NBA Rookie Ladder: Ranking Nearly Cemented as Season Winds Down

Rookies have nearly played out their inaugural NBA seasons, and the Draft Digest rookie ladder is almost cemented.

There’s just a couple games left in the 2023-24 NBA regular season, and teams are putting the finishing touches on their 82-game slates.

The 2023 NBA Draft class has more than lived up to the hype, rolling out a crop of rookies that have taken the NBA by storm.

Here is one of the final Draft Digest rookie ladders as the season winds down:

1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama has continued his all-time dominance in the month of April, averaging 22.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 6.5 blocks in four games.

There’s no question he’ll come away with the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year award, and there’s barely any question if he’s been the best rookie in the past 20 years. 

2. Chet Holmgren, OKC Thunder

In terms of pure impact, few first-year players have been more impactful than Holmgren, who’s helped Oklahoma City improve from 40 wins last season to 55 this year.

The stats — 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 blocks per game — aren’t too shabby either.

3. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

Despite many questions surrounding Miller in the pre-draft process, the 6-foot-9 forward has established himself as one of the best freshman scorers in the last several years.

In April, he’s averaging 22.2 points per game on 50% shooting, hitting on 40% of his whopping eight 3-point attempts per game. 

4. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat

5. Dereck Lively, Dallas Mavericks

6. Keyonte George, Utah Jazz

7. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors

8. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

9. Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers

10. GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies

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