Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert remains the favorite to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award again. It would be his fourth DPOY honor and first with the Timberwolves, who lead the league in overall defense (108. 4 consistent points on 100 possessions).
But Victor Wembanyama is gaining attention, both among the electorate in the media and in Las Vegas. Most notable punters place it at the moment in a domain that has become clearer for a number of reasons.
Analytics specialists like Kirk Goldsberry have divided the knowledge into a way that defends the veteran San Antonio man. Consider that in the Spurs’ last 15 games through Tuesday, their defensive score with Wembanyama in the game has been 107. 3, higher than Minnesota’s. First. With Wemby out of the field, he dropped to 119. 3, which would put him 29th overall.
However, the season is not measured in 15 games. With a score of 69, the Spurs’ 116. 9 ranks 23rd overall. And just as MVPs don’t usually come from groups at the back of the leaderboard, DPOYs are awarded to players coming from leaking global defenses.
Wembanyama is still a long way off, this spring. He may be the favorite next season and many more to come.
Here are this week’s Kia Rookie Ladder updates:
Weekly Summary
• Wembanyama has a chance to sign six NBA greats who have averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3. 5 blocks in a season. The others: Hakeem Olajuwon, who did it six times; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (three); David Robinson (three); Alonso Deuil (two); and Patrick Ewing and Shaquille O’Neal, who did it once each. Only Olajuwon has maintained those averages in his Hall of Fame career.
• Think of this as a mandatory qualifier that the NBA didn’t officially record blocked shots until 1973-74, the season after Wilt Chamberlain’s retirement. Chamberlain, who was named Rookie of the Year, averaged 30. 1 shots and 22. 9 rebounds in his career. According to team statisticians, he stopped 3. 5 or more shots in a half.
• Health is a factor for many recruits. Washington’s Bilal Coulibaly finished his season after falling and fracturing his right wrist in Chicago on Saturday. Houston’s Cam Whitmore has missed the last 4 games with a sprained knee and is expected to be out a few more. Weeks. Then there’s Ausar Thompson’s undisclosed illness that will cost him six games in tonight’s matchup against the Pacers.
• Health in reverse: As the Pelicans have become and remain healthier, the role of their most productive recruit has diminished. New Orleans is 16-5 since Jan. 31, when Jordan Hawkins averaged just 4. 2 shots in 11. 8 minutes while shooting 25. 5. % from the depths. Prior to that, he maintained a 10. 5 ppg pitch at 21. 6 mpg, achieving 39. 1% of the arc.
Scenario to watch out for
The Hornets rookie’s three-point increase leads the Class of 2023 in 3-pointers made (394) and hit (145), while ranking fifth among 16 freshmen who attempted at least 15. At his current pace, with Charlotte he has thirteen games remaining, and he could rank in the top five in 3-point shots in a rookie season. It’s unlikely he’ll be able to catch Sacramento’s Keegan Murray, who set the record (206) a year ago.
Latest Rankings
(All stats as of Tuesday, March 19)
Follow the evolution of our rookie ratings during the season.
1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama didn’t shoot very well (41. 2 percent and 12. 5 percent from deep), but his overall week flopped (20. 7 points per game, 11. 7 rpg, 5. 3 bpg with 4. 0 apg). He also scored 2. 3 in 33. 8 minutes as San Antonio went 1-2. It did enough for the identified authority, Draymond Green, to make a decision on the allocation of this scale.
2. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
Holmgren and his teammates are refueling after not playing since Saturday (he scored 22 points with 11 rebounds in Memphis). They now play five games in 8 nights. The Thunder rookie and their MVP candidate will also be visual when they don’t play in the coming weeks.
3. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets
Miller’s stats dropped the Hornets’ week 1-3 thanks to his early exit in Philadelphia on Saturday. He played just 15 minutes with six issues before committing a flagrant foul 2 for elbowing Tyrese Maxey in the face. Most likely, he’ll still be signing up against 14 other NBA rookies who are averaging at least 15 points and 2 three-pointers.
4. Jaime Jaquez Jr. , Miami Heat
Running has been Jaquez’s big contribution lately, filling Jimmy Butler’s vacancy. He ranks second in Adebayo’s overall standings for a Miami team that has 32 other starting lineups employing 17 other players.
5. Derek Lively II, Dallas Mavericks
He upped his offense from five 10-point games in the last nine games to 16 in his first 41. He scored all 12 points Tuesday against the Spurs in 16 minutes on 5-of-7 shooting for Wembanyama in 32 minutes on 3-of-13 shooting.
Next 5
6. Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Thompson helped the Rockets bounce back in Sengun’s absence, with a 25-10 double-double against the Wizards.
? 25 PTS (Maximum Professional) | 10-12 SG | 10 REB pic. twitter. com/dzG4iba6dN
– Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) March 20, 2024
7. Keyonté George, Utah Jazz
A week of 19. 0 points per game wasn’t enough, as coach Will Hardy sat George down against the Wolves on Monday.
8. Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors
He averaged 5. 3 points per game on 33. 3% shooting this week, while posting -2. 0 in 29. 2 minutes.
9. Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Sidelined since March 9 due to an unspecified fitness issue, Thompson still has overall thresholds in rebounds, offensive rebounds, blocks and steals achieved only through Giannis, AD, Joker, Wemthrough and Scottie Barnes.
T10. GG Jackson II, Grizzlies de Memphis
Jackson, the week’s highest-rated rookie (22. 3 points per game), received traction late, but ranks sixth in FGA per game (10. 0) and fourth (5. 1) from the arc.
T10. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
The son of former NBA player Dale Davis, the Warriors’ newest youngster who has made a big impact.
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Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can email him here, his files here, and follow him on X.
The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its clubs, or Warner Bros. Discovery.