Although it was initially believed that the freshman class 2022 It could have fewer figures than in previous years, but the passing of the matches has helped to dispel that belief. After the month of March, the intense fight that will take place for Rookie of the Year has been confirmed, especially with the change in leadership in the battle for the prize. Some of them even start to look like the best franchise values under reconstruction and others to comply key roles in rising teams.
MORE | The Race for the MVP of the NBA 2022-2023: the ranking with the best players of February
With this in mind, the wording NBA of The Sporting News he chose his five favorites for Rookie of the Year ended the month of March. The scoring system is very simple: the 1st receives 5 points; the 2nd, 4; and so on.
#5: Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings
- Statistics: 12.0 points, 40.9% on three-pointers and 4.6 rebounds
the choice of Keegan Murray above other great prospects from the past Draft has been justified by the Kings for several reasons. The first based on their collective success, which drives the project to the next level. The second, due to its automatic lace, uncovering itself as a very interesting open four.
Murray definitely establishes himself among the five best rookies of the year thanks to his outside contribution. Such has been his success that he will finish the course as the rookie with the most triples scored in all of history.
#4: Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers
- Statistics: 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 43.6% from the field
The season it has ended up doing very long to Benedict Mathurin. The Canadian started the course with everything, even rivaling Banchero and questioning whether he could really put up a fight at the end of the course. However, the collapse of the Pacers, Haliburton’s constant absences and his own inconsistency facing the rim have made him fall out of favor with the TSN newsroom.
Even with everything, Mathurin has had a splendid season, with 16.5 points on average, the third best record of a rookie in the Pacers’ NBA history. The question going forward with him will have to do with whether he will be able to raise his percentage and not become a one-dimensional player.
#3: Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz
- Statistics: 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 72.1% from the field
The performance of Walker Kessler It goes a long way to explain why the Utah Jazz have stayed in contention, to some degree, since the end of the trade market.
Auburn’s interior has grown as the team has slipped, leaving behind spectacular numbers and a sense that a future Defensive Player of the Year candidate is in the making.
Those in Salt Lake City switched to Rudy Gobert for a loot of Draft choices and a potential Gobert fell as a gift, with the difference that Kessler has better attacking conditions.
#2: Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Statistics: 14.1 points, 52.5% from the field and 35.4% in triples
For almost the entire season, Jalen Williams has been the Oklahoma City Thunder’s best kept secret. Without making hardly any noise, without becoming a player with large numbers but more than fulfilling. The shooting guard, who will soon be 22 years old, has emerged as one of the sensations of the second half of the Regular Season.
Halfway through the season, Williams has been averaging 16.5 points with a very high 42.1% on three-pointers in almost 33 minutes of play. All this in a team like OKC that has been reborn and has fully entered the fight for the Play-In.
It would not be strange to see the ex from Santa Clara finish second in the vote to the detriment of a Mathurin who has gone from more to less.
#1: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
- Statistics: 20.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists
Despite the fact that always, at this point in the season, a name appears called to dethrone the main candidate, Paolo Banchero He has withstood the storm with great mastery. The Orlando Magic figure has shown throughout the course of the entire season, which is not easy, that he was the best and most complete rookie of the entire litter.
And the best argument in favor of Banchero is not only his regularity, but his progression and evolution. The number 1 of the past Draft has been exploring different areas, as well as functions within the field. The young man is feeling more and more comfortable with the ball beyond being a scorer and that translates into an increase in his own potential in the NBA.
votes and positions
positions
| Pos. | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paolo Banchero | 20 |
| 2 | Jalen Williams | 15 |
| 3 | Walker Kessler | 13 |
| 4 | Bennedict Mathurin | 7 |
| 5 | Keegan Murray | 4 |
| 6 | Jeremy Sochan | 1 |
voting panel
| Pos. | Agustín Aboy (@AboyAgustin) | Sergio Rabinal (@S_Rabinal) | Juan Estevez (@JuanEstevez90) | Leandro Fernandez (@FernandezLea) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paolo Banchero | Paolo Banchero | Paolo Banchero | Paolo Banchero |
| 2 | Walker Kessler | Jalen Williams | Jalen Williams | Jalen Williams |
| 3 | Jalen Williams | Walker Kessler | Walker Kessler | Walker Kessler |
| 4 | Bennedict Mathurin | Keegan Murray | Bennedict Mathurin | Bennedict Mathurin |
| 5 | Jeremy Sochan | Bennedict Mathurin | Keegan Murray | Keegan Murray |
The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.