There have been a lot of interesting stories in the 2024–25 NBA season, even from the beginning. From the shockingly bad starts of the Philadelphia and Milwaukee Bucks to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 11-0 start and the overall great play of the 2024 rookie class, there’s clearly also a lot to look forward to.
As things stand, this class doesn’t seem to have the same level of “star power” as the one that featured Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama in 2023. Instead, it seems to have a well-rounded group of players who are making significant contributions to their teams. This makes it look like the race for Rookie of the Year will continue throughout the season, with no clear frontrunners emerging from the start.
In this post, leading pundit with MightyTips, Kate Richardson, ranks top contenders for the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year race and shares thoughts about the class of 2024.
Washington Wizard Alex Sarr and Atlanta Hawk Zaccharie Risacher Named in 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings
The 2024-25 season has seen some impressive players emerge across the top teams in the NBA, although compared to last time out, the talent mix wasn’t too clear cut from the start. Nonetheless, with each passing game, these young players have established themselves and showed the basketballing world what they are capable of producing.
Each year, the fresh drafts into the NBA will compete for the votes of sports broadcasters and writers. The rookie with the highest point is crowned with the much coveted award. Last time out, 7-foot-tall Victor Wembanyama emerged Rookie of the Year after being odds-on at bookies.
Sportsbooks have similarly published odds for favorites to win this season’s rookie of the year award, with names like Alex Sarr and Jaylen Wells making the list. Interestingly, MightyTips is one renowned tipster that has followed top bookmakers from the release of preseason odds till now. You can bet on any of the listed players to emerge the top youngster of the season among other exciting basketball markets.
But for now, here’s a rundown of potential rookies that are in contention for the award.
Zach Edey: Memphis Grizzlies
Even though he hasn’t played since November 17 because of an ankle sprain, Edey got back on track after a sluggish start and produced like he did in college. But this time, he only played 20.1 minutes per game. The Grizzlies, who drafted him first to fill a need at center, are reaping the benefits of his strong-side platoon role. What may just be a concern is his constant foul trouble (he averages 3.1 a game).
On the flip side, his size gives him the ability to physically dominate games. In a game against Brooklyn on November 4th, he made headlines as the first rookie after Hakeem Olajuwon to go for 25/10/4 on 90 percent shooting.
Edey has averaged one block and nearly one steal per game, although his size limits his defensive strategy options.
Alexandre Sarr: Washington Wizards
After three weeks of competing against the world’s top basketball players, Alexandre Sarr (hailed as a high-ceiling defender) has proven himself to be up to the challenge.
He is one of the few 7-footers who can defend the rim, switch on to smaller, more nimble guards, and execute various pick-and-roll coverages.
With a 10.4 block rate percentage (which qualifies him for the 99th percentile for the league), Sarr not only ranks first among rookies, but he also became the second-fastest teenager in the history of NBA to hit 20 blocks.
This 19-year-old player is exceptionally good at defense, but he’s also skilled at the other end of the ball. Among rookies, he ranks 5th in points per game, with a 9.8, and 6th in assists per game, with a 2,4.
As LeBron James once said, “Hard work, dedication, and a passion for the game are the keys to success in the NBA.”
Starr’s impressive start to his career is a testament to these values, and though he’s got some work to do when it comes to scoring, there’s no denying that he has all the makings of a great NBA career.
Zaccharie Risacher: Atlanta Hawks
As the first pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Risacher is under serious pressure to step up and make himself stand out.
Though the Frenchman has a lot of work to do defensively and needs to improve his rebounding statistics, he is becoming more comfortable scoring goals with each game he plays.
Risacher has the top rookie scoring average with 12 points per game on 11 shots in 27 minutes each game. Even with All-Stars like Jalen Johnson and Trae Young in the lineup, the Atlanta Hawks will try to run plays through their youngster, as no other rookie is averaging more than 10 attempts in a game.
While Risacher definitely needs to work on his defense and shooting efficiency, his fearlessness on offense is a huge plus in basketball.
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Photo: Unsplash
Stephon Castle: San Antonio Spurs
Sometimes in November 2024 (Nov. 6, to be exact), Castle stepped into the starting line and took the place of injured Jeremy Sochan. And during that time, the Spurs had an 8-5 record.
Castle hasn’t been very efficient, which isn’t exactly a surprise since he’s out of UConn, but he has made good contributions and is getting valuable minutes as a bench player. Besides scoring in double digits for 12 games in a row, he routinely takes on top defensive duties and creates opportunities for his teammates.
Though Castle’s 3-point shooting percentage is still low (28.9%), shooting four times per game is encouraging and shows some level of confidence. San Antonio’s willingness to let him experiment with his offense is fantastic for his long-term development.
Overall, his performance has been commendable, and he looks like he will be a mainstay in the Spurs starting lineup for the foreseeable future.
Yves Missi: New Orleans Pelicans
Despite the Pelicans’ many injuries, Missi has stepped in and performed better than expected, though amidst the team’s dismal record. The Pelicans, who are currently 4-18, have lost nine in a row.
Playing before veteran Daniel Theis and putting up solid performances, he has certainly earned prolonged playing time should New Orleans ever return to top performance. The Pelicans were fortunate to grab him in the late first round because he gives them athletic rim protection, which they have been lacking.
In the words of Muhammad Ali, “Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision.” While he may be inexperienced, Missi’s tools and motor have helped many times. He has a lot more rebounds than any other rookie starting the week, and he seems like an ideal match for the rim-runner center.
Tristan da Silva: Orlando Magic
After several Magic players went down with injuries, the 18th overall selection from Munich, Germany, has gotten more playing time.
Silva has been very composed, and he scored 21 points in a recent victory over the Nets. However, he still has a lot of room to grow as a shooter; at 23, he’s only making 33.3% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Jaylen Wells: Memphis Grizzlies
As a second-round pick who has filled in for many injured Memphis Grizzlies players, Wells has been a great asset to the team.
He became the Grizzlies’ starting point guard on October 31 and has remained there despite the return of Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Luke Kennard. He is reliable, takes good care of the ball, and consistently scores from beyond the arc. So far, Wells’ best performance was a 26-point outing at Chicago on November 23.
The 14-7 Grizzlies have benefited greatly from Wells’ steady shooting and his willingness to take on difficult defensive assignments, even if he isn’t a very spectacular player. Because of this, Memphis has given Ja Morant a lot of room to work with.
Though he has the flashy potential of some of his rookie classmates, Wells has been among the leading performers so far.