NBA Rookie Ladder: Mobley Maintains, Green Rises in Latest Rankings

The NBA Rookie of the Year race is soon coming to a close.

Cleveland’s Evan Mobley has again maintained the top spot, and is in all likelihood headed for the league’s 2022 Rookie of the Year award.

With his tenacious, All-NBA level defense and 15.1 points per game to go along with it, there’s little chance Mobley will have much competition for the award.

The next closest is Scottie Barnes, who, despite trailing Mobley nearly all season, would be a shoe-in nearly any other year. The Toronto rookie has averaged 15.3 points. 7.6 rebounds and 3.4 assist per game this season, but was recently passed by Cade Cunningham for No. 2 on the rookie ladder.

Cade Cunningham
Raj Mehta/USA TODAY Sports

Cunningham has averaged 24.0 points per game over the last week, and a measly 7.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists to go along with it. Cunningham hasn’t quite been consistent enough to have a legitimate shot at the ROY award, but he’s certainly trying his best to make things interesting.

Jalen Green, after averaging 20.0 points over the last week, has finally found himself back in the top five of the ladder. A long, inefficient stretch saw him slide out of the top rookies altogether, but his knack for scoring and soaring high has landed him right back in the mix.

Oklahoma City’s Josh Giddey, who hasn’t played since the All-Star break, has slid down to No. 6. The West’s best rookie will concede his first Western Conference Rookie of the Month award in March.

Rounding out the list are No. 9 Jonathan Kuminga, followed by Chris Duarte, Davion Mitchell, and Denver’s Bones Hyland.


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Derek Parker
DEREK PARKER

Derek is the Publisher for InsideTheThunder.com and Draft Digest for Fan Nation, powered by Sports Illustrated. He has been a sports writer in the Oklahoma City market for five years now, primarily covering the Oklahoma City Thunder and NBA Draft.