Fantasy Basketball Rookie Report – Week 5 NBA Rookie Rankings!

Happy post-Thanksgiving break week. Hopefully, you got to enjoy your sports Thanksgiving a lot more than I did, as my teams went 0-4 in 36 hours. Not exactly my favorite thing in the whole wide world, but it makes it easier to have fun writing about the rookie class and how they have been collectively fun fantasy-wise. With that in mind, this week will be a bit different. I’m going to formulate my short and long-term NBA rookie rankings.

These rankings will assess how the player has performed thus far and also consider their overall future value from the stat sheet. There’s a difference in current and future value, and I think, like in baseball, it’s important to consider that for each player. Some teams are not in a position to need their prospects to perform at this time, but that does not mean that a specific player does not boom, and a current player does not bust. Overall, fantasy is a test in analysis as well.

Weekly Fantasy Basketball Rookie Report – Week 5 Rookie Rankings!

A few notes before we get started. The scale is going to be 20-80, 20 being the worst and 80 being the best. 20 is a player that currently has little to no value. Alternatively, 80 is the ultimate prospect. Someone that can shoot, pass, dribble, rebound, etc. A potential GOAT.

Players

1. Chet Holmgren (PF/C, Oklahoma City Thunder)
   • Current Value: 60
   • Future Value: 80
   • Description/Rationale: Chet is the best player in this class thus far. He can shoot, rebound, block shots, and record steals. He has some passing sense, enough to make a difference. He is the second-best player as a rookie on the second-best team in the West with the third-highest usage.
2. Victor Wembanyama (PF/C, San Antonio Spurs)
   • Current Value: 60
   • Future Value: 80
   • Description/Rationale: Wemby is playing very well despite the San Antonio growing pains. Has had some shooting problems, but has had success with the highest usage on the team by 7%. 19.2/9.5/2.5/3.9 Stocks is pretty great. With proper team building, he should increase his value.
3. Ausar Thompson (SG/SF/PF, Detroit Pistons)
   • Current Value: 50
   • Future Value: 60
   • Description/Rationale: Thompson is averaging 11.4/9.5/3.1 with 2.8 Stocks per game, a real testament to his athleticism and basketball IQ. This will pay dividends, and given the right situation on the court, lead to better FG% down the line.
4. Jordan Hawkins (PG/SG/SF, New Orleans Pelicans)
   • Current Value: 45
   • Future Value: 55
   • Description/Rationale: Hawkins is a good shooting guard with the ability to grab rebounds. Being able to take a step forward as a rookie on a team that needs that kind of player is important. Should pay dividends. Averaging 13.4/4.1/2.0 on 39.6/37.0/86.1. Had a bad start to the month.
5. Brandon Miller (SG/SF, Charlotte Hornets)
   • Current Value: 45
   • Future Value: 57.5
   • Description/Rationale: Miller may not be the multi-year all-star of the future, but he does shoot the ball fairly well and can rebound. Currently missing marks in defensive metrics, and does not have a great three-point percentage yet. Averaging 14.1/4.1/1.9 on 47.2/35.6/78.1.
6. Jaime Jaquez Jr. (SF/PF, Miami Heat)
   • Current Value: 50
   • Future Value: 57.5
   • Description/Rationale: Not unrealistic to think of Jaime Jaquez as a 6th man of the year, although it may be a bit of a stretch. 13.0/4.3/2.5 on 50.7/40.4/82.4 in November.
7. Dereck Lively II (C, Dallas Mavericks)
   • Current Value: 50
   • Future Value: 60
   • Description/Rationale:
8. Keyonte George (PG, Utah Jazz)
   • Current Value: 40
   • Future Value: 55
   • Description/Rationale: George has already accumulated multiple double-digit assist games, and averaging 10.6/3.0/5.8 since taking over as the starting point guard. Although George has room to grow, he’s already shown a reason to be on a fantasy roster.
9. Cason Wallace (SG/PG, Oklahoma City Thunder)
   • Current Value: 45
   • Future Value: 55
   • Description/Rationale: Wallace may never average over 15 points per game or accumulate a lot of assists/rebounds or steals and blocks. He will be efficient. That is worth some weight in category leagues.
10. Scoot Henderson (PG, Portland Trailblazers)
    • Current Value: 40
    • Future Value: 60
    • Description/Rationale: Young point guards usually have a really tough time taking the helm. In 4 games in November playing next to Malcolm Brogdon, Scoot is averaging 10/2.5/4.0 on 37.8%/46.2%/60% in 21.5 minutes. This is what the growth phase is all about. Play with a veteran until the trade deadline when the Blazers inevitably trade Brogdon, and learn from it. Stash now if you can, or buy lower than what he cost at the draft.
11. Toumani Camara (F, Portland Trailblazers)
    • Current Value: 35
    • Future Value: ???
    • Description/Rationale: Camara is averaging 6.1/4.2/1.1 on bad shooting splits. He’s the kind of player that will figure it out though, as he seems to be in the right place at the right time and a quality defender. Think of Camara as a second-round Ausar Thompson from a fantasy perspective. The Blazers are going to do the rebuild right.
12. Anthony Black (PG/SG, Orlando Magic)
    • Current Value: 35
    • Future Value: 45
    • Description/Rationale: Black is very athletic, and plays good defense. However, the 4.6 PPG/2.1 RPG/1.3 APG with nearly half a stock per game does not exactly feel like a starting caliber player.
13. Marcus Sasser (PG/SG, Detroit Pistons)
    • Current Value: 35
    • Future Value: 45
    • Description/Rationale: Sasser is a quality backup point guard. From a fantasy perspective, the type to be able to contend for 6th man once or twice in his career. 8.0 PPG/2.0 RPG/2.6 APG on good efficiency. Does not take many free throws currently.
14. Bilal Coulibaly (SG/SF/PF, Washington Wizards)
    • Current Value: 45
    • Future Value: 45
    • Description/Rationale: Not incredibly sold on the shooting. Averaging 8.1/3.6/1.8 on 50/42.2/63.6%. His free throw rate is improving though.
15. Brandin Podziemski (SG, Golden State Warriors)
    • Current Value: 40
    • Future Value:45
    • Description/Rationale: Pod-father putting in work and some good shooting splits at 43.8/40.7/77. Will be a rotational shooting guard long term!
16. Craig Porter Jr. (PG/SG, Cleveland Cavaliers)
    • Current Value: 45
    • Future Value: 35
    • Description/Rationale: Craig Porter is going to come back down to earth at some point. Did not have the success at Wichita State that he’s having with the Cavs.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Gradey Dick (SG/SF, Toronto Raptors, CV: 25/FV: 45)
2. Julian Strawther  (SF, Denver Nuggets, CV: 30/FV: 40)
3. Andre Jackson Jr. (F, Milwaukee Bucks, CV: 30/FV: 40)
4. Trayce Jackson-Davis (F/C, Golden State Warriors, CV: 35/FV:45)

Did I miss something or someone? Check back next week for breakdowns and fantasy potential of almost everyone in last year’s draft!