By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, 2025-01-21 20:20:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
虽然自上次2024-25赛季NBA新秀排行榜更新以来发生了一些变化——费城76人队的后卫贾里德·麦凯恩(Jared McCain)，在12月3日的榜单上排名第一，一度被认为是年度最佳新秀的领跑者，却因半月板撕裂赛季报销——但总体情况基本相同。
联盟各队的新秀们继续争取上场时间并在实战中学习。本赛季没有像保罗·班凯罗(Paolo Banchero)（奥兰多魔术队）或文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)（圣安东尼奥马刺队）这样的领军人物，但随着球员们逐渐适应他们在82场比赛中的角色，我们也看到了他们的成长迹象。
综上所述，有三名新秀此前未上榜，而自我们10月24日首次发布榜单以来，榜首位置迎来了第三位新秀，他也是自12月3日上次排名以来的新科状元。
请注意，此排名并非试图衡量球员的长期潜力或交易价值。它只是一个晴雨表，反映了哪些一年级球员在本赛季的这个阶段产生了最有趣和最显著的影响。以下是这些球员和其他球员在本赛季中期的排名。
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1. 亚历山大·萨尔(Alexandre Sarr)，大前锋/中锋，华盛顿奇才队
选秀顺位： 首轮第2顺位，法国
关键数据： 场均11.6分，6.7个篮板，1.5次盖帽
先前排名： 未上榜
奇才队致力于让他们的新秀获得经验，让萨尔、布布·卡林顿和凯肖恩·乔治的三人组获得更多的上场时间，并在这一过程中承受失利。11月，萨尔的发挥还不足以让他进入这份榜单——而现在，他已经成为近期表现最好的新秀之一。在过去的六周里，他的表现更加稳定，这让他跃居榜首，至少目前是这样。
19岁的萨尔仍然在进步，并在12月荣膺东部联盟月度最佳新秀。他的篮板球数量呈上升趋势，三分球命中率趋于稳定，并且他继续在所有新秀中领跑盖帽榜。除了受伤的麦凯恩，萨尔在得分方面也领先所有新秀。
值得注意的是，奇才队努力让他成为进攻核心并赋予他作为传球手的权力，这正在带来回报。他在防守端的表现仍然更有影响力，他的终结能力也必须得到提高（根据Synergy的数据，他在篮下的命中率为52%）。但萨尔，这位被认为是2024年选秀大会上更大的潜力股之一，正朝着上升的轨迹前进，这对奇才队来说是一个早期的胜利。
2. 杰伦·威尔斯(Jaylen Wells)，得分后卫/小前锋，孟菲斯灰熊队
选秀顺位： 次轮第39顺位，华盛顿州立大学
关键数据： 场均11.8分，三分球命中率38.6%
先前排名： 第4名
威尔斯仍然是本赛季新秀群体中最精彩的个人故事：一名二轮秀，由于其他灰熊球员的伤病而获得了早期的上场时间，于10月31日进入首发阵容，此后一直稳坐首发位置。
威尔斯的故事与之前的排名专栏中所写的大致相同：他是一位稳定的射手，不需要球权。他的防守比预期要好得多。1月3日，他在对阵萨克拉门托国王队的比赛中砍下职业生涯最高的30分，命中8记三分球，帮助球队以138-133获胜。
威尔斯的长期潜力不如他的许多同侪——由于他在创造机会和终结方面的局限性，他很可能被限制在3D球员的角色——但他非常有希望争夺年度最佳新秀，并且已经为排名西部第三的灰熊队带来了相当可观的回报。
3. 伊夫·米西(Yves Missi)，中锋，新奥尔良鹈鹕队
选秀顺位： 首轮第21顺位，贝勒大学
关键数据： 场均9.1分，8.2个篮板，1.4次盖帽
先前排名： 第7名
作为新奥尔良鹈鹕队艰难赛季中的一抹亮色，米西在12月荣膺西部联盟月度最佳新秀，并继续担任首发中锋。鹈鹕队在本赛季开始前（在伤病危机爆发之前）的核心阵容问题是如何解决他们的中锋位置的短期和长期问题。20岁的米西看起来像是这个难题中一个合法的拼图，考虑到他从贝勒大学出来时相对缺乏经验，这一点并非确定无疑。
他学习很快，利用他的身体素质和能量在一个简单的挡拆吃饼角色中发挥作用（投篮命中率56.1%）。他是NBA中最好的进攻篮板手之一（场均3.6个进攻篮板排在联盟前五），同时领先所有新秀的篮板球总数。
赛季开始前，人们对他的运动天赋几乎没有疑问，但他提升的速度比预期的要快得多。新奥尔良鹈鹕队未来还有更大的阵容问题需要解决，但在首轮末段成功选中一名年轻的中锋是他们的首要任务。米西已经成为一名可靠的球员，在新秀合同期内扮演着必要的角色，很难想象鹈鹕队还能从这个末段签中获得更好的回报。
4. 扎克·埃迪(Zach Edey)，中锋，孟菲斯灰熊队
选秀顺位： 首轮第9顺位，普渡大学
关键数据： 场均9.3分，7.3个篮板，投篮命中率58.3%
先前排名： 第6名
埃迪本赛季大部分时间都表现得波澜不惊，尽管在因脑震荡协议缺席两场比赛后，他在一月份的表现有所下降。他一直是孟菲斯灰熊队的首发球员，尽管他的实际出场时间每场比赛都有波动（从一月份的场均7分钟到24分钟不等），对手也尽力让他在防守端的日子不好过。
他为灰熊队的反弹赛季做出了贡献，孟菲斯灰熊队在选择他时也了解他的局限性，让这位22岁的球员与杰·哈夫和布兰登·克拉克轮换上场——这三名球员的技术特点截然不同——并与替补阵容融合。
孟菲斯灰熊队也鼓励埃迪开发三分球，到目前为止，他在28次出手中命中了11球，表现尚可。对于埃迪来说，加盟一个明确重视他优势的球队是最好的情况。
5. 斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)，后卫，圣安东尼奥马刺队
选秀顺位： 首轮第4顺位，康涅狄格大学
关键数据： 场均11.6分，3.6次助攻
先前排名： 第2名
虽然马刺队（19胜22负）整个赛季都徘徊在50%胜率附近，但卡斯尔正处于一个高效的阶段，上周连续三场得分20+，包括在129-115负于孟菲斯灰熊队的比赛中砍下职业生涯最高的26分。
但他在本赛季的表现好坏参半，尤其是在进攻端，他还在实战中学习，投篮命中率也不高。他的个人得分从来都不是一个稳定的强项，而且一直是他最大的成长空间，马刺队正在让他努力克服这一点。
圣安东尼奥马刺队致力于帮助卡斯尔发挥他的潜力，由于他的身材（6英尺6英寸，215磅）、运动能力、组织进攻的闪光点和防守能力，他的潜力仍然相当大。他的角色一直在波动，并且一直在进出首发阵容——他的投篮挣扎使他与杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)（目前受伤）一起出场时难以适应——但积极的闪光点为长期的乐观情绪留下了空间。
6. 扎卡里·里萨谢(Zaccharie Risacher)，亚特兰大老鹰队
选秀顺位： 首轮第1顺位，法国
关键数据： 场均10.5分，3.5个篮板
先前排名： 第5名
虽然里萨谢的数据并不亮眼，但老鹰队到目前为止应该感到满意。这位19岁的球员一直是亚特兰大老鹰队中可靠的首发球员，这支有所进步的球队已经能够用其他位置上身材高大、 athletic 的防守球员来保护特雷·杨。
里萨谢有效地与老将德安德烈·亨特轮换上场，帮助转移球并保持进攻流畅，并为一名新秀提供了有用的防守时间。
亚特兰大老鹰队并没有要求里萨谢创造太多的进攻机会，他的数据并不引人注目，这在一支以特雷·杨和杰伦·约翰逊为核心的球队中是可以预见的。老鹰队何时会开始放手让他发挥是一个合理的问题——他可以作为一个得分手更具侵略性，在某个时候，他们应该希望看到他突破自己的极限。无论如何，里萨谢的成熟和感觉让他能够产生影响，而且他还有空间在3D球员的角色之外做得更多。
注：1月21日里萨谢的伤病更新
7. 特里斯坦·达席尔瓦(Tristan da Silva)，小前锋/大前锋，奥兰多魔术队
选秀顺位： 首轮第18顺位，科罗拉多大学
关键数据： 场均8.6分，4.1个篮板
先前排名： 未上榜
达席尔瓦本赛季已经首发了33场，主要是作为班凯罗和弗朗茨·瓦格纳的伤病替补，这两位球员都为魔术队（23胜21负）缺席了很长一段时间。这位23岁的球员被证明是一个有先见之明的补充，在他们缺席的情况下，他在两个前锋位置上都提供了有用的出场时间，并帮助奥兰多魔术队保持竞争力。
达席尔瓦提供的多功能性成为了他作为选秀球员的标志，他也确实做到了。他在进攻端限制失误，保持简单，是一个优秀的团队防守者，为后防线增加了身高，并且尽管有些起伏不定，他仍然贡献了外线投篮，目前他的三分球命中率只有31%，但在关键时刻足够多的进球为他赢得了上场时间。他场均26分钟的出场时间非常宝贵，尤其是考虑到球队的困境。
8. 瑞安·邓恩(Ryan Dunn)，小前锋，菲尼克斯太阳队
选秀顺位： 首轮第18顺位，弗吉尼亚大学
关键数据： 场均7.5分，3.5个篮板
先前排名： 未上榜
菲尼克斯太阳队（21胜21负）在一月初用更注重防守的邓恩换下了布拉德利·比尔的首发位置，此后取得了5胜3负的战绩，邓恩在这八场比赛中有六场得分上双。
邓恩是这届新秀中最大的惊喜之一，比赛对他来说在进攻端比以往任何时候都更容易，因为他为缺乏深度阵容的太阳队提供了实用性。
曾经被认为是一个潜在的不会投篮的球员，邓恩的三分球命中率达到了32.1%。对手仍然会放他投篮，但这足以让他上场并在防守端增加价值，在那里他拥有承担艰巨任务的工具。他限制了自己的失误，并且在篮筐附近效率很高，并继续超出预期。
掉出排名的球员
贾里德·麦凯恩 ，后卫，费城76人队（先前排名第1）
道尔顿·克内希特 ，得分后卫/小前锋，洛杉矶湖人队（先前排名第3）
多诺万·克林根 ，中锋，波特兰开拓者队(Donovan Clingan)（先前排名第8）
这两位乐透秀的近况如何？
里德·谢泼德(Reed Sheppard)，得分后卫/控球后卫，休斯顿火箭队。 这位来自肯塔基大学的探花秀本赛季进展缓慢——尽管备受炒作，但他场均只出场11分钟，并且在西部第二的休斯顿火箭队的轮换阵容中进进出出。
1月7日至11日，他被下放到发展联盟打了三场比赛，如果需要说明的话，谢泼德的天赋并没有消失。1月7日，谢泼德在为休斯顿火箭队下属球队里奥格兰德河谷毒蛇队的首场比赛中爆发，砍下49分，命中8记三分球，展现了他作为组织者和得分手的出色能力。
进入NBA赛季前，人们感觉休斯顿火箭队必须解决轮换阵容拥挤的问题——弗雷德·范弗利特、杰伦·格林和阿门·汤普森都在后场出场时间上排在他前面。很难反驳教练伊梅·乌多卡取得的成果，但一名探花秀被下放到发展联盟，这样的头条很容易被误读。
据消息人士透露，火箭队仍然非常重视谢泼德的长期发展。但由于他无法在休斯顿火箭队获得一个稳定的角色定位，球队选择将他下放，并让他保持比赛状态。他有可能在接下来的几个月里为火箭队争取到更多的出场时间；也有可能他在毒蛇队度过更多的时间。
这种情况并不是对谢泼德NBA未来的公投——无论是本赛季晚些时候还是以后，期待看到他更多的表现。
德文·卡特(Devin Carter)，后卫，萨克拉门托国王队。 这位来自普罗维登斯学院的13号秀在7月份接受肩部手术后于1月3日首次亮相国王队。虽然没有扮演重要的角色，但他参与了国王队的复苏，自从他回归以来国王队取得了6胜1负的战绩（这也发生在教练变更之后）。
22岁的卡特正是萨克拉门托国王队在受伤前所期望得到的球员：他是一名出色的后场篮板手，一名极具竞争力的防守者，并且需要提高他的进攻，所有这些都是他在普罗维登斯学院职业生涯的一部分。他的比赛风格比他6英尺3英寸的身材要强壮，他不惧怕艰难的对位，并且已经被认为是一名有用的替补球员。
萨克拉门托国王队目前处于附加赛的竞争行列中，并且需要卡特的技术特点加入轮换阵容——只要他能投进足够的球来让防守球员保持警惕，他就可以与达龙·福克斯和马利克·蒙克轮换上场。找到像卡特这样努力的后卫比想象中更难，而他能够作为控球手或无球球员的能力，为他成为萨克拉门托国王队替补阵容中的一员提供了光明的前景。
我在发展联盟展示赛期间听到的NBA流言……
12月在佛罗里达州奥兰多参加发展联盟展示赛时，消息人士告诉我， 阿杰·米切尔(Ajay Mitchell) 很有可能从俄克拉荷马雷霆队获得一份正式合同，这位第38顺位新秀（圣巴巴拉分校）已经成长为轮换阵容中的重要一员。
他在联盟中被认为是最好的双向合同球员（如果他保持健康，很可能会进入这份新秀排名）。然而，最近的脚趾受伤导致他需要接受手术，这将让他缺席数月。
雷霆队已经轮换了几名球员进入他们目前空缺的第15个球员名单，这在2月6日交易截止日前将保持开放的灵活性。
米切尔在回归后获得一份合同仍然是一个不错的赌注，他已经赢得了教练马克·戴格诺特的信任，并且看起来像是二轮秀中最好的发现之一。作为一名双向合同球员，他已经出战了50场比赛中的34场，场均出场16.5分钟，投篮命中率为50%，场均得到6.4分。
我在发展联盟展示赛上看到的最令人感兴趣的新秀是密尔沃基雄鹿队的 AJ·约翰逊(AJ Johnson) ，他本赛季大部分时间都被下放到威斯康星鹿群队。这位充满活力的6英尺5英寸的运动员在12月1日年满20岁，在为澳大利亚伊拉瓦拉老鹰队效力的选秀年很少上场之后，他似乎正在取得进步。
雄鹿队用第23顺位选中约翰逊是选秀夜上最受质疑的决定之一。关于约翰逊的长期前景，人们有各种各样的看法，而且可供评估的有意义的出场时间样本非常有限。他在去年五月的联合试训中表现出色，这帮助他提升了在各队中的地位。但考虑到密尔沃基雄鹿队围绕扬尼斯·阿德托昆博和达米安·利拉德争冠的直接目标，用首轮签选择一个相对不知名的球员是一个值得商榷的道路，因为当时还有更多NBA即战力球员可供选择。
现在质疑约翰逊能否按照与密尔沃基雄鹿队相匹配的时间表来发挥他的潜力仍然是合理的。尽管如此，值得注意的是，他在发展联盟中越来越适应，在为鹿群队出战的17场比赛中，他场均得到14.2分、4.3次助攻和2.9次失误。消息人士告诉我，约翰逊已经欣然接受了在发展联盟打球和提高的机会，在那里他得到了大量的持球机会，并且看起来并没有不适应。
“发展联盟对于像[约翰逊]这样的技术型、 athletic 的侧翼球员来说是一个完美的发挥场所，”一位发展联盟高管表示。“他并没有像你期望的明显的NBA球员那样占据统治地位。在篮筐附近仍然非常挣扎。不是一个天生的传球手。他需要一段时间才能为NBA做好准备……[但是]他的 athletic 能力非常吸引人。”
尽管约翰逊距离为NBA轮换阵容做好准备还有很长的路要走，但很难找到像他这样速度、敏捷性和身材兼备的球员。他的效率、决策和跳投都需要时间，但在一个并不充斥着高潜力新秀的选秀大会上，现在更容易理解雄鹿队选择他背后的想法了。
点击查看原文：2024-25 NBA midseason rookie rankings: New star grabs No. 1
2024-25 NBA midseason rookie rankings: New star grabs No. 1
While some things are a little different since the last update of these 2024-25 NBA Rookie Rankings – Jared McCain, the Philadelphia 76ers guard who ranked first on this list on Dec. 3 as the arguably NBA Rookie of the Year front-runner, will miss the rest of the season with a torn meniscus – the overall state of things is much the same.
Rookies around the league have continued to carve out playing time and learn on the fly. There’s no Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) or Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) anchoring this season’s group, but there have been signs of growth as players ease into their roles halfway through their 82-game slates.
With all that, there are three rookies who were previously unranked, and there’s a new face in the top spot from our last ranking on Dec. 3, becoming the third No. 1 player since our first ranking on Oct. 24.
Please note that this ranking is not an attempt to gauge players’ long-term potential or trade value. It’s simply a barometer of which first-year players have made the most interesting and notable impact at this stage of the season. Here’s how these players and others stack up at the season’s midpoint.
Jump to a section:\
New No. 1! Top eight rookies\
Updates on Sheppard and Carter\
1. Alexandre Sarr, PF/C, Washington Wizards
Drafted: No. 2, France\
Key stats: 11.6 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 1.5 blocks\
Previous ranking: Not ranked
The Wizards are committed to letting their rookies gain experience, rolling out the trio of Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George for extended minutes and weathering losing in the process. In November, Sarr wasn’t playing well enough to crack this list – fast-forward, and he has been one of the better rookies of late. His production has been much more consistent over the past six weeks, vaulting him to the top spot, at least for the time being.
Sarr, 19, remains a work in progress but has shown signs of improvement; he won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in December. His rebounding has been trending up, his 3-point shooting has stabilized and he continues to pace all rookies in blocks per game. Excluding the injured McCain, he also leads all rookies in scoring average.
Notably, the Wizards’ efforts to play through him and empower him as a passer are paying dividends. He’s still much more impactful on the defensive end, and his finishing has to get much better (he’s shooting 52% at the rim, per Synergy). But the fact Sarr, viewed as one of the 2024 draft’s bigger projects, is moving on an upward trajectory, is an early win for the Wizards.
2. Jaylen Wells, SG/SF, Memphis Grizzlies
Drafted: No. 39, Washington State\
Key stats: 11.8 PPG, 38.6% 3FG\
Previous ranking: 4
Wells remains the best individual story in this season’s rookie group: a second-round pick who stepped into early minutes because of injuries to other Grizzlies players, joined the starting five on Oct. 31 and has since been entrenched there.
Wells’ story is much the same as written in previous rankings columns: He is a steady shooter who doesn’t need the ball in his hands. He has been a much better defender than expected. He scored a career-high 30 points on Jan. 3, draining eight 3s in a 138-133 win against the Sacramento Kings.
Wells doesn’t project with the long-term upside of many of his peers – he’ll likely be confined to a 3-and-D role because of his limitations as a creator and finisher – but he’s very much in the Rookie of the Year mix and is delivering quite the return on his selection already for the Grizzlies, who sit in third place in the Western Conference.
3. Yves Missi, C, New Orleans Pelicans
Drafted: No. 21, Baylor\
Key stats: 9.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.4 BPG\
Previous ranking: 7
A bright spot in a trying season for New Orleans, Missi won Western Conference Rookie of the Month in December and continues to start at the 5-spot. The Pelicans’ central roster question entering the season (before injury chaos broke out) was how they would address their center position in the short and long term. Missi, 20, has looked like a legitimate piece of that puzzle, something that wasn’t a certainty given his relative lack of experience coming out of Baylor.
He has been a quick study, using his physicality and energy to produce in a simple rim-running role (56.1% FG). He has been one of the better offensive rebounders in the NBA (3.6 per game ranks among the league’s top five) while leading all rookies in boards.
There was little question about his athletic toolbox entering the season, but he has gotten up to speed much faster than anticipated. New Orleans has larger roster questions to address moving forward, but successfully identifying a young center was high on its priority list back in the spring. And with Missi locked in as a reliable producer in a necessary role on a rookie deal, it’s hard to imagine a better return for the Pelicans’ late first-round selection.
4. Zach Edey, C, Memphis Grizzlies
Drafted: No. 9, Purdue\
Key stats: 9.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 58.3% FG\
Previous ranking: 6
Edey has been largely unfazed this season, although his play has tailed off a touch in January after he missed two games in concussion protocol. He has been a fixture in the starting lineup for Memphis, although his actual minutes have fluctuated game by game (from averaging 7 minutes to 24 in January) and opposing teams have done their best to make life difficult for him as a defender.
He has contributed to the Grizzlies’ bounce-back season, and Memphis selected him with an understanding of his limitations, playing the 22-year-old as part of a rotation with Jay Huff and Brandon Clarke – three players who have vastly different skill sets – mixing in off the bench.
Memphis is also encouraging Edey to develop a 3-point shot, and he has made a respectable 11 of his 28 attempts so far. Landing with an organization that clearly values his strengths was a best-case scenario for Edey.
5. Stephon Castle, G, San Antonio Spurs
Drafted: No. 4, UConn\
Key stats: 11.6 PPG, 3.6 APG\
Previous ranking: 2
Though the Spurs (19-22) have been hovering around .500 all season, Castle is in the middle of a productive stretch, stringing together three 20-point performances last week, including a career-high 26 in a 129-115 loss against Memphis.
But his play has been a mixed bag this season, particularly on offense, where he’s learning on the fly and hasn’t shot the ball well. His individual scoring has never been a consistent strength and was always going to be the biggest area for growth, something the Spurs are letting him work through.
San Antonio is invested in helping Castle realize his potential, which remains considerable due to his size (6-foot-6, 215 pounds), athletic ability, flashes of playmaking and defensive capabilities. His role has fluctuated, and he has been in and out of the starting lineup – his shooting struggles make him a tricky fit sharing the floor with Jeremy Sochan (who has been injured) – but the positive flashes leave room for long-term optimism.
6. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Drafted: No. 1, France\
Key stats: 10.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG\
Previous ranking: 5
Although Risacher’s box score production doesn’t scream “No. 1 pick,” the Hawks have to be happy thus far. The 19-year-old has been a reliable starter on an improved Atlanta team that has been able to insulate Trae Young with long, athletic defenders at other positions.
Risacher has effectively worked in a platoon with veteran De’Andre Hunter, helping to move the ball and keep the offense flowing, and turning in useful defensive minutes for a rookie.
Atlanta hasn’t asked Risacher, whose numbers haven’t been spectacular, to create much offense either, predictable on a team centered around Young and Jalen Johnson. When the Hawks will start to take the training wheels off is a fair question – he could stand to be more aggressive as a scorer, and at some point, they should want to see him stretch his limits. Regardless, Risacher’s maturity and feel have allowed him to make an impact, and he has room to do more beyond a 3-and-D role.
Note: Injury update on Risacher from Jan. 21
7. Tristan da Silva, SF/PF, Orlando Magic
Drafted: No. 18, Colorado\
Key stats: 8.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG\
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Da Silva has made 33 starts this season, primarily as an injury fill-in for both Banchero and Franz Wagner, who have missed extended time for the Magic (23-21). The 23-year-old has turned out to be a prescient addition, providing useful minutes at both forward spots in their absences and helping Orlando stay afloat.
The versatility Da Silva offers became his calling card as a draft prospect, and he has delivered. He limits mistakes and keeps it simple on offense, is a good team defender who adds size on the back line, and has chipped in shots from deep despite some streakiness, currently just 31% from long range but making enough in spurts to earn his playing time. The significant minutes, averaging 26 per game, he has chipped in have been extremely valuable, particularly considering the team’s tough circumstances.
8. Ryan Dunn, SF, Phoenix Suns
Drafted: No. 18, Virginia\
Key stats: 7.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG\
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Phoenix (21-21) swapped Bradley Beal out of the starting lineup in favor of the more defensive-minded Dunn in early January and has gone 5-3 since, with Dunn scoring in double figures in six of those games.
Dunn has been one of the biggest surprises in this class, with the game coming to him easier than ever offensively as he provides utility for a Suns team lacking depth around its stars.
Once viewed as a potential nonshooter, Dunn has made a passable 32.1% of his 3s. Opponents will still live with him shooting, but it’s enough for him to get on the floor and add value defensively, where he has the tools to take on tough assignments. He has limited his turnovers and been efficient around the basket and continues to outperform expectations.
Dropped out of the rankings
Jared McCain, G, Philadelphia 76ers (previously No. 1)\
Dalton Knecht, SG/SF, Los Angeles Lakers (previously No. 3)\
Donovan Clingan, C, Portland Trail Blazers (previously No. 8)
What’s going on with these two lottery picks?
Reed Sheppard, SG/PG, Houston Rockets. It has been slow going for the No. 3 pick out of Kentucky this season – despite quite a bit of hype, he has averaged 11 minutes per game and has been in and out of the rotation with Houston sitting second in the Western Conference.
He went on a three-game G League assignment Jan. 7-11, and if it needed to be stated, Sheppard’s talent hasn’t evaporated. Sheppard broke out for 49 points in his first game with Houston affiliate Rio Grande Valley on Jan. 7, pouring in eight 3s and highlighting his considerable ability as a playmaker and scorer.
Entering the NBA season, there was a sense Houston would have to sort out a rotation crunch – the Rockets had Fred Van Vleet, Jalen Green and Amen Thompson ahead of him for backcourt minutes. It’s hard to argue with the results coach Ime Udoka has gotten, but a top-five pick going on assignment to the G League is the type of headline that can easily be misinterpreted.
The Rockets, according to sources, are still heavily invested in Sheppard long-term. But with him unable to get a consistent foothold on a role in Houston, the organization opted to send him down and keep him game-ready. It’s possible he carves out added minutes for the Rockets over the next couple of months; it’s also possible he spends additional time with the Vipers.
This situation isn’t a referendum on Sheppard’s NBA future – whether it’s later this season or down the line, expect to see more of him.
Devin Carter, G, Sacramento Kings. The No. 13 pick out of Providence debuted for the Kings on Jan. 3, after recovering from shoulder surgery in July. While not playing a giant role, he has had a hand in Sacramento’s turnaround with the Kings going 6-1 since his return (which also came on the heels of a coaching change).
Carter, 22, has been the player Sacramento was expecting to get prior to his injury: He’s an outstanding rebounder in the backcourt, a highly competitive defender and has to improve his offensive play, all things that were part of the equation during his career at Providence. He plays bigger than his 6-3 size, is unafraid of difficult matchups and already projects as a useful bench player.
Sacramento currently sits in the play-in mix and has a need for Carter’s skill set in its rotation – he can feasibly rotate in alongside both De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, as long as he can make enough shots to keep defenses honest. It’s harder than one thinks to find guards who play as hard as Carter does, and his ability to pinch hit as a ball handler or play off it gives him a promising future in Sacramento’s supporting cast.
NBA buzz that I heard while at the G League Showcase …
Sources indicated to me while in Orlando, Florida, for the G League Showcase in December that Ajay Mitchell was in good position to earn a standard contract from the Oklahoma City Thunder, where the 38th pick (Santa Barbara) has grown into a deep rotation staple.
He was viewed around the league as the top two-way contract performer (and likely would have cracked these rookie rankings had he been healthy). However, a recent toe injury led to surgery that will sideline Mitchell for multiple months.
The Thunder have rotated several players into their currently empty 15th roster spot, which figures to remain open for optionality going into the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
It still feels like a good bet Mitchell is rewarded with a contract upon his return, having earned the trust of coach Mark Daigneault and looking like one of the better second-round finds. He has appeared in 34 of his 50 allotted games as a two-way player, shooting 50% from the field and averaging 6.4 points in 16.5 minutes per game.
The most intriguing rookie I saw at the G League Showcase was the Milwaukee Bucks’ AJ Johnson, who has spent most of the season on assignment with the Wisconsin Herd. An electric 6-5 athlete who turned 20 on Dec. 1, Johnson appears to be making progress after playing sparingly in his draft-eligible season with Australia’s Illawarra Hawks.
The Bucks’ selection of Johnson with the No. 23 pick was one of the more widely questioned draft-night decisions. There was a range of opinions about Johnson’s long-term prospects and a pretty limited sample of meaningful minutes to evaluate. He played well at the combine last May, helping to boost his standing among teams. But considering Milwaukee’s immediate aim to contend around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, selecting a relatively unknown player with a first-round deal was a debatable path, with more NBA-ready players left on the board.
It’s still fair to question the chances of Johnson reaching his potential on a timeline matching Milwaukee’s. Still, it seems noteworthy that he’s growing comfortable in the G League, averaging 14.2 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 turnovers in 17 games with the Herd. Sources tell me that Johnson has embraced his opportunity to play and improve in the G League, where he’s getting plenty of on-ball reps and hasn’t looked overmatched.
“The G League is the perfect place for a skilled, athletic wing like [Johnson] to produce,” one G League executive said. “He’s not dominating like you’d want an obvious NBA player to dominate. Still really struggles around the rim. Not a natural passer. Will take him a while to be NBA ready … [but] the athleticism is so fascinating.”
Though there’s still a long way to go before Johnson is ready for NBA rotation minutes, it’s hard to find players who can attack spots with his type of quickness, agility and size. His efficiency, decision-making and jumper will need time, but in a draft that wasn’t rife with high-upside prospects, it’s easier now to understand what the Bucks were thinking by taking a swing on him.
By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, via ESPN