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0 The midseason Kia Rookie Ladder is in full swing, and there are two standout rookies that are currently making waves in the NBA. San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Chet Holmgren are the two names that are currently being talked about the most.
While Victor Wembanyama has been at the top of the ladder, Chet Holmgren has been making a strong case for himself as well. In fact, four out of five writers at NBA.com picked Holmgren as the top newcomer so far in the 2023-24 season. Holmgren has been able to slip seamlessly into the Thunder lineup, and his impact has been felt immediately. The team has improved by nine games compared to the previous year and currently stands at 27-13.
On the other hand, Wembanyama has had a more experimental first half of the season, with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich tinkering with his lineups. The rookie has also been dealing with a minutes restriction due to an ankle injury, which has limited his playing time and production. The result has been a 5-28 record for the Spurs through 33 games, which is six games worse than the previous year.
However, there is a recent tweak that has caught fire for the Spurs. Pure point guard Tre Jones is back as the starter, and Wembanyama has been playing at center. In the six games since the change, the Spurs have gone 2-4, and Wembanyama has been able to showcase his versatility. He has averaged 23.8 points and 11 rebounds on 54.4% shooting, which is an impressive feat.
In terms of other rookies, Memphis forward GG Jackson has been the best off the bench this week, averaging 15.7 points in three games. Portland’s Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the June draft, scored 33 points against Phoenix but needed 31 shots to do so. Jordan Hawkins, who started high on the ladder but dropped off, is now climbing back up due to his increased minutes with the Pelicans.
The storyline to watch is the upcoming clash between Wembanyama and Holmgren next Wednesday in San Antonio. The updated rankings will be held until the morning after to account for the matchup. In their first head-to-head on Nov. 14, neither dominated, but OKC’s rookie enjoyed a 123-87 victory. The teams play twice more after Wednesday: Feb. 29 again in San Antonio and April 10 in Oklahoma City.
As of the latest rankings, Wembanyama is still at the top, followed by Holmgren, Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat, and Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets.
Latest rankings
(All stats through Tuesday, Jan.16)
1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Season stats: 19.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.2 big
Last Ladder: 1
Draft pick: No. 1
Wembanyama disappointed, then awed fans in Atlanta, turning his scoreless first half into a 26-point outing by the final horn. He started last week with a triple-double at Detroit (16-12-10). And he acknowledged playing some mind tricks to summon up his best. “I like to be threatened to be sent to the G League if I don’t play the right way,” he said. Yeah, right.
2. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Season stats: 17.4 ppg, 7.3 RPG, 2.5 big
Last Ladder: 2
Draft pick: No. 2 (2022)
Holmgren was held to single digits twice in 24 hours in Los Angeles, with nine points against the Lakers Monday and eight at the Clippers Tuesday. That was his first time scoring fewer than 10 in consecutive games. Previously, he had done fine on the second night of back-to-backs (16.6 ppg, 70.2 FG%).
3. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
Season stats: 14.0 ppg, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 apg
Last Ladder: 3
Draft pick: No. 18
Jaquez did not travel with the Heat on their current trip to Brooklyn and Toronto after suffering a groin strain vs. Charlotte on Sunday. He averaged 16.7 ppg on 53.3% shooting in the past 10 games. The rehab gave some Heat fans time for Fun With Numbers.
4. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
Season stats: 13.9 ppg, 3.7 RPG, 2.2 apg
Last Ladder: 4
Draft pick: No. 2
They Fell after a dunk attempt vs. Spurs, ending the night early and leaving him questionable with a sore back to face the Pelicans Wednesday. Could impose a needed breather. “The biggest issue right now is he’s played too many minutes [15 games of 32+],” coach Steve Clifford said. “I just don’t like it when he’s not out there.”
5. Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks
Season stats: 8.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg
Last Ladder: 6
Draft pick: No. 12
Back from an ankle sprain that cost him five games, Lively II grabbed 12 rebounds in 26 minutes against New Orleans, seven on the offensive end. Mavericks are 20-10 when he plays, 4-7 when he doesn’t.
The Next 5:
6. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
Season stats: 9.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.3 apg
Last Ladder: 5
Draft pick: No. 19
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7. Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Season stats: 11.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.5 apg
Last Ladder: 7
Draft pick: No. 16
8. Jordan Hawkins, New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.4 apg
Last Ladder: 10
Draft pick: No. 14
9. Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
Season stats: 12.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.0 apg
Last Ladder: 8
Draft pick: No. 3
10. Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Season stats: 8.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 apg
Last Ladder: 9
Draft pick: No. 5
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