Draft Digest Rookies of the Week: Henderson Hits His Stride, Jaquez Shines on Christmas Day

Who were the most impressive rookies across the NBA over the past week?

Each week, the Draft Digest team picks an NBA rookie from each conference as the best player of the week.

Some first-year players continue to build upon a strong start to the season, while others are just now finding their footing. In either case, this rookie class continues to shape up as one of the best in recent history.

Who brought home the hardware this week?

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Eastern Conference 

Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat)

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Stats Since Last Week: 2 GP | 25.0 PPG | 8.5 RPG | 1.5 SPG | 62.1% FG

Helping the Heat go 2-0 this week, Jaquez continues to emerge as a cornerstone piece of this roster as a rookie. While his season was already incredibly impressive leading up to this week, he had his best game as a pro on Christmas. 

In a contest against the Philadelphia 76ers, the rookie scored 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a double-double performance. He was a key part of the six-point win as Miami continues get better as the season goes on. He's earned a 70 PSP from Cerebro Sports this season, which is impressive for any first-year player on a contending team as it shows he's been able to flash his scoring upside. 

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Western Conference 

Scoot Henderson (Portland Trail Blazers)

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Stats Since Last Week: 2 GP | 14.5 PPG | 6.5 APG | 1.5 SPG | 42.9% 3PT

It was a slow start to Henderson's rookie campaign, especially given he dealt with injuries early in the season. While he's still pretty inconsistent — which is expected for a rookie — he had one of his most impressive performances yet on Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings.  

In a convincing wing against a playoff-caliber team, Henderson was the offensive engine for Portland as he dished out 11 assists. It has taken some time, but the flashes of brilliance are starting to become more frequent for the first-year guard.

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