Aside from talk surrounding MVP rankings and who the best player in the NBA is, the conversations surrounding the league's rookie class always pick up after the first month of the regular season. Hey, what do you know, we are just about a month into the 2023-24 season, which means it's time to take a look at this year's very first NBA Rookie Rankings.
So far, the 2023 draft class has been top-heavy, with just a handful of first-year talents cracking their team's main rotation. This is not to say that others will not get more involved as the season goes on. Time and time again, rookies step up when we least expect them to, something we are already beginning to see with Brandin Podziemski from the Golden State Warriors and Keyonte George from the Utah Jazz.
The spotlight not just on the rookie class, but the NBA season as a whole to this point has been on San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama. A generational talent whose length is something we have truly never seen in a versatile big man before, Wembanyama has been everything the Spurs could have hoped for. As the season goes on and he continues to get acclimated to the pace of the NBA, Wemby could very easily solidify his spot as the best rookie in the league.
This can also be said for Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, another lengthy big man whose game is not just limited to the paint. Holmgren is a modern-day center who blocks shots at one end and then immediately hits a triple at the other. The talk all season long has been centered around Wembanyama vs. Holmgren for Rookie of the Year, but Detroit Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson has truly been the most impressive rookie to this point.
Thompson looks like an All-Defensive candidate early on in the season and is among the best rebounders in the league as a 6'7″ small forward. As he gains more confidence in his shooting abilities, Thompson may become one of the best two-way players in the entire NBA.
The NBA Rookie Rankings are beginning to take shape. While his team may not be the best, Thompson takes the top spot above Wembanyama and Holmgren.
1. Ausar Thompson – Detroit Pistons
2023-24 season stats: 12 games, 12.0 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.3 steals, 43.2 FG%, 14.8 3P%
Ausar Thompson is an absolute freak athlete. Look, I get all the hype surrounding Wembanyama and Holmgren, plus the fact that their stats are probably better than Thompson's.
However, the eye test needs to mean something here, and Ausar has been the most impressive rookie to this point simply because he looks like he has been in the NBA for years. In fact, Thompson is the first player since Mychal Thompson in 1978 to record at least 115 rebounds, 35 assists, 20 blocks, and 10 steals in the first 12 games of their career, per Pistons PR.
Through 12 games, Thompson has recorded at least seven rebounds in every single game. We are also beginning to see his confidence as a scorer grow every night. Unlike Wembanyama and Holmgren, Thompson is not that strong of a three-point shooter. What Ausar lacks in perimeter shooting he makes up for by aggressively attacking the rim for high-percentage shots.
If you need an example of this, just look at what the Pistons rookie did against Atlanta Hawks veteran big man Clint Capela on Tuesday night:
Nikola Jokic ranks first in the league in total rebounds and Rudy Gobert ranks second. These are two familiar names who usually dwell at the top of this list. Right behind them in third is Thompson, which is simply incredible to think about. On a team with notable rebounding big men in Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and Marvin Bagley III, it has been Thompson who has made the greatest impact in Detroit. Despite being tied for the league lead in personal fouls, the Pistons rookie has yet to foul out of any game this season.
Between his high basketball IQ and his willingness to let his teammates succeed, Ausar Thompson has been the most impressive rookie through the first several weeks of the 2023-24 NBA season.
2. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs
2023-24 season stats: 11 games, 18.6 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, 1.0 steals, 43.2 FG%, 28.3 3P%
At this point, even those who live under a rock know who Victor Wembanyama is. The Spurs rookie has captured the attention of the entire NBA world, and there is no denying that he is likely the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award. Wemby leads all rookies in scoring, field goals made, field goals attempted, and blocked shots. Ausar Thompson leads Wembanyama in rebounding by 22 total boards.
What makes Wembanyama such a special player besides his ability to put the ball on the ground and score is the fact that he's always looking to involve his teammates. The French phenom is a much better passer than many would think. By the end of this season, it would not be surprising to see him as the Spurs' lead point guard.
The luxury Wembanyama has right now over other rookies in the league is that the Spurs are easing him into action. Head coach Gregg Popovich is not overworking his young star and is playing Wemby in six-minute stretches to keep him fresh for the fourth quarter, which has coincidently enough been when the first overall pick does most of his damage.
Chet Holmgren and the Oklahoma City Thunder got the best of Wembanyama's Spurs on Tuesday night, but Wemby certainly has the edge over Holmgren in the NBA Rookie Rankings.
3. Chet Holmgren – Oklahoma City Thunder
2023-24 season stats: 11 games, 15.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 1.0 steals, 52.7 FG%, 46.3 3P%
Chet Holmgren finds himself on one of the youngest teams in the league alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Josh Giddey, and Luguentz Dort. Whereas Wembanyama is the best talent on his team, Holmgren is able to adapt to those around him and fill the role the Oklahoma City Thunder need of him. So far, this is exactly what the second-year rookie has done.
What really stands out about Holmgren right now is how smart he plays on both ends of the court. Chet doesn't force shots from the perimeter, he doesn't complain about his shot attempts, and he has already become a dynamic option alongside SGA in the Thunder's offensive plans. Not to mention, Holmgren's length makes him one of the better rim protectors in the league right now.
4. Dereck Lively II – Dallas Mavericks
2023-24 season stats: 10 games, 8.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, 70.6 FG%
When the Dallas Mavericks selected Dereck Lively II, many wondered what his role would look like seeing as the Mavs had acquired Richaun Holmes and still had veteran Dwight Powell. From the very first game of the season, it became clear that Lively was going to be the team's starting center because he adds value as a rebounder and defensive anchor.
Lively is not the big-man scorer Wembanyama and Holmgren are, but he really excels in pick-and-roll basketball. This is extremely advantageous for the rookie seeing as he gets to set screens and be on the receiving end of lobs to the rim from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Lively ranks fourth out of all rookies in blocked shots behind the three others above him on this list, and he has already impacted winning by attacking the glass on both sides of the court.
So far this season, the Mavs are undefeated when Lively has more than five points and a block. Livley's presence makes Dallas just a tad better offensively, which opens up a whole avenue of scoring opportunities for Doncic and Irving.
5. Brandon Miller – Charlotte Hornets
2023-24 season stats: 9 games, 12.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.6 blocks, 44.4 FG%, 27.8 3P%
It's really hard to analyze the Charlotte Hornets and what their plan is with Brandon Miller. Featured in both the starting and second unit to this point, Miller has actually played better coming off the bench. What's confusing about Miller and the Hornets is the fact that the team isn't playing to his strengths.
In college, Miller made a name for himself by being a secondary playmaker and someone who could help initiate an offense. With the Hornets, Miller has been forced to sit in the corner or on the wing, only really getting opportunities when someone else looks to make a play for him. If Charlotte truly wants to maximize their rookie's potential, they will give him a larger role next to LaMelo Ball, almost making him a point forward at times.
Now that he is dealing with an ankle injury, Miller's upside continues to be clouded.
The five rookies just missing the cut
6. Jordan Hawkins – New Orleans Pelicans
2023-24 season stats: 11 games, 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 37.7 FG%, 36.0 3P%
Filling in for the New Orleans Pelicans as they deal with a handful of injuries, Jordan Hawkins has solidified himself as a key part of the rotation. As time goes on, Hawkins will continue to be a key scoring weapon in the Pels' secondary unit.
7. Keyonte George – Utah Jazz
2023-24 season stats: 11 games, 8.0 points, 4.8 assists, 38.5 FG%, 30.4 3P%
Keyonte George is now the lead point guard for the Utah Jazz after recording 27 assists in his last three games. The Jazz needed a facilitator like George, who has helped them rattled off two straight victories.
8. Bilal Coulibaly – Washington Wizards
2023-24 season stats: 10 games, 8.2 points, 43.7 rebounds, 1.1 steals, 50.0 FG%, 43.8 3P%
Seeing over 30 minutes in three of his last four games, Bilal Coulibaly has shot 61.5 percent from the floor and 60 percent from deep in this span. Along with his defensive abilities, Coulibaly is going to emerge as the Washington Wizards' best player down the road.
9. Brandin Podziemski – Golden State Warriors
2023-24 season stats: 7 games, 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 48.6 FG%, 41.7 3P%
The Golden State Warriors need secondary scorers who can impact a game. So far, Brandin Podziemski has done just that in limited minutes. After stepping up on Tuesday night when the Warriors didn't have Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, or Draymond Green, Podziemski has played his way into the nightly rotation.
10. Marcus Sasser – Detroit Pistons
2023-24 season stats: 11 games, 9.3 points, 2.9 assists, 48.4 FG%, 41.3 3P%
Marcus Sasser may just be the most scrappy rookie this year. He can score from anywhere on the floor and is not afraid of any challenge despite being undersized. Sasser recently recorded a career-high 26 points against the Milwaukee Bucks last week.
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