrong

Miller has said that his favorite player is Paul George, and there are natural comparisons between the two. Like George, he has good size, defensive potential, shooting ability and shot creation. He’s topped 30 points twice this season, and he’s also put up some highlight sequences showcasing his great athleticism.

4. Brandin Podziemski, Warriors

Stats: 9.9 PTS, 5.9 REB, 3.9 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.2 BLK

Best game: 25 PTS, 8 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL (Feb. 14 vs. LAC)

Podziemski has been terrific for the Warriors, recently supplanting Klay Thompson in the starting lineup. He was always likely to be a productive player, but he’s been a surprisingly good driver and defender. He’s fit right into Golden State’s movement offense with his high feel, passing and shooting.

MORE: What Klay Thompson can learn from Manu Ginobili to thrive in new role

5. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Heat

Stats: 12.8 PTS, 3.9 REB, 2.6 AST, 1.1 STL, 0.2 BLK

Best game: 31 PTS, 10 REB, 2 STL, 1 AST (Dec. 25 vs. PHI)

Jaquez has stepped in and played like a veteran glue guy for the Heat. He’s a crafty scorer that’s bringing some old-school post play back. He has every counter down there, making him an awesome shot-maker whenever he gets it down low. He’s also been a good passer, helping initiate many of the Heat’s offensive sets.

While Jaquez isn’t a great one-on-one defender, he is already a good help defender, putting him way ahead of the curve for rookies. He’s had a seamless transition into the league.

nba rookie rankings: victor wembanyama distances himself from chet holmgren; brandon miller rises to no. 3

Scoot Henderson

(Getty Images)

Honorable mentions

Dereck Lively II, Mavericks: Lively has been a terrific lob threat with Luka Doncic. He’s 10th in the league in total dunks this year. Along with being a great play finisher, he’s done a nice job of protecting the rim, averaging 1.4 blocks per game.

Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: It hasn’t been a great rookie year for Henderson, but the game looks like it’s finally starting to slow down a little bit for him. He already shows flashes of strong feel in the pick-and-roll. He’s shooting the ball better, but his finishing at the rim still needs to improve.

Cam Whitmore, Rockets: After spending much of the start of the year in the G League, Whitmore has gotten more chances to play. He has been a great scorer whenever he’s in — he’s averaging 12.1 points in only 17.3 minutes per game.

Amen Thompson, Rockets: Thompson had a rough start to his rookie season as well. Like Whitmore, he’s getting more opportunities for the Rockets and making the most of them. He’s already an awesome defender, averaging 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. He’s also been electric in transition. Both he and his twin brother Ausar need to improve on their 15 percent 3-point shooting as a next step.

Cason Wallace, Thunder: Wallace has had the most under-the-radar season of any rookie with his shooting splits. He simply hasn’t missed many shots, hitting 50.8 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from 3. He’s been a great role player for the Thunder, nailing open looks and playing tough defense.

Rookie stats and leaders

For comprehensive rookie leaderboards, you can check out daily updated rookie stats here.

 

Player Average
Points Victor Wembanyama 20.7 PPG
Rebounds Victor Wembanyama 10.1 RPG
Assists Scoot Henderson 4.7 APG
Steals Victor Wembanyama 1.3 SPG
Blocks Victor Wembanyama 3.3 BPG
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