How Josh Giddey Stacks up Against the Past 5 Rookie of the Year Winners

Josh Giddey has the best chance of the Thunder rookies to win NBA Rookie of the Year, but history may not be on his side.

Josh Giddey is a longshot for NBA Rookie of the Year this season, but his stats rank near the top of all current eligible rookies.

Giddey bodes well against his current fellow rookies but what about the past winners?

The past winners stacks Giddey up against current NBA stars, fellow lottery picks and guards.

Good news first for the 19-year-old is that the previous five winners and nine of the last ten Rookie of the Year awards have been given to guards. However, four of the last five winners have been drafted in the top-3 picks with the exception of Malcolm Brogdon who won in the 2016-17 season as the 36th pick.

Giddey, who was selected sixth in the 2021 NBA draft, is averaging 11.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. He also recently broke the Oklahoma City rookie record for double-doubles with 11 all before the All-Star break.

Here’s how Giddey ranks against the last five winners of the award. 

2020-21: Lamelo Ball

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Lamelo Ball made an immediate splash in his rookie campaign this past season. He shot 43.6% from the field and notched an impressive 15.7 points per game in the campaign. Ball also shot well from 3-point range posting a 35.2% mark.

Ball paired his scoring prowess with nearly six rebounds and 6.1 assists per game while overtaking a star role on the Hornets.

He produced better than Giddey in all scoring categories, but the Thunder rookie has posted better rebounding and the same assist numbers as the Hornets' blossoming leader.

Ball played in just 51 games in his rookie season, in which the NBA season was shortened. 

2019-20: Ja Morant

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Ja Morant is one of the near superstars in the league now and his start was quick and violent.

Morant played in 67 games and averaged 17.8 points per game on a nearly 48% clip. He also posted a 33.5% mark from 3-point range.

Morant notched a high assist mark and a typical rebounding mark from a guard of his stature. He grabbed just under four rebounds per game and more than seven assists per game.

Giddey bests Morant in just the rebounding department, as expected with Giddey having a height and weight advantage over the Grizzlies' star. 

2018-19: Luka Doncic

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Luka Doncic sits in the same boat as Morant, a blossoming superstar and generational talent. During his rookie season, he was challenged by Trae Young for the award, eventually edging him out.

Doncic put up a remarkable 21.2 points per game while shooting 42.7% and shooting just under 33% from 3-point range. He also helped the Mavericks on the glass grabbing nearly eight rebounds per game. Doncic also totaled six assists per game helping his teammates get their due.

Doncic also limited turnovers as Dallas’ main ball handler with less than four per game as a rookie. He bests Giddey in all except for assists, narrowly. 

2017-18: Ben Simmons

Brett Davis

Ben Simmons won a highly debated Rookie of the Year race in the 2017-18 season and has since had a roller coaster career.

Simmons tallied nearly 16 points per game in his rookie campaign playing in 81 games. In those games he shot 54.5% from the field and just over eight rebounds and assists per game.

Simmons also posted 1.7 steals per game in his rookie season. He bests Giddey in all major categories. 

2016-17: Malcolm Brogdon

Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

Malcolm Brogdon hasn’t had the same success since winning the award as some of the other most recent winners, but his career continues to progress.

In his inaugural campaign he tallied 10.2 points per game while shooting better than 45% from the field. Brogdon also posted a 3-point shooting clip that eclipsed 40%, making him a go-to shooter.

Brogdon tallied 4.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds in the 16-17 season and turned the ball over less than two times per contest. Giddey’s numbers are better overall than the current Pacers guard, but Brogdon’s shooting gives him an edge over the Australian rookie. 

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