Victor Wembanyama is the obvious answer for Rookie of the Year, but who will make the All-Rookie team?
There were many rookies across the NBA that made an impact this season. In fact, 22 different first-year players saw over 1,000 minutes on the court. While there may not have been as wide of an array of talent from the 2023 draft class compared to previous years, Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, and Chet Holmgren all stood out as potential All-Stars who find themselves at the top of the end-of-season NBA rookie rankings.
This was a magical season for Wembanyama, despite the San Antonio Spurs only winning 22 games. Aside from leading the league in blocked shots, Wemby took the league by storm, given that he is a point guard trapped in a big man’s body. The skills that the Spurs’ rookie possesses are one-of-a-kind, putting San Antonio in a position to immediately grow what they hope to be a young, championship core one day. Hey, did it with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, so don’t the Spurs doing it again!
“I would say what I’m most proud of…” Wembanyama paused, via ClutchPoints’ Hector Ledesma. “There’s a couple of things. One thing that I like is having those unique stat lines in wins that people have never been done before. Leading rookies in most categories and leading the league in blocks. I’m pretty proud of that. Things like this.”
Miller and Holmgren also had really terrific rookie seasons. Whereas Miller filled the stat sheets during a lost season for the Charlotte Hornets, Holmgren played a huge role in the Oklahoma City Thunder being able to capture the 1-seed in the Western Conference. The Thunder rookie also finished fifth in the league in blocked shots.
To conclude this season’s NBA rookie rankings, here’s a look at the top five rookies, as well as who deserves to be named to the All-Rookie First and Second Teams.
1. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs
2023-24 season stats: 71 games, 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, 1.2 steals, 46.5 FG%, 32.5 3P%
What a season this was for Victor Wembanyama! The soon-to-be Rookie of the Year recorded at least 20 points in 41 of his 71 games, and it seemed like Wemby was on quadruple-double watch every other night. In fact, he came close to doing so a few times over the final few games of the season, averaging 25.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 5.6 blocks to close out the month of April.
Wembanyama finished the regular season leading all rookies in points (1,522), field goals made (551), rebounds (755), blocks (254), and steals (88). Perhaps the craziest stat associated with Wemby is that he shot 46.2 percent on step-back threes, the highest shooting percentage out of anyone in the league (min. 50 attempts from the perimeter).
This is not a joke.
The step back three made James Harden an MVP. The move was so signature it changed his career and the NBA forever.
At his peak in 2020, 30% of Harden’s shots were step back threes and he was making 37% of them.
4 years later, a 7-foot-5 Victor Wembanyama… pic.twitter.com/5FPCFg6QxU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 16, 2024
Arguments could be had for the seasons Holmgren and Miller put together, but at the end of the day, Wembanyama must be this season’s unanimous Rookie of the Year. The league has truly never seen a player like him, and the French phenom is only going to get better, which is a scary thought.
2. Chet Holmgren – Oklahoma City Thunder
2023-24 season stats: 82 games, 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 53.0 FG%, 37.0 3P%
Many tend to say that Holmgren put up decent numbers as a role player, but he was right next to Jalen Williams as the second-most important player on the Thunder behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Averaging over 16 points and just about eight rebounds per game is no small feat. Neither is the work Holmgren puts in defensively as a rim protector.
The fact of the matter regarding the Thunder rookie is that his team wouldn’t have captured the 1-seed in the West if he didn’t play his role. Gilgeous-Alexander and head coach Mark Daigneault had a big role in Oklahoma City going from 40 to 57 wins, but it is no coincidence that Holmgren joins this roster, and they immediately become title threats.
He can play anywhere on the floor, and his shooting confidence is only going to grow as he matures. Whereas Wemby will be an All-Star in San Antonio, it won’t be long until we are saying the same about Chet with the Thunder.
3. Brandon Miller – Charlotte Hornets
2023-24 season stats: 74 games, 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 44.0 FG%, 37.3 3P%
When the season began, Brandon Miller was still figuring out his role with the Hornets. He was not getting many shot attempts, and it appeared as if Miller was struggling to play off the ball next to LaMelo Ball. As soon as Ball got injured, Miller rose to the occasion and became the focal point of the Hornets’ offense.
The rookie’s scoring averages increased each month, and his shooting percentage increased. It was also clear to see the growth in Miller’s poise as a decision-maker with the ball in his hands. Heading into a new era of Hornets basketball, Miller is obviously going to be the face of the team next to Ball.
Given his size and length, Miller can do just about everything on the court. He certainly has the potential to rise into an All-Star-level player.
4. Amen Thompson – Houston Rockets
2023-24 season stats: 62 games, 9.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals, 53.6 FG%
When he was healthy, Amen Thompson was the X-factor for the Houston Rockets. He held a significant role during their amazing 11-game win streak to pull close to the play-in region of the standings, and Thompson showed glimpses of his two-way potential all season long.
Not to mention, with the ball in his hands, the Rockets’ offense thrived. In his final four games of the season, Thompson averaged 15.8 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. He also recorded three double-doubles to close out the year, dropping a triple-double in the season finale.
Thompson can defend any position given his size, and he has all the tools to become an All-Defensive type of player. This is why he finds himself inside the top five of the end-of-season NBA rookie rankings.
5. Brandin Podziemski – Golden State Warriors
2023-24 season stats: 74 games, 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 45.4 FG%, 38.5 3P%
There is no way to describe Brandin Podziemski’s impact on the Golden State Warriors this season. He may not always fill up the scoreboard with gaudy numbers like other rookies in his class, but Podziemski was always willing to put himself out there for his team.
When there was a loose ball, Podz was on the ground diving for it. When there was a 50-50 ball coming off the rim, Podz was the one going for it. When the Warriors needed a defensive stop, Podz was the one taking the charge. In fact, Podziemski led all players with 38 charges drawn this season.
From starting games to bridging gaps between the first and second units, Podziemski has proven to be the best “glue guy” from the 2023 draft class. He will most certainly make the All-Rookie team and is deserving of being on these NBA rookie rankings.
All-Rookie Teams
All-Rookie First Team: Victor Wembanyama (SAS), Chet Holmgren (OKC), Brandon Miller (CHA), Amen Thompson (HOU), Brandin Podziemski (GSW)
All-Rookie Second Team: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (MIA), Dereck Lively II (DAL), Keyonte George (UTA), Scoot Henderson (POR), GG Jackson (MEM)
It shouldn’t be a surprise to see that the five rookies in the NBA rookie rankings find themselves listed on the All-Rookie First Team. Wembanyama, Holmgren, and Miller are all going to be unanimous selections for the All-Rookie First Team, but the final two spots are up for debate.
Thompson had a spectacular season with the Rockets. He was one of the main reasons why they were able to come all the way back from being 27-35 and threaten for a play-in tournament spot. Ultimately, Houston finished with a 41-41 record, their best since the 2019-20 season.
The Warriors finished as the 10-seed in the West, but Podziemski made his impact felt on both ends of the court. It is not hard to say he was the third-best rebounder in this draft class behind Wembanyama and Holmgren, plus Podz just has a knack for being in the right place defensively. Podziemski certainly passes the eye test to be on the All-Rookie First Team, but so does Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Heat dealt with a plethora of injuries this season that directly resulted in Jaquez being thrown into a big role early on in his career. Much to the delight of Erik Spoelstra, Jaquez delivered when his number was called. On the season, the Heat rookie averaged 11.9 points per game while starting in 20 out of 75 games.
Dereck Lively II and Keyonte George will undoubtedly receive All-Rookie honors this season. With the Dallas Mavericks, Lively thrived in pick-and-roll sets, shooting 74.7 percent from the floor. Dallas went 35-20 with Lively on the court this season.
George ended up seizing control of the Utah Jazz’s backcourt late in the season, and he displayed flashes of his three-point potential. Moving forward, George is going to be the featured playmaker and ball handler for the Jazz. This organization truly believes that he can become an All-Star one day.
Scoot Henderson making the All-Rookie roster shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone given how he finished the year with the Portland Trail Blazers, but GG Jackson is the wild card in the final NBA rookie rankings and All-Rookie predictions. Jackson, who wasn’t supposed to play at all for the Memphis Grizzlies, ended up seeing a ton of minutes this season because of all the injuries the team dealt with.
In a total of 48 games, Jackson averaged 14.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.8 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from three-point range. At 19 years old, Jackson ranked 14th in rebounding, eighth in field goals made, and fourth in scoring among all rookies. Given that he didn’t play for close to half the season, these are pretty remarkable finishing positions for Jackson.
The Grizzlies are really excited about Jackson’s potential, as they should be.
Honorable All-Rookie mentions: Cam Whitmore (HOU), Bilal Coulibaly (WAS), Trayce Jackson-Davis (GSW), Ausar Thompson (DET), Vasilije Micić (CHA)
