February Rookie Leaders: Wembanyama Leads in Multiple Categories
After some much-needed All-Star break rest, the 2023 NBA rookie class got back to it at the end of February.
Some continued their previous dominance, while others needed a little time to get back in a groove after extended time off. Here were the 2023 rookie stat leaders in the month of February:
Points: Brandon Miller, Hornets
Surprisingly, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama didn’t lead in the scoring category for February.
Charlotte’s Brandon Miller — who saw a white-hot scoring streak — led all rookies with 267 total points. He shot 45% overall and a blistering 37% on a whopping 99 total 3-point attempts.
Wembanyama was hot on his heels at 255 points in one less game played, and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren was the only other rookie to eclipse 200 in the month with 212.
Rebounds: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
Unsurprisingly, Wembanyama did lead the field in rebounds, grabbing 128 in 12 games at over 10 a game.
His move to center did wonders for his overall production, but especially helped in this category.
Remarkably, guard Amen Thompson trailed in second with 105, with his brother ranking No. 5 with 63.
Assists: Brandin Podziemski, Warriors
Golden State’s Brandin Podziemski led all rookies in assists with 79, helping the Warriors surge to a winning record in the process. Perhaps even more impressively, he boasted just 17 total turnovers in 14 games with a rapidly growing role.
Other leaders included Keyonte George with 58, Vasilije Micic with 56 and Wembanyama with 54.
Stocks (steals and blocks): Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
When it comes to this category, Wembanyama clears. In February, he nabbed 24 steals and sent 47 blocks for a total of 71. The next closest was Holmgren with a total of 41 stocks.
Brandon Miller nabbed 31 stocks, mainly via steals, and Amen Thompson registered a fairly split 31.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.