First Impressions on Exciting NBA Rookie Class

Seven early observations about this year’s first-year players.

The first full week of the 2022–23 NBA regular season has come and gone and already a number of first-year players have made an impact. While it’s still too early to make any bold proclamations after just a few games—my colleague Howard Beck astutely noted that “everything” is the biggest overreaction through one week—here are seven early observations about this year’s rookie class.

1. Paolo Banchero looks comfortable

In his first-career regular season game, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft recorded 27 points on 61.1% shooting from the field, while adding nine rebounds and five assists. Banchero then became only the seventh player in league history to score at least 20 points in the opening five games of his career. (Other names on that list include Wilt Chamberlain, Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson and Dominique Wilkins.)

Banchero is not yet a threat from behind the arc—he’s shooting just 28.6% from deep on 4.2 attempts per game—but he’s shown an ability to create from midrange and score around the basket. The Duke product has also played well alongside second-year forward Franz Wagner (per Magic.com, Wagner has shot 52.6% on 19 shots when Banchero has passed him the ball). While the Magic have struggled at 0–5, Banchero is already the driving force of the Magic’s offense, with a usage rate at 29.7%—a mark greater than those of DeMar DeRozan, Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker.

2. Bennedict Mathurin can get a bucket

Mathurin was the No. 6 pick of the Pacers in last spring’s draft and his ability to bring some immediate playmaking and shooting to Indiana was one of his biggest appeals. In Summer League action, he demonstrated his explosive ability and was named to the All-Summer League Second Team (in three games, he averaged 19.3 points on 48.8% shooting). In the preseason, he was Indiana’s leading scorer. Thus far in the regular season, he is second only to Banchero in rookie scoring (20.8 per game), while shooting a respectable 38.7% from deep. He is also first among rookies in deflections per game, with three per contest. Mathurin’s 27-point, seven-assist outing vs. the Pistons last Saturday gave Indiana fans every reason to be excited about his future.

3. Jaden Ivey vs. Keegan Murray will be fun to watch

There was plenty of debate last spring about whether Jaden Ivey or Keegan Murray should go off the board first after the presumed top-three selections. Early on, both look like strong additions to their respective teams. Ivey’s speed off the dribble has already been on display in Detroit—he’s averaging a rookie-best 11.5 drives per game. Alongside Cade Cunningham (who has shown his own moments of brilliance early in his sophomore season), the Pistons seem to have found their starting backcourt for years to come. (It should be noted that a key to their future success will be how they limit turnovers—the two have combined to average 6.6 per game.)

Murray, meanwhile, had appeared in only two games for the Kings entering Thursday after being in health and safety protocols to open the season. But he played more than 30 minutes in those two contests and was a key bench player. His strong pair of games—he averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in them—led coach Mike Brown to move Murray into the first five for Thursday’s game against the Grizzlies.

4. Rockets rookies look ready to contribute

It’s not surprising that No. 3 pick Jabari Smith Jr. has been an impactful player on both ends early on in his Houston career. He is averaging 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and has shown his length on defense. But the Rockets have also gotten welcome contributions from No. 17 pick Tari Eason. The 6’ 8’’ forward has played only 19.1 minutes per game in his five appearances, but is averaging 6.2 rebounds per game and one steal per contest.

5. Shaedon Sharpe has been a pleasant surprise in Portland

The Blazers wing didn’t play for Kentucky last season, but that didn’t stop Portland from selecting him with the No. 7 pick in the draft. It also hasn’t stopped the team from giving him a key role off the bench thus far. Sharpe has seen double-digit minutes in each of the team’s first five games (four of them wins) and scored double-figure points three times. He has been active on defense and fits in well alongside Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant.

6. Top rooks getting reality check

This isn’t necessarily a surprise, but thus far, the highest-impact rookies have all come on teams which have struggled. Of the first-year players who are averaging more than 25 minutes per game entering Thursday’s action (there are five such players), the combined records of the five teams involved is 3–20. Murray, Banchero, Smith Jr., Ivey and Mathurin all have shined early on, but winning hasn’t followed them.

7. Early second-round gems

Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, Magic forward Caleb Houstan and Raptors forward Christian Koloko have all been steady parts of their respective teams’ rotations thus far. By coincidence or not, the three aforementioned players were also the first three taken in the second round. Koloko, in particular, started for the Raptors in his fourth career game and made history in the process: Alongside teammate Pascal Siakam, Monday’s game vs. Miami was the first time two players from Cameroon started a game together.