Rookie Wire Power Rankings: LaMelo Ball once again reigns supreme
With the NBA All-Star break nearly upon us, the first half of the season is in the books for most teams as the week off will provide an essential rest period for players.
Over the course of the first half of the season, several rookies have made strong contributions on a consistent basis and have emerged as some of the top players of the class. Others, seemingly have come on strong recently and are playing well in expanded roles.
To make sense of it all, we took a look at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the latest edition of the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the best players week to week.
Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: 6 Stats: 9.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists Bane recently missed four games due to personal reasons and is still working to get back to his level of production prior to that absence. However, he is averaging 8.4 points since returning and has totaled 25 points in his last two games, both starts for the Grizzlies.
Isaac Okoro, Cleveland Cavaliers
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: N/A Stats: 8.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists Okoro has put together quite a recent string of games for the suddenly streaking Cavaliers, who have won four in a row after losing 10 straight. The fifth overall pick is averaging 10.7 points and four rebounds over his last six games. Included in that stretch is a career-high 15 points and eight rebounds on Feb. 27 in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Even in his last game, Okoro only produced five points but finished a plus-19 on the court in a win over the Houston Rockets, his best mark of the season. Okoro has been rather inconsistent this season but appears to be turning the corner as of late.
James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors
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Last Rank: N/A Stats: 12 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.1 blocks After missing 11 games with a wrist injury, Wiseman re-enters the rankings. In four games since returning, Wiseman is averaging 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds off of the bench. He has shown no signs of any lingering issues with his left wrist and has given the Warriors a huge boost in the second unit. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently said that the return of Wiseman has been crucial for the team as his presence alone on the floor has an impact on games.
Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls
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Last Rank: 9 Stats: 10.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists Williams continues to show progress on the court this season with the Bulls. He has scored in double figures in five of his last seven games, including his second career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds on Feb. 20. The fourth overall pick has seemingly impressed the organization so far, and he will look to continue that over the course of the second half of the season.
Immanuel Quickley, New York Knicks
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Last Rank: 4 Stats: 12.2 points, 2.4 assists, 2.3 rebounds While Shaq may not know his first name, Quickley has been one of the top rookies this season. He had an up and down campaign in February but appears to be on an upward trend, having scored in double figures in four straight games. Quickley is coming off a 26-point performance on Tuesday, but the effort was not enough as the Knicks were smoked by the San Antonio Spurs, 119-93.
Saben Lee, Detroit Pistons
Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: N/A Stats: 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, 1.2 rebounds While Lee is averaging just 6.2 points on the season, the second-round pick is posting 12.6 points, 3.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds over his last five games. For the first time this season, Lee is seeing consistent playing time and making the most of that newfound opportunity. His best game of the season came on Feb. 23 when he produced a career-high 21 points in a win over the Orlando Magic. The Pistons presented him with the game ball afterward as that effort helped spark his recent run. Based on his last few performances, Lee stands to see a bigger role moving forward and could continue to shine on the court.
Saddiq Bey, Detroit Pistons
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: 5 Stats: 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1 assist Bey is quietly putting together a strong rookie campaign with the Pistons. The 19th overall pick has emerged as one of the most productive rookies this season. He has scored in double figures in 11 straight games, marking the longest such streak by a rookie this season and the longest by a Pistons rookie since Grant Hill during the 1994-95 season. The Pistons have a strong group of rookies on the roster this season and Bey has been among the bright spots thus far.
Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: 2 Stats: 14.8 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists Since we last spoke, Edwards basically broke the internet when he posterized Yuta Watanabe of the Toronto Raptors. He downplayed it since the Timberwolves lost, but it may have been the best poster of the season to this point. Aside from that, Edwards has been solid as of late, averaging 14.6 points over the last two weeks.
Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings
John Minchillo/POOL PHOTOS-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: 3 Stats: 13.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals Haliburton may be dealing with a minor calf injury, but the 12th overall pick was recently named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for the second time this season. He went through a bit cold streak during the second half of January, but has bounced back and is once again looking like one of the best rookies of the season. Haliburton averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds on 45% shooting from 3-point range in February, leading all rookies in 3-pointers and steals, while he ranked second in scoring.
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Last Rank: 1 Stats: 15.7 points, 6.4 assists, 6 rebounds, 1.6 steals Ball, who was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month on Tuesday, is coming off of his second 30-point game of the season. While the performance came in a losing effort to the Portland Trail Blazers, Carmelo Anthony showed Ball some love after the game and even signed off on him using his patented 3-point celebration and nickname. While these rankings, as previously mentioned, are not for Rookie of the Year purposes, Ball is by far the favorite to win the award at this point of the season and it may not even be close.
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