NBA Rookie of the Year Watch: October 29
As the NBA season continues, these young rookie hoopers seem to be finding their groove in the big league. Although we are still very early in the season, there are three rookies who have stood out among the rest so far and have made an early case for the Rookie of the Year award.
Chris Duarte, Indiana Pacers
Chris Duarte is the first rookie to show true talent so far this season. He was the 13th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Chris Duarte has stepped up to a big role for the Indiana Pacers this season. Duarte has started every game so far and has shown massive amounts of maturity on the court for a rookie.
He has averaged 37 minutes a game, with 18.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. These stats are impressive for any player, let alone a rookie.
In addition to just the stats, Duarte has stepped up in big moments. He has performed well in the second halves of games proving to be a clutch player. This is a great sign for a young kid to have so much confidence in himself that it makes him a better player.
Duarte has a quick and scrappy energy playstyle, which makes the fans appreciate him more. He shows amazing amounts of hustle in games, which is a stat that analytics cannot show you.
Jalen Green, Houston Rockets
The next rookie who has shown his talents on the court this season is Jalen Green, the number two pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jalen Green has been super fun to watch this year. He makes exciting plays at exciting times. His highlight dunks and fast gameplay is the early sightings of a super star.
Green has started every game so far this season. Green is playing 32.5 minutes a game with 14.5 points, 4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Green has a lot of buzz around his name as the number two pick of the draft, but he has so far lived up to the hype.
Green obviously will have tons of more time to develop and further progress his game, but it is still early and he will make some mistakes. With this being said, Green has shown real signs of becoming a future star in the NBA.
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
The third and final player that has made a statement so far this season is Evan Mobley, the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Mobley is a talented center, which is becoming rare these days. Mobley has been a big factor for the Cavaliers’ hot start as he is the defensive core for the team.
Mobley has started all of his first games and has played very efficient minutes. Mobley is averaging 33.2 minutes, 13.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and an impressive two blocks per game.
Mobley has been underappreciated by the public so far and for no good reason. Mobley has real talent and with his hot start, he will definitely be in the conversation for the Rookie of the Year award.
Others
Other rookies have shown good starts as well. The ones who have made an impact so far this season are Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic and Josh Giddey of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
One more player to mention is Cade Cunningham, the number one overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. He has yet to make an appearance in a game due to an ankle injury, but the fans are excited to see what he has to bring to the table in the very near future.
Max Savitt is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email mrs6929@psu.edu.
