Three Dark Horse Rookie of the Year Candidates

There hasn't been a Rookie of the Year winner drafted outside of the lottery since 2016. Could one of these players be next?

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In what was a wide-open draft evaluation cycle from beginning to end, we should not be surprised if the 2024-25 Rookie of the Year race gives us more of the same as worthy dark horse candidates are bound to emerge.

Could this season have the first Rookie of the Year selected outside of the lottery since Malcolm Brogdon in 2016? Here are three players to consider.

Jared McCain | Philadelphia 76ers | No. 16 overall

McCain will have a clearly identified role as a bench spark and lethal floor spacer for a 76ers team with title aspirations. Widely regarded as a top-tier shooter in the class (41% on 5.8 attempts per game at Duke), McCain should see plenty of open 3-point looks playing off the gravity of Philadelphia’s new big three plus the occasional plays run for him and his signature transition pull up threes. There's no need to worry about McCain only hitting 25% of his threes during NBA Summer League. His track record of high-level 3-point shooting is legitimate and a safe bet to add tremendous value as a rookie and throughout his career. 

Tristan da Silva | Orlando Magic | No. 18 overall

Considered to be a high-floor, plug-play wing with NBA positional size (6-foot-8,  6-foot-10 wingspan) and a translatable 3-and-D skillset, da Silva has a lot to offer. Despite only playing in three games in Las Vegas, his production strengthened that belief and expectation (17.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals with a 58% mark from deep (10-of-17). With the Magic on the rise and his archetype perfectly aligning with what the team values, da Silva should be a heavily valued member of the rotation who will see consistent minutes and have opportunities to produce all season. 

Jaylon Tyson | Cleveland Cavaliers | No. 20 overall 

Tyson picked up significant momentum during the pre-draft process to the point where a lottery selection wasn't out of the question. The Cavs had to be thrilled to pick him at 20th overall and his Vegas Summer League performance will only fuel the excitement (15.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 40% from three). Not only did Tyson showcase the shotmaking and floor spacing, but he also reminded and probably shocked some people with his passing vision and pick-and-roll playmaking upside. He's a well-rounded wing who is potentially in line to be an instant contributor on one of the leading teams in the Eastern Conference, only furthering his strong darkhorse Rookie of the Year contender case. 

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