Rookies Watch: Trio of First-Year Players Make Noise in Saturday NBA Slate

A trio of lottery picks from the 2023 NBA Draft made their mark on Saturday.

Arya Chawla | Jan 21, 2024

Rookies Watch: Trio of First-Year Players Make Noise in Saturday NBA Slate /

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On a Saturday filled with riveting NBA action, the league's latest rookie class found a way to make its imprint on these mid-season clashes. Some of the top picks from the 2023 NBA Draft put up big numbers across the stat sheet and made crucial plays to help earn their teams victories.

Which three rookies made the biggest impact?

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs took the trip to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Wizards in a cross-conference battle. Wembanyama continued his unprecedented streak of potent play, posting 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and six blocks in just 28 minutes of play. San Antonio earned their eighth win of the season behind Wembanyama’s dominance.

Since his permanent move to the center position, Wembanyama has dominated the interior. His Saturday night 20-point performance marked his seventh of the new year. He’s only missed that mark once when the Spurs blew out the Detroit Pistons. Wembanyama has ascended to new levels mid-season as he sets his sights on the Rookie Of The Year Award.

Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

The second pick, Miller, has quietly been one of the most intriguing young stars in the league season. Not only has he been one of the most productive rookie players, averaging just under 15 points per game, but he’s displayed some extremely high-level flashes. These materialized again in his 23-point outing against the Philadelphia 76ers.

It wasn’t enough to get Charlotte the win, but Miller’s performance certainly pleased Hornets fans, especially considering he dropped 24 points just Friday night. These back-to-back 20-point games come off the heels of his two-game absence. Miller’s flashes as a 6-foot-9 wing handler with dangerous pull-up 3-point shooting and impactful ancillary skills bodes well for a star future.

Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

Thompson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, had a quiet night scoring-wise on Saturday. He recorded just six points on six shots, but came up huge on the defensive end.

He notched a pair of steals and blocks, one of which won the game for the Rockets against the Utah Jazz in overtime as he erased a shot attempt. Thomson hasn’t had the best start to his rookie season, but he’s making strides toward becoming a contributor through his improved defense as of late.

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Published Jan 21, 2024

ARYA CHAWLA

Arya is an NBA & NBA Draft analyst from Boston, Massachusetts. He has produced content on specific players and teams as well as general basketball philosophy.