Photo Courtesy of NBC Sports
By Brendan Locke
Sports Contributor
The 2017 draft class was filled with talent and athleticism as well as a little bit of drama. While the number one overall pick was Markelle Fultz, players such as Jayson Tatum, Lonzo Ball, De’aron Fox, and Josh Jackson could have easily been picked at the number one spot.
As the NBA season has begun and the first 10 games have been played, several rookies have shown to have potential for a bright future in the league.
The Philadelphia 76ers, a young team centered around Joel “The Process” Embiid, have two young rookies that are showing that there is a reason they were both selected number one overall. Although Markelle Fultz has been sidelined because of a shoulder injury, 6’10” point guard Ben Simmons has been clutch for the Sixers, averaging a dominant 18 points per game along with 8.2 assists and 9.8 rebounds. With the way he has been playing, don’t be surprised if Simmons comes up as a big name in the rookie of the year race.
Starting the year 1-10, it has become fair to say that the Dallas Mavericks are a bad team. Dirk Nowitzki is 39 years old and is definitely not the player that he used to be. However, the Mavericks got a steal in this year’s draft at the number 7 spot when they drafted Dennis Smith Jr. out of North Carolina State University. Smith first showed his all-star potential during the 2017 NBA summer league with his emphatic dunks and vigorous blocks. Smith’s phenomenal play has earned him a spot in the Mavs starting rotation. While starting at point guard he has put up great numbers, averaging 14 points and 4 assists per game. Although we are only 11 games into the NBA season, Smith is showing strong potential and will most definitely be a candidate for the rookie of the year.
In addition to these stellar rookies, Jayson Tatum’s start to the 2017 season has shown that he is ready to be a star. With the season-ending injury of Gordon Hayward as well as the day to day injuries of Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, Tatum has had to take up a much bigger role than expected for the Boston Celtics. Nevertheless, Tatum has by far exceeded the expectations; through his last five games, he has averaged a stellar 15 points per game and 22.6 points per 100 possessions. Tatum has been a top scorer for the Celtics and he is a big reason why they currently have the best record in the NBA. There is no question that Tatum will ultimately be a nominee for rookie of the year.
And don’t worry, I didn’t forget the son of one of the biggest families in sports right now, Lonzo Ball. Although his obnoxious father has managed to give his son an unpopular reputation around the league, Lonzo has kept his head down and put up sufficient numbers. Showing flashes of a modern day Jason Kidd, Ball has put up 9.7 points per game, 6.8 rebounds, and 7.4 assist, and also became the youngest player in history to record a triple double (passing Lebron James). Although his crazy father and chaotic family could drag him down, there is no doubt that Lonzo Ball has pure talent and will be a prominent player in the league for a while.
Overall, this year’s draft class is one for the ages and the race for 2017-2018 rookie of the year will be very tight.
