NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Jared McCain's injury opens door for Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, more

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We're just about at the two-month mark on the NBA season, which means it's time for another edition of Rookie of the Year rankings. We've learned more about this crop of players, primarily that there's some really solid defenders in this class. Players like Jaylen Wells and Stephon Castle have been trusted heavily by their respective teams to take on some of the toughest defensive assignments every night. Even the top two picks in the draft, Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, are proving their worth on the defensive end right now.

The defense has been impressive, but what's been surprising is the lack of scorers in this crop of freshmen. Several players are really unrefined on the offensive end, and it's going to take a couple years before they're scoring in bunches. But seeing so many rookies struggling to crack the 10 point per game average is truly surprising given how offense-happy the league is. I said this last time, but we really may end with a Rookie of the Year winner who averages under 15 points a night.

But that's looking too far into the future, for now let's focus on the rookies up to this point. We're breaking down this class two months into the season. We'll be rolling these rankings out on a month-to-month basis, and they will serve as a Rookie of the Year standings.  

Honorable mentions Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers (Season stats: 10.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 46.8% FG, 37.6% 3P): Since that 37-point outing in mid-November Knecht has slowed down in terms of production. His efficiency has dipped considerably in the last month, and he's shooting just 41% from the field and 28.1% from 3-point range. But he's also had bright spots on a Lakers team that is still struggling to find its footing.Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards (Season stats: 10.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 38.8% FG, 26.5% 3P): Sarr had a rough go of it offensively to open the season, but in the last month he's turned in more efficient performances, primarily from 3-point range where he's shooting 36% from deep in the last four weeks on 4.3 attempts per game. The Wizards are losing a bunch, but Sarr is improving every game, and his impact on defense is still a constant.Carlton Carrington, Washington Wizards (Season stats: 9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 38.6% FG, 32.7% 3P): Carrington's production has really taken a dive in the last month, but that's more an indictment of a Wizards team that has won just one game since Oct. 30. Carrington is second among all rookies in potential assists in the last month with 5.9, so if his teammates managed to knock down just a few more of their shots off his passes, perhaps they'd win more games.  

And now for the current top five.

5. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans Yves Missi NO • C • #21 PPG9.2RPG8.5BPG1.2FG%5,490.0 View Profile

No one could've predicted that at this point in the season not only would Missi have played the most games for the Pelicans, but also started in the most games. The Pelicans have been hit with the injury bug in a monumental way, but in trying to find the silver lining, Missi has gotten more opportunity than he likely ever imagined when he was drafted by New Orleans in June. It only took five games for him to supplant Daniel Theis as the starting center, and that was before the injuries started to really strike.

Missi's the rookie leader in rebounds per game, he's registered the most double-doubles amongst his peers, and in his career-high game of 23 points against the Hawks on Dec. 2 he became the fifth rookie in franchise history to finish with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

That performance against the Hawks felt like Missi wasn't a rookie at all. He was doing all the usual stuff that we expected him to do, which is primarily catch lobs off pick-and-rolls, but he's also showing impressive strength to finish through contact. There were several times in that game, whether it was Clint Capela or someone else who bumped him as he caught the ball in the low post and he not only got the foul call but got an and-1. Rookies typically lack strength to finish those types of plays, and while Missi can still stand to put on more muscle, he's not starting out too weak, which allows him to have those and-1 opportunities.

"He is just getting better and better," Pelicans coach Willie Green said after Missi's career night. "(He is) a true bright spot with our team. His ability to protect the basket defensively, his ability to screen and get out of screens quickly, go up and finish. I'm really proud of him and how he has handled the last several weeks with us kind of thrusting him into the starting lineup. He is doing a great job."

While the Pelicans sort out what their plan is with guys like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram going forward, at least they know they've got a solid building block in Missi for the future.

4. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks

The No. 1 overall pick has modest counting stats, and even lower shooting numbers across the board, but Hawks coach Quin Snyder thinks Risacher is right where he needs to be so far in his rookie season.

Zaccharie Risacher ATL • SF • #10 PPG10.9RPG3.3FG%3,990.03P%2,740.0 View Profile

"He's doing all the things that I was hopeful that he'd do as he begins his NBA career," Snyder said. "You've seen games where it shows statistically, where he has a big shooting night. You've seen games defensively, where he's had to take a tough matchup. That might be the biggest thing to me, is seeing his versatility defensively."

The defense is the the standout portion of Risacher's game. He's struggling to find rhythm on offense, but he told CBS Sports recently that he's not concerned about this current cold shooting stretch. While Risacher is struggling to find the bottom of the net, he's making an impact on the other end.

Risacher has such patient energy on defense. He's not rushing through things, over-committing, or playing too aggressively. He moves his feet, uses his length to make things difficult for opponents, and waits until they open a window for him to make a play.

Even though the offense has been slow to come along, there's been games where you look up and see he has 13-15 points. Those outings are like a peek into the future of what Risacher can become, and the fact that he's showing that ability -- even if it is every few games -- is a promising nugget for Atlanta.

3. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

There's a lot that Wells does...well (sorry had to), but one thing I've fixated on while watching game film is just how determined he is to fight through screens. That may seem small, but rookies get thrown into so many defensive actions to force them to guard, and even with Wells rating out as one of the better defenders in this class, he's getting put to work in fighting around some difficult off-ball screens. Most rookies, or even bad, lazy defenders would simply just succumb to what is typically a wall of a defender blocking their path to the guy their supposed to be guarding. But Wells stays committed through the entire play, even if it doesn't always work out in his favor.

Jaylen Wells MEM • SF PPG11.4RPG3.3FG%4,550.03P%3,900.0 View Profile

Against the Wizards, Wells was so glued to Jordan Poole every time they tried to get him open with an off-ball screen.

Even on that play, when Poole used a mean juke move to stop on a dime, which properly confused Wells, the rookie still managed to recover just enough to contest the shot. Wells was such a pest guarding Poole, that the only time he managed to get a wide open look was because Wizards forward Justin Champagnie shoulder checked Wells to the floor in what probably should've been called an offensive foul.

It may seem like routine stuff, but the effort Wells displays when he's fighting through screens isn't something that even most players do. He may not always be successful in getting around screens, and there's been times when he's either been caught slacking or is blindsided and runs face first into a brick wall, but you never have to question his effort.

Wells has become a mainstay in Memphis' starting lineup, in part because he's shooting nearly 40% on 3s this season, but primarily because of defense. He's becoming an annoyance to star players just because he's always there. You may get the better of him a couple of times in a game, but for the most part he's stuck to whomever he's guarding, and even screens won't free you of him.

2. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

There was a game in late November that perfectly gave us a glimpse into the future for the Spurs. It was a night where San Antonio pulled off an upset win against the Warriors. Victor Wembanyama finished with 25 points, while Castle had 19 of his own. Wembanyama dominated in the paint, and provided the All-Defensive pressure on the other end that we've come to expect. But it was Castle who was the real surprise that night.  

Stephon Castle SA • PG • #5 PPG11.7APG3.9RPG2.6FG%3,780.03P%2,740.0 View Profile

Tasked with guarding perhaps the most difficult guy to keep track of on the floor, Castle made life incredibly difficult for Stephen Curry. The reason Curry is so difficult to guard is because of his elite ability to move without the ball. He's always searching for that tiny window where a defender relaxes to dart across the court, or cut to the rim or come around a screen for a triple. But Castle was attentive all night. Just look at how he tracks Curry around the floor for the entire possession:

Curry's not even the one looking to score but Castle ensures it stays that way by acting as Curry's shadow the entire time. Curry finished that game with 14 points on 5-of-16 shooting from the floor, which is his worst performance of the season. That's mostly thanks to Castle's tough defense.

The offense has been slower to come along for Castle, but he's getting to his spots. He shown flashes of being able to attack at all three levels, his efficiency just isn't there yet. But there's been a couple of times, like a 22-point performance against the Lakers on Nov. 14, where Castle was extremely efficient scoring off the bounce, sinking catch-and-shoot 3s, and using his great instincts to cut to the rim for easy finishes. 

The best part about this for Castle is that he's got future Hall of Famer Chris Paul mentoring him right now. Paul will be able to show Castle all the intricacies that go into becoming an elite NBA point guard.

1. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers

If the season ended today, McCain would be walking away with Rookie of the Year. But his status as Rookie of the Year favorite took a major hit in the last week as he's out indefinitely with a meniscus tear in his left knee. McCain underwent surgery on Tuesday. There is no 65-game minimum for Rookie of the Year voting, so McCain is still in the running, but he figures to miss a large chunk of time.

When he's on the court, he's been the best rookie to this point this season. And it hasn't really been close.

Jared McCain PHI • SG • #20 PPG15.3APG2.6RPG2.4FG%4,600.03P%3,830.0 View Profile

McCain was thrust into the starting lineup after a string of unlucky injuries hit the Sixers, and immediately became the sole bright spot in a sea of darkness hanging over Philadelphia's season. He's such a smart offensive player, clearly hailing from the School of Stephen Curry in how to move without the ball in his hands. He's got a shiftiness that's reminiscent of Curry, and while he's not the world-class player that the four-time champion is, you can see the influence in how McCain moves on offense.

McCain's light shined the brightest in a 30-point outing against the Nets, where he surpassed Allen Iverson for the most points ever by a Sixers guard in their first 15 games. In that game, Philadelphia needed all of his points to stave off a comeback from Brooklyn. McCain nailed a 3-pointer with 1:44 left to essentially ice the game, and as he jogged back on defense he could be seen saying "I'm the Rookie of the Year."

Jared McCain mouthing “I’m Rookie of the Year” after that dagger 3 pointer for the Sixers.

he certainly has been leading the pack in that conversation so far. pic.twitter.com/QNFyhndnxL

— Jasmyn Wimbish (@JasmynWimbish) November 23, 2024

With McCain on the floor, the Sixers have scored 5.4 points per 100 possessions more than when he's on the bench, which ranks in the 82nd percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. He ranks first in points among rookies, is the only player in his class with multiple 30-point games, and is also the only rookie to score at least 20 points and 10 assists in a single game this season.

McCain was having an incredible season until the meniscus tear, and he could theoretically still win the award. But winning the hardware becomes far less important now as the Sixers will prioritize his future health going forward.

With McCain out, this opens the door for other rookies to win the award. Someone like Castle could become the new frontrunner given the increase in role he's been given. Or if Risacher's offensive game improves, he could become the favorite, especially on a Hawks team that will be in the hunt for a playoff spot. 

Two months into the season, the Rookie of the Year race is wide open.

NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Jared McCain's injury opens door for Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, more

NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Jared McCain's injury opens door for Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, more

NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Jared McCain's injury opens door for Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, more

NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Jared McCain's injury opens door for Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, more

NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Jared McCain's injury opens door for Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, more