NBA Rookie Ladder: Miller, Jaquez Jr., Lively II to Be An Intriguing Race for Third Down the Stretch
As the season progresses, more and more rookies are getting accustomed to the rigorous NBA schedule, carving out their roles and with many flourishing in them.
This 2023 draft class has been special to say the least. A number of NBA-ready draftees have been implemented into the thick of their teams' game plans, and have managed to provide a significant impact.
The pair that has been most discussed – and shaped into a Western Conference, 7-footer rivalry – is the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren.
These two have been battling for Rookie of the Year supremacy the entire season, going back and forth and producing in different capacities for their respective teams.
20.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game for Wembanyama has cemented himself in the top position for nearly a month now in the Kia Rookie Ladder, where 16.7 points on 53.6% shooting, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks for Holmgren for the top team in the West has him sitting pretty in the second slot.
While these two seemingly have the upper spots fortified, the race for third is arguably just as tight.
Between the Charlotte Hornets' Brandon Miller, Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Dallas Mavericks' Dereck Lively II, each of these players bring different, unique traits to their team that has needed to be fulfilled.
With Miller, he acts as a scoring cushion within Charlotte's offense as he rakes in 15.6 points alongside over two threes per game – sitting fourth in team scoring on the year and averaging the most minutes among all rookies with 31 a night.
Though the Hornets have struggled to find much success this season, Miller has certainly been a bright spot as the second pick in the 2023 draft.
For Jaquez Jr., he provides depth on both ends of the floor with a knack to affect many facets of the game positively as a versatile 6-foot-6 guard averaging 13.3 points on 50.2% from the field – proving himself to be the steal of the draft as the former 18th pick.
He assisted the Heat immensely in the absence of an injured Jimmy Butler during the beginning of January.
And for Lively II, a hyper-active rebounder and defensive disruptor with a 7-foot-1 frame – who may be the odd man out due to some injury woes – has averaged 9.2 points on 73.9% shooting (5.6 shot attempts per game), 7.9 rebounds and a 98.2% rebound frequency in 26 minutes per contest.
Lively is currently set to have his broken nose "reset" via surgery, and is subsequently ruled out for at least Monday night's game versus the Philadelphia 76ers.
Each of these rookies have been an integral piece for their organization's thus far, and have either met or surpassed their first-year expectations.
Both races for the No. 1 and No. 3 spot down the line will be an intriguing dynamic to keep tabs on, as each continue to gain and learn from their experience while optimizing their production in each's distinctive role.
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