The NBA regular season has already hit the quarter-pole, and the teams that are at the top of the standings are the ones that have avoided COVID-19 cases, by and large. We have already had dozens of postponements and many other games in which teams are down three or four players due to safety protocols. So for the rookies who have done well in this environment, that shows a lot about their maturity and their ability to thrive under adversity.
Let’s take a look at the latest power rankings of the league’s rookies, as you consider how this might affect your NBA betting decisions.
NBA News: Rookie Power Rankings
#1 James Wiseman
Golden State
The second overall pick has been sent to the bench, with Kevon Looney taking his place. To his credit, Wiseman said that being a reserve would help him develop, and give him a chance to measure the game before he goes in to understand what the opponents are trying to do. It did help when Golden State played Minnesota, as Wiseman scored 25 points, going 9 of 14 and 3 of 3 from downtown, pulling down six boards and posting two blocks. He simply found his spots and waited for his teammates to include him in the flow. This was his best game so far as a rookie.
#2 Anthony Edwards
Minnesota
Edwards is tops in the NBA in points scored per possession in isolation, with 1.571. Now, isolation plays are only five percent of his possessions, so that is a small sample size. However, it shows that his quickness and speed are elite, allowing him to get past almost every defender in the league. His finish rate in the restricted area (46.8%) is competitive with the likes of Derrick Rose, Malcolm Brogdon and Donovan Mitchell, although he has a ways to go to catch the likes of Jaylen Brown (71.3%) and Zach LaVine (71.1%). Remember, though, Edwards is only 19 years old.
#3 Immanuel Quickley
New York
Quickley has already become one of the top pick-and-roll scorers in the NBA, and his floater has veteran magic. He was only the second rookie to score 30 points in a game this past week, joining former Kentucky teammate Tyrese Maxey. Quickley got all those points off the bench, too, showing how he can contribute even as a reserve.
#4 Cole Anthony
Orlando
Anthony started out the season clanking his three-pointers, shooting 17.2 percent over his first ten games, but that has jumped to 48.6 percent over his last nine games. It has helped that he has been allowed to create more for himself. He has more chances to dribble the ball to set up space for himself and drain a three-ball while in rhythm instead of having to catch and shoot. When he takes fewer than three dribbles before shooting, he only makes 31.2 percent of his three-pointers. Take that number higher than three dribbles, and that goes up to 43.7 percent.
#5 Tyrese Haliburton
Sacramento
In transition scoring, Haliburton is in the league’s 95th percentile. Part of this is the Sacramento system, as they are tenth overall in pace (101.23), preferring the running game. Haliburton brings elite speed, three-point shooting and court vision. On the defensive end of the floor, he is a shutdown player, and that sets up transition points thanks to deflected passes, steals and blocks.
#6 LaMelo Ball
Charlotte
Ball is still learning about ball security, as he had five turnovers in 16 minutes in a loss to Chicago earlier in the week. Some of that is to be expected, as Ball has to adjust to the speed of the NBA game. Some of the turnovers came on bad reads, but others came on miscommunication with his teammates, and others were not all that inaccurate in terms of passes. Ball has some room to grow, and patience may be the best answer in Charlotte.
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