Our second rookie ladder of the season will function as its true first edition. The first five or six games of the year aren’t very indicative of rookie performance. Sample sizes are growing and more rookies are finding their footing. The new No. 1 rookie didn’t even feature on the initial ladder. I’ve watched all of the rookies in enough depth to this point, something I couldn’t claim for the first edition of the ladder.
A 2024 draft filled with older, pro-ready prospects is producing quite a few early contributors. We’ll see where the ceilings land in the near and far future, but plenty of first-year pros are making waves on their new teams.
Per usual, tier placement matters more than the individual rankings for this list. We’re evaluating the rookies as they currently are, NOT as we project them for the rest of their careers. We’ll only include rookies playing over 15 minutes per night, and this ladder will include all 23 rookies meeting that baseline.
Impact NBA Rotation Player
- Jared McCain
- Donovan Clingan
- Dalton Knecht
- Zach Edey
- Kyle Filipowski
Positive Play By Rookie Standards
- Bub Carrington
- Alex Sarr
- Jaylen Wells
- Ryan Dunn
- Stephon Castle
- Yves Missi
- Ajay Mitchell
- Jonathan Mogbo
Flashes/Inconsistent Play
- Ron Holland
- Kyshawn George
- Oso Ighodaro
- Zaccharie Risacher
- Isaiah Collier
- Keaton Wallace
- Tristan Da Silva
- Tidjane Salaun
- Jamal Shead
- Cody Williams
Jared McCain
Amid a nosediving Philadelphia 76ers season, Jared McCain’s emergence rings as the lone positive development. He’s taken on a primary creator role for the hospital Sixers. His 26.2 percent usage rate (per Dunks and Threes) leads all qualifying rookies by a country mile. McCain’s scoring volume and efficiency are honestly shocking — he’s averaging 25.2 points per 75 possessions (92nd percentile) on 61.9 percent true shooting, well above the league average.
we saw it tonight but mccain’s (small sample) rim pressure numbers are frightening. 7.6 rim attempts/75 (90th percentile) is not what i expected
those numbers will return to earth but he’s winning with burst and maintaining his handle vs nba defenses at an encouraging level. https://t.co/gE1O65vTQT pic.twitter.com/K2bfKJFmyh
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 13, 2024
Without the support of his injured star teammates, McCain has carried a huge creation burden. Given his burst issues in college, he’s driving at a frankly ridiculous rate, taking six shots within five feet per 75 possessions. The finishing hasn’t been stellar (57.7 percent), but McCain’s rim pressure opens up his jumper and playmaking.
He’s struggled quite a bit on defense, but his offensive responsibility and efficiency are beyond impressive for a rookie, let alone one drafted outside of the lottery. We’ll see how his role changes throughout the year, but McCain’s performance to this point is undeniable.
Dalton Knecht
Knecht’s recent 37-point explosion against the Utah Jazz helps cement his slot near the top of the current rookie ladder. He’s earned a consistent rotation slot for head coach J.J. Redick, playing 33.2 minutes per night over his last four games. For a Los Angeles Lakers team devoid of complementary creation, his shotmaking has been vital.
DALTON KNECHT HAD 6 THREES IN THE 3Q 😱 pic.twitter.com/g6WNhosxbH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 20, 2024
Redick’s deployment of Knecht has helped unlock his scoring to the fullest. He’s bombing away from three, draining a scorching 46.4 percent of his 8.4 3-pointers per 75 possessions. Knecht eats on easy catch-and-shoots, cuts and relocations off of the stars’ gravity. But Redick allows him to cook when he’s hot, drawing up sets for him to shoot off movement and letting him isolate to drain tough pull-ups.
Similar to McCain, Knecht’s defense is a work in progress and he’s not much of a playmaker at this stage. His offensive versatility is paramount for Los Angeles, and he’s liable to detonate on any given night. That’s a valuable offensive piece for a Lakers team hoping to carve a deep playoff run this year.
Stephon Castle
Just as he did in college at UConn, Stephon Castle already impacts winning in myriad ways. He’s a sturdy defensive wing, pairing beautifully with Victor Wembanyama, and San Antonio boasts a suffocating 107.7 defensive rating when that duo shares the court (189 minutes, per PBP stats). Castle often guards the opponents’ deadliest perimeter threat while playmaking off-ball to force turnovers.
wemby provides a massive boost for defensive playmakers like stephon castle, his presence alone slows down ballhandlers, letting castle pounce on bad passes pic.twitter.com/k9WPDLZ92H
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 17, 2024
His feel for the game and poise are well beyond that of most 20-year-olds playing NBA basketball. Castle constantly makes positive decisions, whether those be pick-and-roll reads or extra passes for threes. He’s flashed some advanced passing manipulation and vision during his playmaking reps.
Castle’s raw scoring and efficiency numbers — 9.9 points per game on 47.9 percent true shooting — don’t paint his offense in a positive light. It’s true that he must improve as a scorer, especially from deep (27.8 percent), to reach a star ceiling. Regardless of what his peak looks like, Castle is playing like he’ll stick around in the league as an impact contributor in a complementary role.
Zaccharie Risacher
The No. 1 selection of the 2024 Draft hasn’t received much buzz or attention this season. That’s partly due to his uninspiring offensive numbers; 12 points per game, 25.3 percent on 3-pointers and 48.3 percent true shooting don’t scream top-pick production.
Risacher’s offense will be a struggle as he adds strength and adjusts to NBA speed, but he’s flashed the offensive tools requisite of NBA success on the wing. He scored 33 against the New York Knicks earlier this month, as well as 18 against the Sacramento Kings on Monday, both fueled by strong 3-point shooting. Once his shot normalizes, Risacher’s driving flashes should become more of a staple.
despite his struggles, i find myself remaining fairly optimistic about zaccharie risacher’s long-term, his decisiveness/confidence as a driver pop even with the shot not falling.
i’ll bet on him developing into a useful starter on great teams eventually pic.twitter.com/StPxtPXLQq
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 21, 2024
Rishacher’s defense has been impressive for a 19-year-old, as his length and mobility help him defend the perimeter tightly, particularly around screens. On both ends of the floor, his recent decisiveness and confidence should bode well for his future, if the shots begin to fall. He likely won’t ever contribute like a typical top pick, but Risacher should develop into a useful two-way starter.
Ajay Mitchell
Mitchell has slotted in nicely for an Oklahoma City Thunder team decimated by injuries, now missing Isaiah Joe on the perimeter. Head coach Mark Daigneault’s insistence on playing young dudes who might not be ready is building Mitchell’s foundation of confidence. He’s rounding into form lately, adding value as an off-ball driver, shooter and defender.
The Thunder got another guy in Ajay Mitchell. Excellent footwork and pacing as a ball-handler, high-level positioning and awareness defensively, reads the floor well on both ends.
Consistently giving them good minutes. pic.twitter.com/DdKPbliveD
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 16, 2024
Especially with Joe sidelined, Oklahoma City lacks creation outside of its stars. Mitchell’s steady presence has helped that somewhat. He’s driving 5.3 times per game and shooting 55.9 percent on those drives. His burst, patience and craft have let him succeed as a scorer, especially in the short midrange. Mitchell attempts 34.3 percent of his shots from 3-10 feet, converting 50 percent of them, per Basketball Reference.
His cerebral defensive play fits with Oklahoma City’s swarming, pressuring defense. He’s only playing 16.2 minutes a night but he’s making them count on both ends of the floor. Mitchell’s floor-spacing, decisive slashing and defense will make it tough for Daigneault to keep him off of the floor.
