Expect this season’s Rookie of the Year race to be much closer after Victor Wembanyama won the 2023-24 award unanimously.
The competition should be fierce with no consensus No. 1 prospect in the incoming rookie class.
Here are our top five candidates for the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy heading into the campaign.
Rookie of the Year tends to go to players who put up points. Washington Wizards guard Carlton “Bub” Carrington certainly projects to be a player who can successfully adapt his game from college to the NBA.
In one season at Pitt, Carrington averaged 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. While the shooting percentages were slightly low, Carrington demonstrated a good feel in the mid-range and flashed potential from 3-point distance. Despite only hitting 32% of his threes, the 19-year-old averaged two makes per game – something that could improve in the pros with some tweaks to his shot profile.
Carrington will most likely come off the bench as a combo guard behind veteran playmaker Malcolm Brogdon and Jordan Poole, who still has some promise at just 25 years old. He’ll also have to compete for shots with the franchise’s second overall pick, French big man Alex Sarr, as he’ll most likely come off the bench for Kyle Kuzma or center addition Jonas Valanciunas to begin the season.
After a slight fall during the NBA draft, Buzelis landed with his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls, at the 11th pick. Now the former G League Ignite forward will have the opportunity to produce at home for a squad that could use an injection of youth.
Buzelis projected to be more of an offensive threat before joining the Ignite but flashed defensive tools in his single season with the program. While Rookie of the Year rarely goes to the first-year player who shows the most defensive skill, Buzelis’ versatility along the perimeter and in the paint as a help defender will get him playing time.
When given the opportunity during Summer League, Buzelis also produced on the offensive side of the ball. He averaged 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in almost 30 minutes of action. While his shooting splits (33.7/21.4/74.1) definitely need improvement, he was a step ahead of the mostly rookie competition – blowing past defenders to the rim consistently.
Another player with veterans ahead of him on the depth chart, Buzelis’ potential as a two-way player will keep him in the Rookie of the Year race.
Castle could be thrown into the fire quickly with Devin Vassell expected to miss the start of the season. The UConn product’s versatile two-way skill set should bolster a San Antonio Spurs squad in need of help on both ends of the floor.
He played a crucial role on the Huskies’ top-five offensive and defensive unit. He’s got the size and frame to power through opposing guards, finishes through contact in the paint, makes timely cuts, and defends the top perimeter players on a nightly basis. The biggest question mark surrounding Castle is his jumper, as he shot only 26.7% from downtown.
Castle also had his share of minutes initiating the offense. The 6-foot-5 combo guard displayed great court vision and patience when orchestrating the pick-and-roll. Castle often connected with center Donovan Clingan on lobs and could develop similar chemistry with Wembanyama. Most of the ball-handling responsibilities this season will fall on Chris Paul, allowing Castle to learn from an all-time great and potentially succeed him as San Antonio’s long-term answer at the point.
Sheppard was the most efficient player in college basketball last season. The No. 3 overall pick shot an NCAA-leading 52.1% from deep and 53.6% overall during his lone campaign at Kentucky. Sheppard’s 69.9% true shooting percentage was the nation’s fifth-best mark. He was the first freshman ever to record at least 70 triples and 70 steals in one season while also shooting 40% or better from beyond the arc, according to statistician Jared Berson.
Sheppard has the versatility to play on and off the ball. The Kentucky standout can shoot off the dribble and catch. He’s got a quick release and the range to be an effective outside threat from Day 1. Sheppard is more than capable of running the offense as well. The SEC Freshman of the Year finished fourth in the conference in assists (4.5 per game) despite primarily coming off the bench for the Wildcats. He takes good care of the rock, finds open teammates when attacking closeouts, and exercises great patience when orchestrating the pick-and-roll. The Houston Rockets finished in the bottom third in both 3-point percentage and assists last season. Sheppard’s flexibility to play either guard position gives Ime Udoka the opportunity to plug him into all sorts of lineup combinations.
Sheppard’s strong defensive play is another possible avenue to immediate playing time. While it’s usually not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a 6-foot-2 guard, those familiar with the college game saw how much havoc he caused on a regular basis. Sheppard has elite defensive instincts, frequently jumping passing lanes, picking the pocket of opposing guards, and even blocking a handful of 3-point attempts. It’s fair to question whether or not he’ll have the same degree of defensive success at the next level, especially at his stature. But the same doubts existed for fellow Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, whose high IQ has made him an impact NBA defender.
One of the few first-year players with a projected starting role on Day 1 of the season, Edey has the edge for Rookie of the Year heading into the campaign. Playing alongside Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., the towering 7-foot-4 center has the opportunity to complement the Memphis Grizzlies’ best quartet of players with his size and skill as a big.
One area that Edey will immediately help the Grizzlies in is rebounding, as Memphis ranked 24th in the league in the metric. Averaging 12.2 rebounds per game last season with Purdue, Edey will help Memphis on the boards as a one-man missed-shot collector – allowing the Grizzlies’ other bigs to focus on other areas of the game like boxing out, running in transition, and spacing the floor. His size at the rim should also deter opposing players from driving to the basket.
Edey’s height advantage as one of the tallest players in the NBA will also allow him to get easy buckets around the rim against smaller defenders. A known scorer in college, his potential to be a go-to bucket-getter when the offense breaks down at the end of the shot clock is the ultimate cheat code for Taylor Jenkins and his staff. Plus, an Edey-Morant pick-and-roll has the potential to be one of the most dominant plays in the league this season. While his candidacy for the award looks different than previous winners, Edey has the opportunity to establish himself as a new offensive and defensive hub in one of the NBA’s better development systems.
Honorable mentions: Rob Dillingham (Minnesota Timberwolves), Dalton Knecht (Los Angeles Lakers), Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)
