NBA Rookie of the Year Watch: April 1
This week proved to be a much more eventful week for some of the top rookies in the NBA.
It featured injuries to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey, who will miss the rest of the season due to a hip injury, and a player who will appear on this list.
Let’s take a look at how some of the top young players performed this past week.
Evan Mobley, C, CLE
Let’s start off with that injured player previously alluded to.
The Cleveland Cavaliers announced that Mobley will miss the team's next three games with an ankle injury.
Prior to that announcement, Mobley had struggled in the two games he played in this week.
Mobley scored just a combined 15 points as the Cavaliers went 1-1 in those games.
Cade Cunningham, G, DET
Cunningham has continued to make a serious case as the lead candidate for the Rookie of the Year award ever since the month of March began.
That case was further cemented after a strong four games where Cunningham shined despite a lack of team success.
Cunningham’s best game of the bunch came against the Brooklyn Nets where he went off for 34 points and six assists in a Pistons loss.
The top pick has risen his season averages up to 17.4 points and 5.6 assists per game on the season.
Scottie Barnes, F, TOR
Barnes was another rookie who remained consistent during the week.
During his three games this season, Barnes scored in double figures in each game while also helping to extend the Raptors winning streak up to four games.
The best of those games came in a 40-point rout over the Indiana Pacers where Barnes scored 19 points while also picking up seven assists.
Barnes’ impressive play has been a big reason as to why the Raptors have continued to avoid the play-in tournament.
Franz Wagner, F, ORL
Talking about players nowhere near the play-in tournament, Wagner has continued to be one of the few bright spots on a basement-dwelling Magic squad.
Wagner scored in double figures during all three of the games he played in this week which were also all Magic losses.
The last of those games proved to be Wagner’s best not only of that week but in the month of March as he scored 28 points and corralled five rebounds against the Washington Wizards.
Wagner has continued to remain the focal point for the Magic offense placing second on the team in points per game this season.
Logan Bourandas is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email lxb5412@psu.edu.
