The 2024-25 NBA rookie class is off to a brutal start. like, historically bad. There’s reason to hold out hope – it’s foolish to write off anyone who moves in less than two weeks – but there’s reason for that, too 2024 draft was billed as weak. It will take time and a lot of patience for many of these players to emerge.

There’s normally a pretty clear group of favorites for Rookie of the Year. The intersection of opportunity and elegance is incredibly valuable for a rookie, and there aren’t many players right now who check both boxes. Even the No. 1 pick started the season coming off the bench. Zach Edey, the most dominant college basketball player of the last decade, is starting in Memphis. He plays on average under 20 minutes per game. The leashes are short and the bindings are thin.

So these rankings consequently improve greatly with each passing game. All it takes is one breakthrough performance to shed this rookie class in a whole new light. As a result, I recommend not putting too many stocks into these rankings. It’s good to understand the situation right now, but expect this roster to look very different once the season is over. A lot will change and develop in the coming months.

Here are the 10 best rookies to date.

Donovan Clingan averaged 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 12.9 minutes. The Blazers continue to rely heavily on Deandre Ayton, but it’s only a matter of time before Clingan’s solid fundamentals, effective finishing and all-world rim protection earn him a more prominent role. Don’t be surprised if Portland spends the next few months doing everything they can to cancel Ayton’s contract.

Five-year college star Jamison Battle, who went undrafted in June, quickly emerged as a rotation cog for the injury-plagued Raptors. Battle’s efficient three-point shooting sets him apart from other rookie players; Not to mention his solid rebounding from the wings and his general air of consistency that eludes many of his peers.

Some metrics (justifiably) take a toll on Jamal Shead’s inefficient shooting from beyond the arc, but as Toronto’s backup point guard, he averaged 5.0 assists in 18.6 minutes while playing strong defense on the perimeter. Shead’s ability to fight through screens and cover the point of attack is valuable for a team that is currently missing several of its best defenders. He brings valuable energy off the bench and Toronto needs that badly.

The scoring efficiency that Jonathan Mogbo defined in college was not fully reflected in seven games, but the 1.80-meter “center” made his impact felt on the defensive end. He switches screens, smothers the perimeter like a crazed attack dog, and wreaks havoc as a weak pass rusher (1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks in 17.1 minutes). Stylish screening, passing, and vertical shooting around the basket will eventually translate into a workable offense.

An eight-assist, zero-turnover performance in 37 minutes on Saturday was a welcome feather in Bub Carrington’s cap. As expected, he struggles to score around the basket, but Carrington’s playmaking and shooting are impressive at just 19 years old. He leads all rookies in minutes per game and should continue to get plenty of opportunities in DC.

Alex Sarr hasn’t figured out what offense is yet, but the Wizards are putting him on the floor 24.8 minutes a night and letting it happen. This is the right strategy for a rebuilding team and allowed us to see a lot of flashes from the 2nd overall pick, including some crazy defensive highlights (2.8 blocks per game).

He needs to increase his strength and become more powerful, especially in attack, but all the troubles that followed Sarr’s troubled Summer League seem foolish in hindsight. The tools are clearly there and contribute to a much more competitive Wizards team than initially expected.

At some point, Washington will return to the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, which will equate to an even bigger workload for Sarr. He couldn’t put the pieces together offensively, but it’s hard to find a 7-footer who moves so gracefully with or without the piece. Sarr has a legitimate open scoring lead, is comfortable moving into tight spaces off the dribble and can occasionally make the forward pass. The low turnover rate (0.6 compared to 1.8 assists) is a positive sign.

Not the start most people expected Rookie of the Year The betting favorite is Zach Edey, who is a frequent victim of foul trouble. He appeared in all seven games for Memphis, but averaged 18.3 minutes. The leash is short, and it’s clear that Edey is still adjusting to the pace of NBA basketball.

Edey almost never fouled out at Purdue, mainly out of necessity. The Boilermakers couldn’t afford to lose Edey, so he was asked to play an extremely conservative style of defense. Edey’s role in the NBA is very different. He needs to be active with his hands and scary at the rim. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 305 pounds, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Edey has trouble competing with the quickness and athleticism inherent in the pros. It deserves time and patience to figure it out.

Despite numerous problems, Edey was more productive than most of his peers, averaging 9.1 points and 5.7 rebounds on 58 percent shooting. If the defense comes into its own and Edey can stay on the floor longer, his mismatch creation in the post, combined with his wide-screen setup and ocean catch radius on shots, should make a consistent impact and, yes, keep the Rookie of the Year buzzing.

Yves became Missi Pelicans’ missing link. It’s only a matter of time before he starts full-time and provides significant value as New Orleans’ defensive anchor. Herb Jones and Dejounte Murray (when he returns) will continue to cause chaos with their on-court activity, but the Pelicans won’t be able to field a workable defense without a solid presence in the middle. The front office has failed to find a quality veteran center to replace Jonas Valanciunas, but with Missi’s meteoric rise, that may not matter.

Missi recorded her first career start on Saturday, collecting four points, 10 rebounds and a block in 26 minutes. It’s nothing too special, but Missi’s ridiculous athleticism and hot motor allow him to get a lot of ground on the defensive line. The Pelicans have been looking for a long-term solution at center for years. Missi could really have that.

His offensive production has been understandably muted, but Missi is a masterful lob threat with some open air and makeshift pizza that he doesn’t get enough credit for. Defensive playmaking (1.5 blocks in 20.8 minutes), solid fundamentals and relentless energy will keep Missi high on this list as the season progresses.

Selected in the second round of the 2024 draft, Jaylen Wells immediately found a home in the Grizzlies rotation. He has now made back-to-back starts with Desmond Bane injured, which has led to back-to-back performances of at least 15 points, five rebounds and two three-pointers for Washington State.

This was the book about Wells coming out of school. At 6-foot-1, he’s a solid shooter, a role the Grizzlies have always enjoyed. Following in the footsteps of Luke Kennard and, of course, Bane, Wells has fairly straightforward responsibilities in the backcourt alongside Ja Morant or Scotty Pippen. He’s there to run the floor, space himself to the three-point line, and engage defenders with off-ball moves.

He doesn’t do much beyond shooting, but that alone is valuable enough, especially when the rest of his peers can’t seem to find the ocean from the seaside. Wells is making 38.7 percent of his 4.4 three-pointers per game and averaging 10.3 points in 24.8 minutes. A day one contributor to a promising prospect, Wells exuded true Rookie vibes for two weeks.

Your rookie leader in three-pointers made for a few weeks now is Ryan Dunn, which is absolutely mind-boggling. While in college, Dunn couldn’t shoot. He made 20 percent of his only attempts per game as a sophomore at Virginia. Not only did Dunn lack touch, he also lacked confidence. Indeed, the entire offensive game was a mess, defined by a gun-shy approach, unreliable decision-making and a lack of finesse.

Look, Dunn is shooting 39.3 percent on 4.7 attempts so far in Phoenix, and he’s hitting those numbers in just 17.8 minutes. That’s why he’s become a legitimately productive backup scorer on the Suns’ second unit, not to mention the whirlwind defense that made Dunn a potential prospect in the first place. Dunn is arguably the best defender in this draft; He is listed at 6-foot-4, with long arms and an outstanding basketball-ready nose.

Dunn sets up camp in passing lanes and moves across the positional spectrum with ease. We’ve seen plenty of examples of Dunn guards walling off at the point of attack or snuffing out stronger wings with pure effort and intensity. The Suns needed another top defenseman next to Kevin Durant. This was a huge hole in their rotation last season. Dunn provides that and his minutes should increase exponentially as the season progresses and Mike Budenholzer realizes what he has.