NBA: Potential Rookie Of The Year Candidates

The NBA season is slowly approaching as we are about a month away. Who will be some of the top rookies in the NBA?

Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The 2024 NBA Draft was considered one of the weakest drafts in recent memory, but there are still quality players out of that draft. Although the preseason hasn’t started yet, it’s never too early to think about the potential Rookie of the Year candidates for this year’s upcoming NBA season.

Let’s dive into the three most likely options.

Alex Sarr | Washington Wizards

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (12) competes against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images / Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The top candidate will be the 7-foot-1 big man out of France in Alex Sarr, who will be playing for the Washington Wizards next season. The expectations for the Wizards are quite low as they are projected to be one of the worst teams in the NBA next season, but that will allow the number two overall pick to get a lot of on-ball opportunities and showcase his defensive versatility.

Sarr struggled a good bit in the summer league, but don’t overreact to those games as sometimes it just takes time for young players to adjust to the way the NBA is played. Sarr will eventually start for the Wizards and be given a lot of reps as the roll-man out of the pick and roll.

He should also get set up into some isolation situations around the mid-range area so he can show off his offensive potential. Defensively, he will be great in the NBA due to his versatility. It’s expected Sarr will get one of the most minutes this season amongst all rookies which would allow him to have a chance at winning rookie of the year.

Zaccharie Risacher | Atlanta Hawks

Jun 28, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks first overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher (10) poses for a photo at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The number one overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft was Zaccharie Risacher out of France who will be playing for the Atlanta Hawks this upcoming season. The 6-foot-10 wing was highly regarded as one of the safest picks in the entire draft due to his versatile shooting ability at his size and his defensive versatility.

It’s currently unknown if he will be starting at the beginning of the season for the Hawks, but if he does then he will be a good fit next to Trae Young, who is one of the best playmakers in the entire NBA. Risacher should find a lot of success as a floor spacer due to his ability to shoot over defenders and Young’s ability to locate open teammates.

The french wing might not get a ton of on-ball opportunities due to his limited handle, creation skills and playing next to an elite point guard, but he should be given enough minutes and opportunity to show why he was worth the top overall pick. The production and minutes will be there, so it’s just a matter of him putting it together.

Zach Edey | Memphis Grizzlies

Zach Edey, a first-round draft pick for the Grizzlies, answers a question during a press conference to introduce the team’s 2024 NBA Draft picks at FedExForum on Friday, June 28, 2024. / Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK

With the ninth pick in the 2024 NBA Draft the Memphis Grizzlies took the biggest player in the entire draft in Purdue’s Zach Edey. The 7-foot-5 center won back to back National Player of the Year awards and was considered one of the most dominant players in the college game.

The combination of his elite size and skill inside the painted area allowed him to shoot over 60% from the field in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons for Purdue. Oftentimes his skill gets discredited due to him being so massive, but he legit has great touch which will be a fantastic fit next to Ja Morant.

The 6-foot-2 point guard has electric athleticism and is an elite playmaker so he will be able to set Edey up for success. It’s assumed that Edey will be a key player in the rotation for the Grizzlies with a chance of him even starting. If given enough on-ball opportunities and minutes, he is a legit candidate at winning the rookie of the year award.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.