NBA Rookie Ladder: A New No. 1 Emerges as AJ Griffin Makes First Appearance

Draft Digest's rookie ladder has a new face at No. 1, while others make their first appearance of the season.

Now a handful of games into the season, NBA rookies are beginning to settle into the rigorous routines of the NBA season.

Some are continuing to impact the game at record pace, while others are coming down from their initial blazing starts.

Bennedict Mathurin, the ladder's new No. 1, has continued his white-hot start to the season, averaging 19.2 points per game on the season while shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc. Paolo Banchero hasn’t seen action in a few weeks due to injury, but should be making his return soon, and will likely re-claim his No. 1 spot on this list due to All-Star caliber play.

Jaden Ivey, now ranked third, has picked up some steam, and will now be handed the keys to the car following Cade Cunningham’s injury, while Keegan Murray is settling into winning ways in Sacramento.

Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams is finding his footing, scoring in double figures in five of his last six contests, several of which were starts.

Houston’s Tari Eason and Atlanta’s AJ Griffin, who is making his debut at No. 9, continue to do more with less, impacting their respective teams through a variety of ways. At the bottom, Detroit’s Jalen Duran just edged out San Antonio forward Jeremy Sochan, who is becoming a defensive nightmare for the opposition as of late.

Here is Draft Digest’s full NBA rookie ladder through Nov. 23, 2022:

1. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers

2. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

3. Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons

4. Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings

5. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder

6. Tari Eason, Houston Rockets

7. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets

8. Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers

9. AJ Griffin, Atlanta Hawks

10. Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons

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