Draft Digest Rookies of the Week: Shaedon Sharpe and Jaden Ivey Close Season Strong
Each week, the Draft Digest team picks an NBA rookie from each conference as the best player of the week.
Late in the season, there's often an increased chance to take the floor for rookies. Whether that is due to injuries or teams pivoting towards the draft, we often see first year players make late jumps.
That has once again been the case this season, as many rookies are playing the best basketball of their respective seasons.
Who brought home the hardware this week?
Eastern Conference
Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons)
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Stats Since Last Week: 4 GP | 21.3 PPG | 8.0 APG | 3.8 RPG | 35.7% 3PT
While Ivey did turn the ball over quite a bit this week, his assist numbers made up for it. Not only is he the explosive scorer he was expected to be at this level, but he's also emerged as a legitimate facilitator.
As a perimeter shooter, Ivey continues to improve as the season goes on. He's up to 34.3% from beyond the arc in his rookie campaign, which has earned a 74 3PE from Cerebro Sports.
Upon the return of Cade Cunningham next season, a backcourt comprised of him and Ivey could be one of the deadliest in the league. With one more high draft pick for the Pistons, especially if they can land the top pick, this could be a team that really makes a huge jump next season.
Western Conference
Shaedon Sharpe (Portland Trail Blazers)
Darren Yamashita / USA TODAY Sports
Stats Since Last Week: 3 GP | 24.7 PPG| 5.7 RPG | 5.7 APG | 47.4% FG
With Damian Lillard being shut down for the season, Sharpe has truly emerged. Over the past few weeks, he's been arguably the best rookie guard in the entire NBA. It will be interesting to see if he's able to keep this level of production up more consistently next season, which could really elevate Portland's success.
An elite athlete, he's a guy that can finish with power every single time down the floor. However, he's also proven he can knock down perimeter shots and be a primary scorer.
Keep an eye on Sharpe next season, as he could be one of the fastest risers in this class. The ceiling is extremely high for the rookie, and he's shown just that of late.
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.