NBA Rookie of the Year Watch: Williams and Kessler Give Banchero Some Competition
With the playoffs less than two weeks away, the Rookie of the Year award is well within reach of number one overall pick Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic.
But with so many rookies playing their best ball of the season in March, Banchero will have to finish the season strong to hold onto the award.
As the season draws to a close, let’s look at some of the top contenders for Rookie of the Year.
Paolo Banchero, SF, Orlando Magic
After being a surprise pick at the number one spot, Banchero has been the undisputed top player in the 2022 class.
But after shooting just 37.4% in February, the 2023 Rookie of the Year Award looked like it might be up for grabs.
Banchero was able to reestablish himself as the front-runner in March, shooting a solid 44.5% from the field and bring his season scoring total up to 20 points per game. March also saw the number-one pick grow as a facilitator, putting up his highest assist totals of the year at 4.3 per game.
Banchero’s ability has also finally begun to translate into team success for the Magic, who have won four of their last five games. Over that span, Banchero averaged 20.8 points and shot 46.7% from three-point range.
If Banchero maintains this level of play to close out the season, he’ll be a virtual lock to come home with Rookie of the Year honors.
Jalen Williams, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder
If any player has the potential to snag the Rookie of the Year award from Banchero, it’s twelfth overall pick Jalen Williams.
Williams is taking his play to another level to close out the season, putting up 20.8 points per game in his last five games.
For Williams, the highlight of that stretch came when All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had to sit out two games. Williams helped take over the scoring load in those two games, putting up 31 points against the Charlotte Hornets and 27 against the Detroit Pistons.
Since the All-Star break, Williams has started every game he’s played in and put 19.5 points per game. His efficiency as a complimentary piece to Gilgeous-Alexander has been a tremendous asset as the Thunder aim to clinch a spot in the Play-In Tournament.
Although a Banchero slump to end the season seems unlikely, it’s still too early to count out Williams.
Walker Kessler, C, Utah Jazz
While the story with the first two players mentioned was their offensive ability, Walker Kessler’s game is highlighted by his proficiency on the defensive end of the court.
Kessler has by far been the best defensive player and best big man of his class, putting up 8.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. The rookie averaging the next most blocks is Jabari Smith of the Houston Rockets with 0.91 per game.
Kessler has also seen his role offense continue to expand since the All-Star break, especially throughout the month of March. But despite an increase in minutes and shot attempts, Kessler’s efficiency as a scorer has been unshaken, putting up a monster field goal percentage of 75.7% in March, an improvement over his already incredible season average of 72.1%.
Kessler has put up some of his best numbers of the season over the past two weeks, including a career-high 31 points against the Sacramento Kings on March 25.
My Prediction: Paolo Banchero
Although Walker Kessler is the best defensive player in the class and Jalen Williams has found more team success in Oklahoma City, they emerged too late in the season to come home with the hardware. I believe Paolo Banchero’s body of work throughout the entire season will earn him Rookie of the Year honors.
The Rookie of the Year Award winner is expected to be announced sometime in June.
Declan Stablow is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email djs7159@psu.edu.
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Declan Stablow
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