Three Under-the-Radar NBA Rookie of the Year Candidates

Three NBA rookies with an outside chance to bring home the Rookie of the Year Award next season.

It’s no secret the 2023 NBA Draft class is a loaded one.

Even before the addition of Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, it was one of the more dynamic groups in the last decade. Victor Wembanyama, Scoot Henderson, the Thompson twins — there’s no shortage of star power.

But with names like those atop the ranks, there’s always going to be talent pushed further and further down. And year in and out we've seen that very same talent threaten to steal the Rookie of the Year Award away from the theoretical top prospects.

Here are three under-the-radar Rookie of the Year candidates with a long shot to win the award in a loaded class:

Keyonte George, Utah Jazz

The Rookie of the Year Award is of course about skill, but it’s also about opportunity. Of which Jazz’ guard Keyonte George could have plenty of should Utah opt for a higher draft pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

The Jazz overachieved with a fun season in 2022-23, but if things don’t get off to a great start in a loaded Western Conference, they could soon turn to a youth movement with George moonlighting as the starting point guard.

At 6-foot-3, George is a flashy scorer, ever-improving passer and lights-out shooter. With enough opportunity, there’s a world where he averages double-digit points for a less-than-adequate Jazz squad and brings home some hardware.

Vasilije Micic, OKC Thunder

A 29-year-old rookie? Say what!

Micic has finally made the journey to the NBA after becoming a draft-and-stash in 2014. And all signs are pointing towards him being the Oklahoma City Thunder’s essential sixth man.

A two-time EuroLeague champion and the 2020-21 EuroLeague MVP, Micic will have an uphill battle in stealing Rookie of the Year votes away from young players. But if he’s good enough — which he very well could be — age might not matter.

Julian Strawther, Denver Nuggets

A 6-foot-7 forward, Strawther has become one of the bigger rookie names in NBA preseason, averaging 19.6 points in three games.

An upperclassmen draftee out of Gonzaga, Strawther is sure to have a head start on a few of his peers, and is likely to stuff the stat sheet all season long.

Perhaps the most important note for Strawther is that he’ll be doing so for the defending champion Denver Nuggets, who are sure to garner plenty of attention next season. If Strawther can overachieve for one of the best teams in the league, he’s sure to get a few looks for ROY.

---

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.