A new season of the NBA is set to begin in just a few short days. Along with the return of our favorite stars, dozens of fresh faces hoping to make an impact in basketball’s grandest stage join the league after one of the most hyped NBA drafts in recent memory. Below, we break down the hottest candidates for the 2014-2015 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
For a more comprehensive look at this season’s NBA action, check out our complete preview of the 2014-2015 season.
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Who Will Win the 2014-2015 NBA Rookie of the Year Award?
Favorites – Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins
The Milwaukee Bucks were searching for talent to build around entering the 2014 NBA Draft. There, they drafted Jabari Parker as the second overall pick. The talented rookie is expected to be the center piece of the Bucks’ offense for years to come. Parker can certainly do so after averaging 19.1 points on 14.3 shots per game in his lone season in college basketball.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Playing against grown men in the NBA is a completely different world than playing against teenagers. Nevertheless, Parker, standing at 6’8″ and weighing 235 pounds, has the size, physicality and surprising athleticism needed to make tough shots. He should be able to excel and grow in his rookie season.
The Minnesota Timberwolves traded prized forward Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers in favor of first overall draft pick Andrew Wiggins. The first overall draft pick won’t be getting extended playing time or too many touches with the ‘Wolves as he is still developing his handle and control of the offense.
Wiggins will also be competing against Kevin Martin and Corey Brewer for some time on the court. Still, he was the first overall draft pick for a reason. Wiggins is an all-around player with incredible athleticism, which should help him get extended playing time as he progresses through the season, but he won’t be a centerpiece like Parker, at least at first.
High-Value Picks – Doug McDermott and Julius Randle
Doug McDermott finds himself on one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls. The presence of Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol means that McDermott won’t have too much pressure to perform, which should produce good results when he does take the court.
When McDermott does get some playing time, he will be an open court shooter. In his last year of college basketball, he averaged 26.7 points per game, while shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 44.9 percent from beyond the arc. McDermott averaged .333 on three-point shooting in six NBA preseason games.
Having McDermott as a shooting threat should open up his veteran teammates Derrick Rose, Gasol and Joakim Noah for scoring opportunities, thus making him a useful tool for the Bulls.
Lakers rookie Julius Randle has to earn time against Carlos Boozer and Jordan Hill. However, being a part of a pretty bad team around him, Randle may have the perfect opportunity to shine.
Randle will need to get over a disappointing start to preseason, in which he faced criticism from his coach. Still, he did have a break out performance against the Utah Jazz, finishing with eight points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in 20 minutes.
If his performance against the Jazz is any indication of how his season will go, then Randle will still be able to improve and contribute more to his team in the coming months.
Sleepers – Dante Exum and T.J. Warren
Dante Exum of the Utah Jazz is just 19 years old, which may explain his apparent lack of confidence in his game. Exum averaged 7.2 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game during the Las Vegas NBA summer league. He should develop to be an all-star should he become more confident in his skills. In the meantime, he should be a nice sleeper to win this season’s Rookie of the Year award.
T.J. Warren is a rookie that you can’t sleep on, especially with the Phoenix Suns spreading their offense across their roster as small forwards P.J. Tucker and Marcus Morris each averaged a little over nine points per game last season. The rookie is a legitimate scoring threat, finishing with 18.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in two seasons for North Carolina State, and should be a solid option off the bench for the Suns.
Writer’s Prediction
There’s no rookie with a bigger spotlight than Jabari Parker. Parker takes home the 2014-2015 NBA Rookie of the Year award. Create a betting account now to catch the start of the upcoming NBA action.
