We are already about halfway through the 2023-24 NBA season. As it has been one of the most competitive seasons so far, this rookie draft class is one of the best draft classes in recent years and has potential to be one of the best classes ever. The talent from the top of the draft all the way to undrafted guys have all made an impact in their short run of NBA basketball. I want to breakdown the draft now and highlight just how good it has really been. This is a super long post but it just highlights how many rookies have been so good this year.
Obviously this draft was known as the Wemby draft and the Spurs won the sweepstakes of the 7 foot 4 demigod. After stepping on the ballboy’s foot in December, the Spurs put Wemby on a minutes restriction. In the last 10 games, Wemby has really turned into a superstar averaging 21 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks a game all in 24 minutes a game. In this span he had his first career triple double and had a 30, 6, 6 and 7 block game. Per 36 minutes, Vic is averaging 35.5 points, 14 rebounds and 5.4 blocks. The Spurs will only continue to get better and perfect a lineup around their superstar. That includes starting Tre Jones at Point Guard so he can feed the French phoneme. Chet has been unreal this year and could be on the all defensive team but the Rookie of the Year award belongs to Victor, who is having one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history.
The next two picks of the draft were Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson. Both were talked about being number one picks in the draft if Victor Wembanyama was in a different class and are considered generational prospects. Both these players are still adjusting to the NBA game but also putting up some good numbers, and are both top 5 in rookie PPG. Miller, who is currently injured, is averaging 14 points per game and has shown flashes to becoming a great NBA scorer like Paul George or Brandon Ingram. I hope he can get healthy and play with Lamelo again to finish his rookie year. Scoot has struggled early but seems that he is coming into his own. Most guards (not Luka or Trae) struggle when they first come into the league. Scoot is only 19 years old and has flashed greatness. On Sunday, he played his best game as an NBA player putting up 33, 7, and 9. Scoot has the athleticism to be one of the best PGs in the league and will only get more comfortable. Currently leading the rookies in assists, Scoot has been playing with a G-League roster. If he can develop a consistent jump shot, it will be scary to guard Scoot. Both of these guys have gotten a lot of crap on Social Media but are both great and will continue to get better.
The next 4 picks have all had up-and-down rookie years so far. Amen and Ausar Thompson, Anthony Black, and Bilal Coulibaly were drafted on their potential and pure athletic ability. They have all made impacts on their teams this year and all look like insane defenders. Amen has been injured and I hope he can get some more tick in the second half season. Ausar and Anthony Black have both started games for the Pistons and Magic respectfully. They have flashed true greatness in some games but have been bumped from the rotation at times. I expect Ausar to play a lot down the stretch for Detroit. Every time AB is called on he has played his role great. Bilal has been the one bright spot on the Wizards this season and has shown he can do everything.
The next couple of guys I will be highlighting have succeeded rookie expectations and have been great role players for contending teams. Let’s first talk about Jaime Jaquez Jr. Anyone that watched him play for UCLA for three years knew he was great but I did not think he would have this seamless of a transition to the NBA. Jaquez was drafted to the Miami Heat at the 18th pick. The Heat culture is real and has allowed Jaquez to play and flourish in their system. Juan Wick is averaging 14 points per game but has made way more of an impact, especially when Jimmy Butler was hurt. I was able to see his best game live in Miami when he put up 31 points and 10 rebounds on Christmas Day against the 76ers. Triple J just recently got hurt and will miss the road trip but I hope he recovers fast both as a fan and a fantasy owner.
Both Cason Wallace and Dereck Lively have been great for their teams. The number 10 and 12 picks have shown their lottery-level talent for two of the top teams in the West. Cason is one of the first players off the Thunder bench and has fit perfectly with the young Thunder roster. Wallace is already one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and is shooting 40% from three. He will be a key piece in a Thunder playoff run. Dereck Lively has fit like a glove for the Dallas Mavericks. They were missing a freakish athletic big to pair with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Lively quickly became the starting Center for Mavs and hasnt looked back. Lively is close to being a walking double-double and will continue to be a beast on the boards.
The next two guys have been two of my favorite rookies to watch this season. First ill start with Brandin Podziemski on the Golden State Warriors. Many people did not know Podz coming into the draft. He was a beast at Santa Clara and the Jack Harlow lookalike has been a shining star for the Warriors. Podz does everything right on a basketball court. He was starting for the Warriors for a while and seems to be on his way to an all rookie team. Without the Splash Brothers on Saturday, he put up 23 points and 10 rebounds agaisnt the Bucks and was hitting step-back threes in Giannis face. I have really enjoyed watching him play. The other rookie that has shown star-potential is Keyonte George of the Utah Jazz. The guard out of Baylor is currently averaging 11 points and 5 assists. George put on a show in the Summer League this year and has shown flashes of being a 20 point scorer. The Jazz have been the hottest team in the NBA and George is a staple of the young core, even if Sexton or Kris Dunn are traded.
The best second round picks have been Andre Jackson Jr, Toumani Camara and Trace Jackson-Davis. The Bucks guard is a tenacious defender and has been the Swiss army knife role he excelled in at Uconn. Camara has been a great addition for the Blazers and fits the mold as a real NBA wing. TJD has been the best big for the Warriors this year. Another college great who I am surprised transitioned to the league so fast. As the only athletic big on the Warriors, TJD will continue to eat.
Both GG Jackson and Cam Whitmore have been unreal the past two games. GG is the youngest player in the league and just became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20 points in back to back games. Whitmore has shown why he was supposed to be a top 5 pick, scoring double digits in 7 of the last 8 games. Both of these guys would be top 3 picks in the 2024 draft. Jordan Hawkins has shown he is an elite shooter for the Pelicans. Every time he plays, he hits multiple threes. I can go on and on about this draft class. The All-Rookie team will be impossible to make by the end of the season. There is still so much talent learning the game in the G-League and will get more of an opportunity to play in the later end of the season. I am excited to see the development of the lottery picks that have not played meaningful minutes yet. 2023 will go down as one of the best drafts of all time and I did not even include the undrafted studs Craig Porter Jr and Duop Reath. Unfortunately, 2024 has a down draft class so we may not see a class like this again for years to come.
JakesTakes 
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