Three Rookie Standouts From Week 1 of the NBA Season

These three rookies have made their mark in their first week of NBA play.

Oct 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) celebrates a dunk against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) in the first half of the home opener at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

So far in the young 2024-25 NBA Season, no single rookie has posted dominant scoring numbers. However, many first-year players have been making an impact in different ways, getting their careers off to a positive start. In particular, these three rookies have made a quick difference for their respective squads.

Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans

Oct 23, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) drives to the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Drafted with the 21st overall pick, Missi joined a Pelicans team with a thin center rotation. Through two games, he’s already helping to alleviate these concerns in his backup role. In his debut against the Chicago Bulls, the former Baylor Bear notched 12 points and hauled in 7 rebounds. He also did his part in protecting the rim, as he sent away 3 shots while only picking up a pair of fouls. He followed this performance up with another impressive one against the Trail Blazers in which he scored 8 points, corralled 6 rebounds, dished out 2 assists, and recorded 2 blocks. These two performances from Missi have been instrumental in New Orleans’ 2-0 start to the season.

Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns

Oct 26, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Ryan Dunn (0) celebrates a dunk against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half of the home opener at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Dunn made waves in preseason with his sharpshooting from deep, and this proficiency has already carried over to the regular season. He only played 9 minutes in the Suns’ first game against the Los Angeles Clippers, but in their last two, he’s come up big. In addition to playing his typical great defense, he’s also converted three shots from beyond the arc in both contests. As they move forward, the 2-1 Suns will benefit from Dunn’s two-way contributions as a quality rotation wing.

Jonathan Mogbo, Toronto Raptors

Oct 25, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Jonathan Mogbo (2) runs with the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

If will take time for Mogbo to fully find his stride in the league as the 31st overall pick, but through three games, he’s making a great case to be a regular in the Raptors’ rotation. After scoring 7 points in his debut, he stuffed the stat sheet against the Philadelphia 76ers in his second game. He scored 12 points while also grabbing 9 rebounds, dishing out 5 assists, blocking 3 shots, and notching 2 steals. Given his athletic tools and the potential for this type of all-around impact, Mogbo is standing out among rookies.

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